DUBAI // Emirates-based boxing officials yesterday dismissed rumours Manny Pacquiao could fight Floyd Mayweather in the UAE.
Speculation regarding a potential megafight in the Emirates was heightened this week when Freddie Roach, the Filipino's American coach, said he preferred Dubai or Dallas over the traditional host city of Las Vegas.
Dubai has hosted boxing events before, but nothing even close to the scale of what would be required to bring Pacquiao, an eight-division champion, and Mayweather, arguably the world's finest pound-for-pound pugilist, to the city.
Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, has ambition, but lacks experience, according to Amir Shafiypour, the chief executive of The Champion Club in Dubai and manager of the UAE's first professional boxer, Eisa Al Dah. In July 2010, Pacquiao's adviser said he held talks with representatives of the Abu Dhabi Royal Family over the possibility of staging the Filipino's fight with Antonio Margarito in the capital. They ending up fighting in Texas.
"There are rumours, yes, but this usually happens when promoters - or people who think they are promoters - come up with a concept," Shafiypour said.
"Making a concept is easy: sit down, type, make some pictures and say I'm going to do that. Get some public relations, get it in the news with a big name and everyone will love it. But who is going to fund it? Who is going to organise it? They don't consider this. It is a dream.
"To bring someone like Pacquiao here, you need to have at least a budget of US$50 million (Dh183.655m) in your bank account just to get the contract signed. If you cannot do that then you will struggle for the credibility and it won't happen."
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More on the Manny Pacquiao Story
• Interactive: The Manny Pacquiao story
• Pacquiao's promoters keen to push through fight in Abu Dhabi
• Manny Pacquiao's greatest fights
• The biog: Manny Pacquiao
• Manny Pacquiao page
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Al Dah met Roach in 2010 and has at times used the coach's Wild Card Gym to train alongside Amir Khan, the former unified WBA and IBF light welterweight champion. He has also met with Pacquiao on several occasions and when Mayweather visited Dubai last year, the Emirati spent time with him at the Burj Al Arab.
"Everyone is talking about this fight, but the people here doing the talking do not understand promoting," Al Dah said. "You are talking about one of the biggest fights in history; a purse where each fighter gets a guaranteed $50m. It's huge; it is the one everybody is waiting for. But nobody can bring this kind of event here except the government of Dubai or Abu Dhabi."
"I am not saying I have a very close relationship with Floyd, but he has visited a couple of times and came to my office and we spent time together. He loves the city and said he wants to come back, but it is hard because of the financial and organisational aspects."
Another potential barrier to the UAE's hopes of hosting the fight is the time difference between the Middle East and the lucrative American pay-per-view audience.
Shafiypour, however, says that is a surmountable hurdle.
"Time difference is not a problem; funding is the issue," the Iranian said. "There is a lot of pay per view on this side of the world."
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
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Director: Spike Lee
Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver
Five stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday, February 8 v Kenya; Friday, February 9 v Canada; Sunday, February 11 v Nepal; Monday, February 12 v Oman; Wednesday, February 14 v Namibia; Thursday, February 15 final
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James
Three and a half stars
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The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
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Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
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● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
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