Manny Pacquiao, one of the world’s most exciting and popular fighters, has signed with promoter Gary Shaw. The Pac-Man, who holds a KO win over Marco Antonio Barrera and lost a fight of the year candidate 12 round war to Erik Morales earlier this year, joins Shaw’s impressive stable which already includes Winky Wright and Jeff Lacy.
“As a promoter, you always hope to sign a ‘blue chip’ athlete who will win a world title. Today, I have signed a ‘platinum chip’ world class champion whose persona transcends sports and approaches folk lore in the Philippines.
“I feel privileged that Manny has chosen me as his promoter,” said Shaw. “Manny has a superb management team in Shelly Finkel, Nick Khan and Keith Davidson, as well as a Hall-of-Fame caliber trainer in Freddie Roach. I look forward to working together with them and I am truly honored that the team has placed its confidence in me. One thing we already agree on: Manny will get the biggest hotel room.”
That, for the uninitiated, was a jibe at ex-Pac-Man promoter Murad Muhammad, who actually took the MGM Grand suite that was supposed to be Pacquiao’s on the eve of the Morales fight.
Former two-division champ Pacquiao, 39-3-2 (31), will be facing Hector Velazquez, 42-10-2 (31), from Mexico, in a 12-round super featherweight bout, Saturday, September 10, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
HBO will televise it live, along with the second main event, another 12-round super featherweight fight pitting three-time world champion Erik Morales, 48-2 (34 KOs), against 1996 U.S. Olympian Zahir Raheem, 26-1 (16 KOs).
The idea is for Pacquiao v Morales II to take place by March 2006.
