IT'S A GO

PACQUIAO: November 14 fight with Cotto is set

IN the end, Bob Arum got what he wanted.

The showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto is finally a go on November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Arum’s effort to persuade the Filipino boxing superstar in agreeing at the 145 pound catch weight sealed the deal for the biggest fight in the final quarter of 2009.

"It's done," said Arum, the hardworking chairman of Top Rank, who was back to work following a weeklong European vacation.

"But everything is agreed or I wouldn't say what I am saying," Arum said. "The weight, the percentages, the guarantees -- it's all agreed to."

As the universal pound-for-pound king today, Pacquiao is expected to get the bigger pie of the prize purse.

The negotiations actually got stalled when both parties couldn’t agree on the catch weight.

Cotto, a natural welterweight, insisted that the most he could do was go down at 145 from 147, no more, no less.

Pacquiao however, countered that the fight should be at 143.

But leave it all up to Arum for the fight to materialize.

"I'm really excited because it's a real fight. These are two real warriors," Arum said. "Whichever way this fight goes, I think it's going to be a classic because of the way these guys fight. There will be a lot of engagement. They're great fighters. Cotto and Pacquiao are gutty guys. If you want blood and action and excitement, this is the fight."