Pacquiao-Clottey fight might draw 45,000 to Cowboys Stadium

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Thursday the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight is “well on its way” to selling out the 45,000 seats at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

“The Event” is scheduled for March 13 for Pacquiao’s welterweight title.

Arum said during Thursday’s teleconference that he expects about 4,000 tickets to remain when the fighters arrive locally the week before the bout.

He said opening up additional seats would be up to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Arum said having a heavy undercard of Hispanic fighters helps appeal to the local Hispanic community. WBC super featherweight champion Humberto Soto (Mexico) will fight former WBC lightweight champion David Diaz (Chicago) for the vacant WBC lightweight title. Mexico’s Jose Castillo and Alfonso Gomez also highlight the undercard.

However, Arum suggested that many Hispanic fight fans have embraced Pacquiao, a Filipino who is widely considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in professional boxing.

Arum said he fell in love with Cowboys Stadium as a venue and hoped it could house a Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. bout.

Mayweather’s camp skipped a potential visit to Cowboys Stadium, which embarrassed Arum.

When that fight fell apart Arum immediately called Jones to arrange Cowboys Stadium for the Clottey fight. Speaking of the failed Mayweather bout, the ultimate deal breaker proved to be Mayweather’s camp insisting on stringent drug testing.

Clottey’s representatives didn’t ask for additional drug testing.

“I respect him too much as a fighter,” Clottey said.

Tobias Xavier Lopez, 817-390-7760

Source: star-telegram.com