Columnist Dean Juipe: Arum can’t lose with Marquez

Dean Juipe

Thursday, May 6, 2004 | 10:10 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4084.

It isn't quite a "no lose" situation for promoter Bob Arum, but even in the worst-case scenario Saturday night he has something profitable to fall back on.

Arum promotes Juan Manuel Marquez, the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation champion at 126 pounds. Saturday in the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Marquez will risk those titles in what is certain to be a difficult fight with Manny Pacquiao, who is coming off a sensational win against Marco Antonio Barrera and who is promoted by Murad Muhammad.

And the winner of that fight, whether it's Arum's Marquez or Muhammad's Pacquiao, can look forward to an even bigger fight -- no later than this fall -- with World Boxing Council junior lightweight champ Erik Morales, who is also promoted by Arum.

"If Pacquiao beats Marquez, then his fight with Morales is going to be huge," Arum said this week. "It'll be a case of Pacquiao vs. the last Mexican standing. Morales would be fighting for his entire country's pride.

"That said, I'll be rooting for Marquez to beat Pacquiao."

Arum and his staff believe their man will prevail Saturday, even if bettors are inclined to disagree.

"I understand that betting odds are a product of those who are betting," Arum said. "But when the odds were first posted on this fight, it surprised me. It continues to surprise me to this day."

Pacquiao opened at a minus 150 favorite in the sports book at the MGM and has been bet to a minus 165.

Marquez opened at a plus 130 and is now a plus 145.

Pacquiao, 25, is 38-2-1 with 30 knockouts and is a former world champion at 112 and 122 pounds.

Marquez, 30, is 42-2 with 33 KOs.

"We like Marquez to win the fight," Arum said. "(Top Rank matchmaker) Bruce Trampler is convinced he'll win.

"We're looking at this fight as great exposure and a good payday for Marquez in a fight that we feel he will win."

Arum said both Marquez and Pacquiao will receive approximately $500,000 for the bout, which will be televised by HBO.

"My feeling is that Marquez hasn't really gotten the recognition he deserves, except within boxing circles," Arum said. "(Naseem) Hamed and Barrera ducked him, which kept him from being seen by a good deal of the public.

"He's a technically superb fighter who is extremely well trained and who possesses great knockout power, especially with his right hand.

"He relishes a guy who comes at him, rather than having to hunt for somebody who doesn't want to fight."

In that respect, Marquez gets what he wants in Pacquiao, a relentless puncher who overwhelmed Barrera last November in San Antonio. Pacquiao won that fight with a combination of speed and power that caused Barrera's corner to throw in the towel in the 11th round.

"Pacquiao's a whirling dervish," Arum said. "He's got a great left jab and very good knockout power, and if he confuses a guy he can take him out.

"But he does have a suspect chin and he is being rated highly for what he did against Barrera, but what we don't know is what kind of Barrera showed up for that fight."

Light heavyweight Derrick Harmon of Las Vegas gets the call to face David Telesco May 28 in Connecticut on ESPN2. ... ESPN2 has adjusted its payment schedule and is now paying promoters $15,000 per televised show. The network was trying to get away with not paying promoters anything, after having regularly paid $55,000 per show just a year ago. ... Dave Gorman, a delightful man who managed former junior middleweight world champion Donald Curry among others, died last week after a short illness in his native Texas at the age of 61. ... Updated betting line at the MGM: Bernard Hopkins minus 180, Oscar De La Hoya plus 160 for their tentative Sept. 18 fight at the same site.

De La Hoya's proposed boxing reality show that will be televised by Fox has a casting call set for Friday at Richard Steele's gym at 1405 A Street near downtown. Interested participants must be U.S. residents; must weigh between 130 and 185 pounds; must be at least 18; and can't have had more than four-round fights as a pro. Call (877) 436-7900 for more information. ...In conjunction with a Teamsters convention, Bally's will host a fight card May 17 in which part of the proceeds will benefit the Joint Association of Boxers. Heavyweights Samuel Peter, 18-0 with 17 knockouts, and Charles Shufford, 20-5 with nine KOs, will headline in a 10-round bout promoted by Cedric Kushner. ... Zab Judah vs. Rafael Pineda at 147 pounds, Bruce Seldon vs. Gerald Nobles at heavyweight and IBF junior flyweight champ V ictor Burgos vs. Fahlan Sakkreerin have been added to the May 15 card at Mandalay Bay.