Is Boxing’s Cold War About to End?

Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya told RingTV last Friday that he will meet Top Rank President Bob Arum “face to face” in Los Angeles next weekend to finally end the “cold war” between GBP and Top Rank.

Making Big Fights

Arum confirmed the meeting, saying that De La Hoya phoned him while he was with Manny Pacquiao in San Francisco on Friday. The Filipino ring icon threw the opening pitch for the San Francisco Giants’ game against the Milwaukee Brewers as part of the media tour to promote the November 22nd Pacquiao-Algieri fight in Macau, China.

The 82 year old Arum was De La Hoya’s first promoter when the latter turned pro after capturing the gold medal in the 1992 Olympics. But as their relationship soured, so did the boxing business between GBP and Top Rank. But this impending reconciliation could lead to the fights that the fans want.

“My objective is to make the big fights” said De La Hoya.” We want to make great, exciting fights that fans want to see, and that’s what I want to talk to Bob about.”

Mending Fences

The meeting between De La Hoya and Arum became inevitable after the two met at Arum’s residence in Los Angeles last May. After that meeting, Arum and De La Hoya proclaimed that they had “totally repaired” their relationship and were ready to “do fights together”. Sources say this led to the conflict at GBP which ended with the resignation of CEO Richard Schaeffer who had vowed  that he would “never do business” with Bob Arum.

The GBP-Top Rank reconciliation had a breakthrough last June when GBP’s Gary Russell Jr. fought Arum fighter Vasyl Lomachenko for the WBO featherweight title. Russell is one of the GBP fighters under the wing of influential boxing adviser Al Haymon, who manages other top GBP boxers like Jr Welterweight kingpin Danny Garcia.

Pacquiao-Garcia on Mind?

De La Hoya then singled out a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Danny Garcia as one which he has” interest in discussing about” when he meets with Arum.

“What a fight that would be. Manny Pacquiao versus Danny Garcia? Come on.” An excited De La Hoya exclaimed. He added that although that one is top of mind, it could only be the tip of the iceberg for making the big fights.

Arum concurred De La Hoya’s choice, calling “Pacman vs Swift” a fight that “makes sense.” He said that he has previously brought up Garcia’s name to Pacquiao and his adviser Michael Koncz, and the Pacman camp also showed interest in the bout. Now that Golden Boy is open to that idea too, Arum expressed confidence in making that big fight soon.

Although Pacquiao still has a November 22nd date with WBO junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri, the Pacman is expected to breeze past the unheralded Algieri.