Promoter Bob Arum did sense right off that Manny Pacquiao was being led to a shameful trap.
Upon hearing of the $38 million purse allegedly dangled by UAE negotiators, Arum cried it was wholly insane.
Manny Pacquiao would have nothing of Arum’s disapproval.
He refused to listen. He also stopped talking to Arum.
Arum himself decided to shut up.
Meanwhile, the boxing world was left to wonder what the hell was going on.
There definitely was a hidden tussle between Arum and Pacquiao.
Michael Koncz, a vital Pacquiao aide and adviser who once worked as loyal Arum errand boy, however, assured things were A-OK between the Hall of Fame promoter and the eight-division world boxing champion.
Koncz was lying.
Dumped rudely to the sideline, Arum kept mum, but only after one stern reminder. He asked to be shown the [big] money.
Unmindful of Arum’s warning that the enormous purse could all be fantasy, Koncz went on to announce the Pacquiao-Amir Khan bout would be moved to May.
Koncz continued to hog the spotlight, even as uncertainty on Pacquiao’s next bout mounted.
With no Pacquiao to talk to, Arum had no choice but summon Koncz to his Las Vegas office.
What would follow was another wordless wait through the previous weekend.
Then Arum suddenly stood up to announce it was a no-deal.
The Pacquiao-Khan bout was dead.
Nobody killed it; if there had been any kind of tussle between Pacquiao and Arum, it was a mismatch, a no-contest.
Arum had refused to bend low. He did not say it was a hoax, but calmly stated Pacquiao et al were talking to the wrong people.
No need to ask now: Who goofed, who faulted?
Pacquiao shunned decorum and allowed himself to be blinded by the promise of enormous cash.
Pacquiao was a willing victim of his own naivete’ and shallow preference.
Sorry, but Sen. Pacquiao only has himself to blame.