Middle East Possible Host to Pacquiao November Fight

1:44 PM // 0 comments // Ian Purugganan // Category: Pacquiao //

Abu Dhabi and Monterrey in Mexico are the two leading candidates to land the much-awaited ring return of Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino fighter’s Canadian adviser said on Thursday.

“It’s because of economics,” said Mike Koncz, revealing that the United Arab Emirates and Mexico won’t subject Pacquiao and the other fighters’ earnings to taxes. “We’re not talking about $20,000 in taxes, we’re talking about taxes in millions of dollars.”

Koncz said oil-rich Abu Dhabi has been given until July 28 to make a firm commitment to play host to the fight.

As for Monterrey, Koncz said he and Top Rank chief Bob Arum are travelling there on Thursday to meet with people interested in staging Pacquiao take on Antonio Margarito of Mexico.

“We’ll be there for one day to see what they have to offer,” said Koncz.

Monterrey, an industrial center, is the wealthiest of all Mexican cities.

Apart from Abu Dhabi and Monterrey, others in the hunt to land a Pacquiao fight are Las Vegas and Dallas.

As soon as a deal is made, Arum said he will bring over Pacquiao to where the fight is going to be held for a formal press conference and a short press tour “because our fighter has other duties to attend to being a congressman.”

Other than Margarito, Team Pacquiao is also conferring with representatives of Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto.

Last Monday, Arum discussed the merits of a Pacquiao fight with Cotto’s people and on Tuesday, Koncz was in Tijuana where he met with Fernando Beltran, who is Margarito’s promoter.