Arum confident of Pacquiao-Obama meeting -- Manila Bulletin

By NICK GIONGCO, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines — By the time the five-city promotional tour for the May 7 bout between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley hit Washington, D.C., in the second week of February, the Filipino might end up rubbing elbows with US President Barack Obama.

From Las Vegas, Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum told the Bulletin on Friday as he was waiting for a flight to Los Angeles that he will try to arrange such a meeting.

“It would all depend on the availability of the President,” said Arum, who nevertheless, revealed that Pacquiao, a congressman from Sarangani, will be presented to the US Senate.

Pacquiao is no stranger to US politics, having endorsed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada last year, and in 2009, just a few days before facing British Ricky Hatton, the Filipino pound-for-pound king met with ex-US President Bill Clinton at the Four Seasons Hotel inside Mandalay Bay.

Arum, whose promotional outfit Top Rank is based in Las Vegas, is a dear friend of Reid, who used to box as an amateur.

Arum said the press tour will kick off on Feb. 9 when a news conference is held at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles

followed by stops in Las Vegas, New York, Washington and San Francisco.

“It’s going to be absolutely huge (if the meeting between Obama and Pacquiao takes place),” Arum said.

Both Obama and Reid are members of the Democratic Party.

Meanwhile, tickets for the Pacquiao-Mosley welterweight war at the MGM Grand will go on sale on January 31, said Arum.

Tickets are priced at $1,000, $700, $500, $350 and $150.

Source: mb.com.ph