Donaire vs Narvaez: Arum Says Fight Is Headed to New York

by Scott Christ on Aug 31, 2011 5:15 PM EDT in Boxing News Analysis

Nonito Donaire could be headed to the Big Apple on October 22. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Bob Arum tells ABS-CBN news in the Philippines that the October 22 fight between Nonito Donaire and Omar Narvaez is probably headed to New York's Madison Square Garden (or more likely, the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden):

"Looks like he’s going to October 22nd, Madison Square Garden, New York, yeah the big time. Against Narvaez, the undefeated Argentine," said Arum.

Donaire (26-1, 18 KO) and Narvaez (35-0-2, 19 KO) were originally supposed to fight at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., but Golden Boy Promotions balked at the idea of having a fight in the area one week after their Bernard Hopkins vs Chad Dawson event at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Arum more or less shrugged off the complaint and said he's done quibbling over matters like that, and has moved the fight.

While it may seem bizarre that Golden Boy would feel that somehow Donaire vs Narvaez would cut into the Hopkins vs Dawson show attendance, I think you have to consider the idea that Golden Boy and Gary Shaw Productions are very worried about the draw in Los Angeles for Hopkins vs Dawson, and that they're looking to avoid any possible overlap, or something that could take potential attendees away from their show. Hopkins and Dawson just don't draw big live gates in the U.S., and when the show was pulled from Newark and put in Los Angeles, it was a risky move all around that may well look really bad in the end. There's worry everywhere that the Hopkins vs Dawson show will tank on HBO pay-per-view and at the turnstiles.

Also, with Hugo Cazares having lost to Tomonobu Shimizu today in Japan, you can make a good argument that Donaire vs Narvaez is a matchup of the best bantamweight and best super flyweight in the world today. In that regard, the fight reminds me a lot of the March clash between middleweight champ Sergio Martinez and my personal pick for best junior middleweight in the game today, Sergiy Dzinziruk. It's not a fight you can really hate, I don't think, but there's a clear favorite and I think the class difference will really show.

Tweet Comment 7 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

this sucks

I was planning on going to both fights. If one of the two fights belongs in calif it’s donaires. He lives and trains in the bay area and calif has the largest filipino population outside the philippines).
Hopkins-dawson belongs on the east coast. It will draw absymal numbers at the gate and on ppv wherever it is held.
This is another instance of the politics of boxing messing things up

by jake_ash on Aug 31, 2011 5:32 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Dammit Bob

Donaire is from the Bay Area. There is a natural boxing fanbase in the Bay Area because of the efforts of Andre Ward. There is a large Asian and Filipino population in the Bay Area. So naturally Bob thinks that Donaire would be a good draw in NY. Donaire is high up on everyone’s P4P list, yet is unknown to almost everyone. Build him a fanbase and get him in big money fights….

"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi

by Waldo Rastel on Aug 31, 2011 5:46 PM EDT reply actions

I’ve said constantly, constantly, constantly that Top Rank should promote a Filipino-heavy card in San Francisco.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Aug 31, 2011 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s literally mind-numbing why Bob can’t figure that out.

"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi

by Waldo Rastel on Aug 31, 2011 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I mean, it’s not like it’s an original idea. I’m sure many have had it, and I was personally inspired by seeing the turnout for a Manny Pacquiao day at a Giants game.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Aug 31, 2011 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions