Failure of Top Rank?s Bob Arum last week to secure a nod from Manny Pacquiao as to who the Filipino boxing star will fight next left many windows of opportunity for anybody who still has the shot at the next Pacquiao fight derby.
But anybody who is into serious business of guessing who Manny fights next is certain it is Shane Mosley.
For sure, top Rank?s Bob Arum already knew who the lucky guy is but his lips are sealed. The 79-old venerable old hand of boxing looks like he will be redoing his math and is likely to add at least a five-figure attraction before Manny Pacquiao finally puts an ink on the contract.
If it is not in the guaranteed purse, which is expected to top the US$15 million the eight-division Filipino boxing champion got from fighting Antonio Margarito, the added pot is likely to come from the split in the pay per view proceeds or a larger share for the promotional outfit of Manny.
Philboxing?s Dong Secuya quoted his source that the figure being discussed is between two to four million dollars. Those are a lot of money in Philippine currency and will be good enough for at least six months for Manny?s ever increasing upkeep and financial commitments.
In any event, other candidates in the Pacquiao derby, namely Juan Manuel Marquez and Andre Berto, will just have to cross their fingers and hope they will still have the shot at their own millions after Pacquiao is done with Mosley.
It is immaterial to Team Pacquiao even if jealous camps see Mosley as a boxer who has seen better days. Frankly, only a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr will appease and satisfy boxing purists who still want to see Manny add another precious stone to his already bejeweled boxing crowns.
Mosley however has the better name recall that will guarantee at least one million PPVs and make HBO, the promoters and Manny happy. Not Marquez who cannot, by himself, convince the American audience to shell out US$50 of their inflation-challenged money fighting another unknown. By a long shot, not Andre Berto who all the more is a non-entity in PPV boxing.
True, Marquez and Berto will provide interesting competition. But at this stage of Manny?s career, if it?s not Mayweather, it is anybody to his liking.
Besides, Mosley reportedly gave an offer that made all things simple.
Manny certainly has a very wide learning curve when it comes to boxing. He knows this opportunity will never come again. If he were to retire from boxing, he will make sure he will earn what he will miss from Mayweather?s failure to answer his challenge. And if he fights anybody else, Pacquiao will make sure he is paid for all his weight in gold.
Manny already paid his dues and he now is collecting his paybacks. No more bumping and bullying him around fight contracts like what Murad Muhammad and Golden Boy Promotions did to him just a few years back.
