Arum sees knockout in blockbuster bout

LAS VEGAS—Promoter Bob Arum is convinced the fourth duel between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will end in a knockout.

As to who is going to kiss the canvas, Arum did not say. What he did say is that Pacquiao-Marquez IV on Saturday is a guaranteed sell-out.

“The way Marquez is going to fight, the fight is destined to end by knockout,” Arum told sportswriters here.

He then happily related that tickets have been gobbled up while pay-per-view sales are going strong.

“There are but 158 tickets left, so they’ll all be gone before the day ends,” said the founder and CEO of Top Rank Promotions, which is staging the bout.

Arum said the PPV buys are “a little below than their third fight, and way ahead of the (Timothy) Bradley fight.  “Eventually, it will end up higher than Pacquiao-Marquez III.”

The PPV hits for that bout was 1.3 million. The Bradley fight notched just 800,000.

If Arum’s estimates stand, then Pacquiao, who is guaranteed $23 million, could earn as much as $30 million.

Marquez is guaranteed $6 million.