Inflamed sources have told Boxingconfidential.com that boxing?s recent wave of major fight postponements may not be over. These same knowledgeable sources tell me that the real tsunami may be coming shortly. Word is emanating from Mexico that there is great concern in the camp of Marco Antonio Barrera and elsewhere that a troubled Manny Pacquaio is trying to find a way to wriggle out of their Oct. 6 pay-per-view fight in Las Vegas.
?It?s all on Pacman?s side but the word is filtering out of Mexico, out of MAB?s camp,? one source said. ?They have not mentioned a word of this to Marco because he is training like a mad monk and they don?t want him to lose his mental or physical edge. Some people associated with the WBC are hearing the same rumors.”
So why would the Pinoy ring idol, said to be in fantastic physical form as a result of daily drills with taskmaster trainer Freddie Roach, want not a weigh-in but a way out of the huge fight to be co-promoted by Top Rank and Goldern Boy?
?No one seems to have a certain reason but it?s clear that Manny believes that the recent business marriage of Bob Arum and Oscar de la Hoya has been to his financial detriment. He is not happy with the money GBP and TR want to pay him. He thinks they?ve cut what he should be getting paid to cover their respective legal bills which are huge,? a second insider said. ?Manny sees a guy like Ricky Hatton getting an $8 million guarantee and wonders why he isn?t getting a lot more than that. Manny believes he should be getting Floyd Mayweather type millions.”
It?s been said that Megamanny will relocate training to LA on Sept. 22 but the doubters say don?t hold your breath on that one. They think the PPV date will blow up just like the Sept. 15 (GBP only) Juan Manuel Marquez-Rocky Juarez show did. Much of that card is now being sideloaded, with fighters getting purse ?haircuts? unless GBP shoulders the pain, to Showtime for Nov. 3.
?Manny wants out of this fight unless they ratchet up the pay,? a third source told me. ?This is the negative feedback that has circulated into the Barrera camp. Marco is not going to take less money to satisfy Manny, certainly not at this near the end stage of his illustrious career.
?Manny may come up with a way out of the fight. He might get a cold or have walking pneumonia all of a sudden. Manny has told some friends he is having financial problems but the friends think it?s really his unhappiness with the two promoters. If they don?t make a big adjustment to Manny?s purse, he?ll call in sick or come up with an injury.?
I guess a tiny cut on the right hand won’t “cut it” since Marquez just that excuse to postpone the title challenge by Juarez.
