TOP Rank promoter Bob Arum can’t attend the biggest boxing event in years at the sprawling Cebu Sports Center on Saturday when Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire defends his WBO super bantamweight title against No. 4-ranked former Hungarian Olympian Zsolt Bedak because of a bad back.
Arum, who is promoting the exciting fight card titled “It’s About Time” reportedly hurt his back during the third fight between eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao and Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley, which Pacquiao won handily after dropping Bradley once in the seventh round and once again in the 9th.
There were scant details on how Arum hurt his back, forcing him to cancel the long flight from Los Angeles to Manila with a connecting flight to Cebu.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer and ABS-CBN Sports consultant Peter Musgni said it was unfortunate that the leading promoter in the world won’t be able to attend the final press conference on Thursday at the Waterfront Hotel and the official weigh-in the following day and the fights themselves.
Donaire, who is determined to put on a show for the fans and go after a knockout in every round, worked out at the plush Robinsons Galleria before a huge crowd of boxing fans on Sunday afternoon at the Cebu City Sports Center.