AFTER promoting Muhammad Ali’s legendary trilogy with Joe Frazier back in 1975, Top Rank boss Bob Arum has lofty plans to return to Manila later this year.
The 50th anniversary of their iconic heavyweight showdown – which was, of course, hosted in the Filipino capital – will be celebrated this October.
And so, in a bid to mark the occasion, Arum looks to stage a likely rematch between Emanuel Navarrete and Charly Suarez at the exact same venue.
The pair locked horns in a controversial encounter last Saturday, with Navarrete, 40-2-1 (32 KOs), retaining his WBO world super-featherweight strap following a technical decision victory.
But before getting his hand raised, the Mexican had suffered a sixth-round cut on his left eyebrow, inspiring the ringside physician to call a halt two frames later.
At first glance, referee Edward Collantes had deemed the injury to be caused by an accidental head clash. With all three judges scoring the fight in his favour, Navarrete ultimately received the win.
Video replay footage, however, showed that his cut was in fact caused by a legal punch from Suarez, 18-1 (10 KOs), who has since filed an appeal to the California State Athletic Commission.
With the CSAC expected to make a decision on June 2, the result could either be overturned to a no-contest or, albeit less likely, a stoppage victory in Suarez’s favour.
Either way, veteran promoter Arum is keen to proceed with an immediate rematch, telling boxing journalist Dan Rafael that the wheels for a potential Manila showdown – awarding Suarez a home advantage – are already in motion.
As reported by Rafael’s Fight Freaks Unite, Arum said: “What I’m working on, and I don’t know if I can pull it off, is October is the 50th anniversary of the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ and I’d love to go back to the same building, the Araneta Coliseum, which has now been remodelled, and do this fight in Manila as a celebration of the Ali-Frazier fight.”
