Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum insists that it is imperative that Manny Pacquiao holds the tail end of his training camp in Brisbane which will give him enough time to adjust to conditions there.
“I spoke with (fellow Hall of Famer) Freddie Roach and we both agree that the sooner Manny gets there, the better for him,” Arum told the Bulletin yesterday from his Las Vegas home as Team Pacquiao enters a crucial phase of the preparations for the Jeff Horn fight on July 2.
Arum swears that even though Brisbane is just two hours ahead of Manila, the travel remains lengthy.
Manila to Los Angeles is 12-13 hours while Manila to Brisbane is just nine hours but the lack of a direct flight is what bothers Roach and Arum.
Besides, the weather condition is another factor that concerns Arum since Australia is in wintertime now being in the Southern Hemisphere.
“It’s cold in Brisbane and I know that it’s really hot right now in the Philippines,” said the 85-year-old Arum.
Last time Arum checked with Pacquiao, the 38-year-old eight-division titlist wasn’t sold on leaving early as plans were being laid out for an arrival in Australia a week before the match.
The scheduled 12-rounder will be held at the open-air and 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium where Arum predicts a sellout is in the offing.
