Arum, Pacquiao dread thought of big-time boxing without fans

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum and his former cash cow, Manny Pacquiao, share the thought that big-time boxing is meant to be enjoyed by multitudes of fans and not held in empty arenas.

Arum and Pacquiao both relish the glitter, glamour and the nonstop ringing of cash registers on world championship fights that they are willing to wait until their sport regains full strength from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to lend their star to blockbuster fights again.

Arum said the other day that as the world now heals from COVID-19 and mass gatherings of any kind remain taboo, smaller boxing promotions will take place minus fans in attendance.

But he says huge matchups like the third fight between Tyson Fury, who is promoted by Arum, and Deontay Wilder will have to wait until health officials flash the green light for the boxing faithful to see such ring epics in person.

Fury-Wilder III has been pushed back from its original date of July 18 in Las Vegas to a new date and venue in Sin City in October that appears far enough to hold safely.

The first two fights between Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs), the two-time heavyweight champion, and Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) drew legions of ring diehards in person and on pay-per-view.

Boxingscene.com said the initial fight with Wilder retaining his World Boxing Council heavyweight crown at Staples Center in Los Angeles via a disputed draw attracted more than 17,000 fans.

A rematch at MGM Grand in Vegas sold 15,000 plus tickets and generated close to $17 million in live gate receipts.

“When the fans in the last fight put in almost $17 million into the coffers in purchase of tickets, how do you replace that $17 million?” Arum told writer Jake Donovan before answering his own query. “I mean you don’t. You can’t.”

Pacquiao, the fighting senator and world champ in eight weight classes, told boxing writer and scholar Nick Giongco in Filipino that never has he entertained the idea of boxing without fans around.

Pacquiao, who performed in super fights promoted by Arum and attended by thousands of fans, dreads fighting in an empty arena because of his crowd-pleasing style, according to Giongco.

In his last fight, he dealt American prizefighter Keith Thurman his first defeat before a crowd of more than 11,000 at MGM Grand.