Solar Sports yesterday said Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao will stick to his four-year contract with the cable television firm, effectively nullifying his supposed agreement with ABS-CBN and putting an end to the controversy over which network possesses the right to air his May 2 fight with Ricky Hatton for the World Boxing Council lightweight championship.
Pacquiao stands to receive P60 million from the match.
In an e-mail statement, Solar Sports said both parties have already resolved their ?unfortunate misunderstanding? as Pacquiao?s MP Promotion retracted its rescission letter dated March 17, that initially transferred broadcast rights of his fight to ABS-CBN.
Although Solar Sports had to send its president, Wilson Tieng, and COO, Peter Chan Liong, to his posh Palazzo apartment in Los Angeles, California to personally talk to Pacquiao, everything eventually turned out fine after a very brief discussion.
?Manny (Pacquiao) and MP Promotions have decided to honor the television rights agreement and fully comply with the terms and conditions therein,? the network said in a brief statement.
?We are happy that he can now concentrate on preparing for his fight with Ricky Hatton on May 3 to be shown on GMA 7 and Solar Sports. Preparations for the fight should be his priority.?
Pacquiao?s camp, through his counsel Franklin Gacal, said: ?Nais po namin iparating sa lahat na ang aking kontrata sa Solar Sports ay ?valid and binding? at hindi nalabag ninuman.?
?Dahil po dito kami po ay lubos na humuhingi ng paumanhin kung kayo man ay naguluhan kung saan ilalabas ang darating na laban kay Ricky Hatton. Ito ay resulta lang ng hindi pagkakaintindihan sa pagitan ng Solar Entertainment Coporations at MP Promotions.?
?Simula po sa araw na ito, ay nais kong mag-concetrate ng husto sa aking training sa darating na laban sa May 2.?
Pacquiao?s decision confirmed the previous statement by promoter Bob Arum, who claimed Pacquiao has finished his two-day waltz with disaster by deciding to favor Solar Sports, his long-time media partner, over ABS-CBN.
Arum said Pacquiao understood the repercussions of his move. But during a live feed from Los Angeles, Pacquiao earlier contradicted Arum?s statement, claiming he will stick with his previous decision to ally with the Lopez-owned media empire.
?My decision is still the same,? Pacquiao earlier said, insisting his decision to rescind his pact with Solar Sports. ?I hope people will come out and watch my fight in ABS-CBN.?
Had Pacquiao defied the contract, Solar Sports would have been forced to slap him with a P150-million legal charge, more than half of what he is to receive from the title fight against the British hitman.
GMA Network, too, has expressed possibility of seeking legal remedy since Pacquiao is prohibited from appearing in ?any television program, show, promotion, or event of any media entity? under a separate contract with the network. Pacquiao has two shows with GMA, Totoy Bato and Pinoy Records.
GMA has also bought block time from Solar Sports to air the Pacquiao-Hatton brawl in the country on May 3.
Early yesterday, however, Top Rank big boss Arum reiterated his bold pronouncement, saying that after a long, serious talk with Pacquiao, the Filipino fireball finally decided to honor his commitment with Solar Sports.
He also revealed that should the two camps fail to reach a settlement agreement, Team Pacquiao would implement an all-out media embargo, prohibiting all local networks from covering Pacquiao until he makes up his mind about the issue. The embargo would also keep him away from off-ring distractions.
?A contract is a contract and he (Pacquiao) knows that,? Arum was quoted as saying in a radio interview. ?I believe there will be no more litigation. Manny has made a decision and it was very sound and logical to all parties concerned.?
