SUBIC BAY, PHILIPPINES ? Despite looming tax woes in the United States, contractual debate with promoter Murad Muhammad and an imminent tug-of-war owing to a salacious HBO television offer, it will be a Merry Christmas after all for Filipino world champion Manny Pacquiao.
This as the universally recognized Featherweight king Pacquiao revealed that his handlers have already finalized a deal that will earn for him a cool 1-million dollar purse by challenging reigning WBA/IBF champion Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico in a 12-round title encounter tentatively set sometime in March. The 25-year old Pacquiao gave this disclosure the other night in an informal conversation while the General Santos City-native champion was attending the successful Philippine junior lightweight title defense of his younger brother Bobby Pacquiao versus Renato Inal at the Subic Sports Complex in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
