If the June 28 show turns out to be a knockout both in the box-office and in the pay-per-view sales, Manny Pacquiao stands to earn the biggest paycheck of his career.
This was the projection of promoter Bob Arum yesterday saying that since only Top Rank and Pacquiao?s MP Promotions are involved in the event set in Las Vegas, Manny “could possibly earn the biggest paycheck if everything goes well” when he shoots for David Diaz?s World Boxing Council lightweight crown.
“Manny will be given a guaranteed purse for this fight but he gets a share in everything,” said Arum from Las Vegas, stressing that the non-involvement of Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) makes it realistic for Pacquiao to cash in heavily on the other money-making ventures in the promotion.
Arum, however, did not go into specifics and did not disclose Pacquiao?s guaranteed purse nor the projected possible income from PPV.
All that he said was that In Pacquiao?s last two fights ? against Mexicans Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez ? Top Rank had to share the promotional chores with the Oscar De La Hoya-owned GBP as ordered by an arbitrator and therefore the share for each entity became smaller.
But to make it a blockbuster fight, Arum said Pacquiao must do his share in promoting the event by agreeing to travel in key US cities to generate interest among the large Filipino community in California and nearby states.
Arum will do his part by leasing a private plane for Pacquiao?s use.
Ten days after a May 13 press conference in Los Angeles where Pacquiao and Diaz will be in attendance, Arum will begin the one-day tours that would bring him to Diaz?s hometown of Chicago and to Phoenix, San Francisco and San Diego in the succeeding weeks.
According to Arum, initial response to the tickets was very encouraging with the purchase of 7,000. The Events Center inside Mandalay Bay has a seating capacity of 12,000 and Arum is upbeat about the prospects of a sellout by fight night.
As to who Pacquiao fights next in line and where the fight is going to be held, Arum could not provide enough details although he has already “made a promise that it will be in Macau.”
“I honestly could not say when because it would all depend on the result of Manny?s fight with Diaz,” said the Harvard-educated lawyer.
“This will be a physically-demanding fight for Manny,” said the 76-year-old Arum.
