My source from California said Manny Pacquiao will leave for the US anytime in the month to start promoting his May 7 fight with American Shane Mosley.
While in the US, arrangements are reportedly being made for Manny to receive US$ 5 million from Top Rank?s Bob Arum. Whether the amount represents the remaining balance of his purse and his share of the pay per view (PPV) proceeds when he fought Antonio Margarito or another of his routine cash advances, only Manny and his close financial advisers know.
With already over US$50 million in gross earnings, one would believe Manny can live with the interest of his money alone. Indeed, at 5 percent interest on time deposits, Manny would theoretically be earning at least P25 million a year (US$500,000) if he was able to save P500 (US$10 million) over the last three years.
It would take more than 179 years for an ordinary Filipino factory worker earning P375 a day to earn that interest money alone.
But Manny?s lifestyle and upkeep have shot up like a streaking comet. No thanks to some leeches around him and Manny?s profligate spending himself.
A friend said Manny was once approached by an owner of a prime commercial land who offered his property for P10 million but the eight-time world boxing reportedly declined. But guess what? Manny reportedly bought the same property for P18 million ? or almost double the original offer ? after the property owner approached one of Manny?s closest relatives who brokered the deal.
Remember the house is Dasmari?as village which was grossly overpriced? The one hectare property just across a shopping mall in General Santos which he bought for P60 million? A new villa that he will build for himself in a 5,000 square meter lot he recently purchased aside from the mansion he also built for his mother in the city?
All these are spendings driven by his stature as a nouveau rich rather than out of necessity.
If the said US$5 million coming from Bob Arum is another of Manny?s cash advances, those who fear Manny will end up dirt poor when he retires from boxing should cringe even more.
On a daily basis, new faces will be lining up to offer Manny new deals, new properties to acquire and many other business proposals for as long as they believe Manny?s pockets are bottomless.
A car dealer who has wormed his way into Manny?s camp in the US is reportedly itching to offer a Porsche car to the Filipino boxing champion as soon as the latter arrives in the US.
Nobody wants to see Manny end up like his fellow General Santos resident and idol Rolando Navarattee. Certainly he won?t end up mulcting fish at the General Santos City Fish Port complex. But his unabated spending and extravagant lifestyle will someday get back at him.
One only prays he won?t be stuck in this vicious cycle of extravagant lifestyle. Heavens forbid.
