HOLLYWOOD ? What the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito fight failed to generate at the gates it drew from pay-per-view (PPV).
Figures show the Pacquiao fight stands to be the most-watched ever in boxing history: as many as 1.5 million PPV hits.
?Numbers say we?re going to hit 1.4 to 1.5 million,? Pacquiao?s Canadian adviser Mike Koncz told Manila-based sportswriters Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).
?From all indications and the early tracking, we can even get 1.5 million.?
If the bruising 12-round fight indeed hit 1.5 million PPV, it will eclipse the 1.4 million PPV buys posted by Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Shane Mosley in May and confirm Pacquiao?s status as PPV?s most bankable star.
With each buy costing $54.95, Pacquiao-Margarito PPV hits of 1.5-million translate to $82 million.
From total PPV sales, Pacquiao stands to get about 12.5 percent of the projected $82-million amount, or $10 million. This is on top of his guaranteed purse of $15 million for the fight that earned him an unprecedented eight world title in as many weight classes.
According to Mike Taffet, HBO senior vice president for sports, Pacquiao?s last four fights in the United States averaged one million PPV hits, with his bout against Oscar De La Hoya in 2008 netting 1.25 million PPV sales and his showdown with Miguel Cotto posting 1.2 million hits.
Pacquiao?s second-round knockout of Briton Ricky Hatton chalked up 900,000 buys while Pacquiao?s 12-round domination of Ghanian Joshua Clottey posted 750,000 hits.
Although a big crowd of 41,734 fans trooped to the $1.2-billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, it did not surpass the 50,994-attendance recorded when Pacquiao fought Clottey in the same venue in March.
Koncz, however, explained that gate sales were the least source of revenue in a fight promotion, with the PPV buys still the main source of revenue.
Pacquiao, he confirmed, could bankroll $10 million from his PPV shares.
Koncz said many variables boosted PPV sales for Pacquiao-Margarito.
?The people wanted to see how Manny is going to handle boxing and, being a congressman at the same time, his training in the Philippines that raised a lot of suspicion on his readiness, and the style of both fighters.?
Koncz noted that economics, with recession still prevailing in the United States, also was a major factor as most people preferred to watch the fight in groups at home rather than see it live and pay for tickets that went as high as $700.
De La Hoya, whom Pacquiao sent into retirement with an eighth round TKO in their showdown, is regarded as the PPV king with his bout against Mayweather Jr. chalking a record 2.5 million buys.
