THE MEGABUCKS just keep on falling on Manny Pacquiao’s lap.
If reports are true, Pacquiao will pocket $700,000 (roughly R39 million) when he squares off with Hector Velazquez of Mexico in a 12-rounder at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sept. 10.
Pacquaio is indeed so lucky.
Just recently, Pacquiao reportedly accepted an out-of-court settlement of $800,000 (R44.8 million) from his erstwhile promoter Murad Muhammad.
“The amount is huge considering that this is virtually a tune-up fight and Manny is coming off a loss (against Erik Morales last March),” said the Team Pacquiao member.
The same fellow told the Bulletin that “Manny is extremely happy” over the prize money he is getting for slugging it out with Velazquez, the world No. 10 featherweight contender from Tijuana.
The Velazquez bout is being used to drum up interest for his Dec. 10 rematch with Morales in Las Vegas.
Morales is fighting in the same Sept. card as he faces Zahir Raheem of the US.
To prepare for Velazquez, Pacquiao is flying to the US on Aug. 1. A press conference is being arranged for Aug. 4 by promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, Velazquez solidified his status as a Pacquiao opponent after scoring a sensational fifth-round stoppage over Trinidad Mendoza in Chicago on Friday night (Saturday morning in Manila).
A left uppercut got the job done for Velazquez, who is older by four years at 30.
The victory boosted Velazquez’s win-loss-draw card to 42-10-2 with 31 knockouts.
If it is indeed true that Pacquiao is going to earn $700,000, that would be the biggest he will earn fighting in a bout that has nothing at stake.
Last December in Manila, Pacquiao got $300,000 when he posted a savage knockout win over Thai trialhorse Fahsan 3K Battery.
In his thrilling fight with Morales, Pacquiao was given $1.75 million, but he wound up with about $500,000.
