It had loomed not only the last big fight of the year but one of the more intriguing big man-little man matchups in the 99 years that have elapsed since Stanley Ketchel climbed into the ring with Jack Johnson, but the proposed Oscar De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao bout would appear to be dead in the water after negotiations between Golden Boy Promtions CEO Richard Schaefer and Top Rank head Bob Arum broke down last week.
Although the principals had agreed on a 147-pound limit (41 pounds above Pacquiao?s career-low weight and 13 below De La Hoya?s all-time high) and had even reached a compromise that would have allowed each man to use the gloves of his choice, the sticking point came down to money. Both Schaefer and Arum confirmed to ESPN.com that De La Hoya (who has won just 3-of-6 fights over the past five years) had refused to budge from his demand for 70 percent of the HBO pay-per-view revenues. (Pacquiao had agreed to take 40 percent of a pot potentially valued at as much as $100 million, meaning that he probably would have taken 35 percent.)
De La Hoya, still hoping for a big financial score on his way out the door, is casting about for another opponent for his scheduled Dec. 6 valedictory to boxing at the MGM Grand. A title fight with World Boxing Council junior middleweight champion Sergio Mora looms a possibility, provided the ESPN?s ?Contender? alum gets by Vernon Forrest in their Sept. 13 rematch on Showtime.
Pacquiao, whose most recent acquisition was the WBC lightweight title, has already instructed Arum to ?make another fight.?
Manfredo in Twin bill
Peter Manfredo Jr., who headlines against Donny McCrary (24-7-2) Friday night at the Twin River Events Center in Lincoln, R.I., has been sparring with Worcester?s Edwin Rodriguez (who fights Marcus Upshaw on Jimmy Burchfield?s card that night), along with yet another ?Contender? alum, Jesse Brinkley.
Manfredo (30-5) still is kicking himself over his subpar effort against Jeff Lacy on last December?s Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton undercard – particularly now that Lacy, having reconsidered his brief retirement, has landed a Nov. 15 HBO-televised fight against Jermain Taylor, one that will likely take place in Biloxi, Miss.
?I blew that fight,? Manfredo said, ?but it really woke me up.? For more information on the Lincoln card, phone 401-724-2253 . . . .
Burchfield will be back a week later with an Aug. 29 ESPN2-televised card at the Mohegan Sun, with Providence cruiserweight Matt Godfrey in an NABF 12-rounder against Nigerian Emmanuel Nwodo in the main event and Manchester (Conn.) featherweight Matt Remillard vs. Mexican Adalberto Borquez in the co-feature. Providence heavyweight Jason Estrada (13-1) will fight Texan Domonic Jenkins (13-8) on the undercard. For more information, phone the Mohegan Sun at 888-226-7711 .
New stars on Broadway
A pair of New England-based boxers posted wins on the Aug. 6 Broadway Boxing card at B.B. King?s Blues Club in New York. Quincy lightweight Ryan Kielczewski, a two-time New England Golden Gloves featherweight champion who trains under Jimmy Farrell at the South Boston Boxing Club, made an impressive pro debut with a shutout win (40-36 on all three cards) over Raphael Luna of Albany. On the same bill, promoter Rich Cappiello?s Vietnamese-born featherweight, Dat Nguyen, went to 13-1 with a majority decision over Juan Cruz of Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Kielczewski will be promoted by DiBella Entertainment, as will ex-WBO junior welterweight champ Randall Bailey, who made an impressive debut for Lou DiBella?s group on the Broadway Boxing card when he knocked out Colombian Dairo Esales in 46 seconds. A day later, DiBella, who already has the promotional paper on WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto, also announced the signing of former IBF 147-pound champ Kermit Cintron.
Cintron will likely fight on the Nov. 15 Taylor-Lacy bill, along with another boxer trying to bounce back from a loss – heavyweight Chazz Witherspoon. . . .
The IBF light heavyweight showdown between Antonio Tarver and former WBC champ Chad Dawson of New Haven, Conn., has found a home, albeit one unlikely to please the constituency of either boxer: The Palms in Las Vegas. . . .
A few weeks ago, promoter Artie Pelullo confirmed to the Belfast Telegraph ?as far as I am concerned, we have a deal? with Irish Ropes for a challenge by Ireland?s John Duddy for Verno Phillips? IBF junior middleweight title.
?We have yet to sign, but when someone gives me their word, then as far as I?m concerned the deal is done,? said Pelullo, last seen in these parts when promoting the 2005 Hatton-Luis Collazo card at TD Banknorth Garden.
