MANILA, Philippines?The ante keeps rising for Manny Pacquiao. It now goes up to $8 million for another fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.
Top Rank boss Bob Arum, Pacquiao?s promoter, cited the ballpark figure in a recent phone patch interview with Sports Chat?s Dennis Principe.
The amount exceeds the $6-million offered by Golden Boy Promotions for Pacquiao to agree on an immediate rematch with Marquez whom the Filipino superstar dethroned as World Boxing Council super featherweight champion last March 15 at Mandalay Bay?s Events Center in Las Vegas.
Others who want a piece of Pacquiao are World Boxing Council lightweight titlist David Diaz, World Boxing Organization lightweight champion Joel Casamayor and knockout artist Edwin Valero, the World Boxing Association super featherweight titlist.
Earlier, Pacquiao?s trainer Freddie Roach was quoted as saying his ward earned $5.5 million (P225 million) from the Pacquiao-Marquez II.
Pacquiao also stands to earn more from his share of the PPV (pay-per-view) hits that could run into millions of dollars. Total gate receipts amounted to $3,350,000 and closed-circuit earnings $60,000.
Roach in road mishap
Meanwhile, Roach figured in a car accident over the weekend after watching Casamayor stop Michael Katsidis in the 10th round.
According to a Fightbeat.com exclusive, Roach was driving his brand new 2008 Lincoln SUV that was hit on the rear by a female driver, sending it crashing into another car traveling down the US 60 highway.
The woman?s car also spun out of control and slammed into a truck, throwing her baby passenger, who wasn?t strapped to a seat, out into the pavement. The child is in critical condition. The woman lost an eye.
Roach suffered a broken tooth as well as back and neck injuries, but did not require hospitalization.
