Signs down, but Pacquiao-Bradley promoter still fuming
It looks like the squeaky wheel got the grease.
Less than 24 hours after Top Rank chairman Bob Arum’s tirade against the MGM Grand for posting signs for Floyd Mayweather’s upcoming May 3 fight against Marcos Maidana in competition with Saturday’s Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley rematch, the MGM removed most of the Mayweather signs from the property, replacing them with Pacquiao-Bradley signage.
“I’m not satisfied,” Arum said Thursday. “What am I, a schmuck? A casino, in order to have credibility, has to live up to its promises. When casinos don’t live up to their commitments, it’s a sad day for Las Vegas.”
However, not all the Mayweather-Maidana signs had been removed. A couple of signs were still visible outside the MGM’s food court Thursday morning.
According to Arum, Top Rank president Todd duBoef was negotiating with the MGM to bring the Pacquiao-Bradley rematch to Las Vegas. He was told the Mayweather signs on the outside of the hotel, including a 25-story mural facing east, could not be removed. DuBoef then asked about moving the Pacquiao-Bradley fight to Mandalay Bay where there would be no conflict between the two promotions, but was told the MGM would make sure the fight would get proper signage if it were held at the MGM.
“When we came here and saw what we saw, we were horrified,” Arum said, referring to Tuesday when Pacquiao made his grand arrival in the MGM’s lobby. “As far as we’re concerned, they reneged on the agreement and our lawyers are looking into it.”
Arum ripped the MGM at Wednesday’s final news conference, calling entertainment and sports president Richard Sturm, “The man who puts up signs for the wrong fights.”
Arum said the signage has an economic impact on his event’s sponsors, specifically Tecate beer.
“Tecate pays us a lot of money to promote their brand,” Arum said. “Every Mayweather-Maidana sign has Corona on it. That’s horrible.”
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The money appears to be coming in on Pacquiao at the MGM’s sports books. Thursday, he was up to minus-280 after being minus-250. The takeback on Bradley is plus 220. It was plus 200.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.
