Though not exactly in the mold of Vito Corleone in the famous movie “The Godfather,” Oscar De La Hoya apparently made an offer Manny Pacquiao could not refuse.
It is now being said that Pacquiao signed up with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) in September last year because he could not bear seeing the famed American fighter get embarrassed.
A Team Pacquiao insider who was present during the signing that took place on the night of Sept. 18 in Los Angeles said Pacquiao did not want to break the heart of De la Hoya “that’s why he agreed to sign” with GBP even though Bob Arum’s Top Rank had already struck a deal in principle with Pacquiao that he would sign up with Top Rank shortly after the Nov. 18 fight with Erik Morales.
“We were earlier told that the signing bonus for signing with GBP would be $ 1 million but during the meeting, the suitcase only had $ 250,000 plus another $ 150,000 (as an advance for his first fight with GBP),” said the Pacquiao insider.
Present when Pacquiao signed with Dela Hoya were lawyer Franklin Gacal and Los Angeles-based advisers Joe Ramos and Winchell Campos from the Filipino’s camp as well as De La Hoya and GBP chief operating officer Richard Schaefer, trainer Freddie Roach and friend Billy Keane.
Pacquiao had just gotten off a 15-hour direct flight from Manila when he was asked to meet over late dinner with GBP after leaving his Filipino companions, including Wakee Salud, Canadian adviser Mike Koncz and this writer, at Denny’s after dropping off their baggage at The Palazzo in La Brea.
GBP tried to hide the signing with Pacquiao and during an interview with this writer the following day, while Pacquiao was training at the Wild Card, Dela Hoya denied his company had already inked the GenSan fighter to a seven-fight contract and that he will let Pacquiao focus on the Morales fight before they both talk business.
But news leaked out soon after and GBP and Pacquiao were forced to admit they’ve both had reached an agreement.
Despite the discovery that GBP and Pacquiao had forged an agreement, Top Rank went on with its plans to stage the Pacquiao-Morales 3 and during the post-fight press conference, Arum announced to the press that he had signed Pacquiao to a four-year pact.
In the succeeding weeks, Pacquiao refiused to comment on Arum’s statements but in late December, Pacquiao and Arum held a press conference at the Manila Hotel to formally announce that they have both agreed to work together.
Pacquiao said he returned $ 500,000 to GBP but De La Hoya’s outfit did not accept it.
A case has already been filed in the States and the depositions of Roach and Gacal have already been taken by Top Rank lawyer Daniel Petrocelli.
Top Rank has denied that Pacquiao received a signing bonus for dumping De la Hoya and going for Arum but Roach said in his deposition that was taken on Feb. 13 that Pacquiao received $ 1 million.
