Report: HBO Refuses to Put Pacquiao-Vargas on PPV

According to a report in the LA Times, the scheduled Manny Pacquiao versus WBO welterweight champ Jessie Vargas event on Nov. 5 in Las Vegas will not be televised via HBO Pay-Per-View. Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told the media outlet that he will still move forward with the fight with or without HBO.

HBO reportedly is cautious of putting the fight on PPV so close to the mega showdown between world-recognized light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward, which is slated for Nov. 19, also in Vegas and on HBO PPV. With the cable giant now apparently not willing to budge on their stance, the Hall of Fame promoter said he is shopping his card to other networks.

“The fact that they passed means the contract is over, it seems clear to me,” Arum said to the LA Times. “They can’t pick and choose which fights they are going to distribute. They’re either in breach of contract or they’ve ended the contract. My feeling is, based my legal background, is that the contract is terminated.”

Arum said that since he believes that Pacquiao is a network free agent now, HBO may have inadvertently relinquished the rights to the rumored mega rematch between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2017.