LAS VEGAS—Manny Pacquiao is still very busy fighting for the country, his people, his dear President and, of course, his family and his bank book. But, although he has sunk good cash in real estate, nothing has been heard of the boxing superstar having made any serious investment yet.
So how much must be Pacquiao’s weight in dollars by this time, considering he has pocketed a total of $2 million for his monumental rematch with Mexican Erik Morales.
Hard to say, explains Jinkee Pacquiao, lovely wife of the country’s biggest, richest national sports treasure.
“In the first place, Manny, contrary to popular suspicion, is not getting $2 million for this fight alone,” she explains. “First, there’s the big tax cut—over 30 percent of the total purse goes to the IRS, then there’s his manager waiting for his share, 30 to 40 percent.”
Then there is the trainer, 10 percent, the assistant trainer, the conditioning coach, the driver, the close-in aide, assorted hangers-on, countless other people.
So how much can they expect out of the $2 million loot, thought to be the biggest by any Filipino boxer?
At most, explains the lady of the house, it should be only 40 percent of the purse, or some $800,000 (over P4 million).
Still, that’s a lot of pesos, enough to last anybody a couple of lifetimes?
“Yes, maybe a couple of lifetimes, but there are a lot of other things Manny spends for,” Jinkee clarifies from the sidelines during the fight presscon at the Wynn Las Vegas Mouton Ballroom.
In fact, Manny Pacquiao had himself confided to the Inquirer that, for the second fight against Morales, he has had to shell out over $40,000 to buy tickets for friends, assorted acquaintances and politicians.
The $40,000, to be slashed from his purse, was threatening to go past $45,000 as the fight drew near.
We asked Jinkee how true is it that she keeps all the earnings from Manny’s fight, the purse, while the boxer gets a free rein on what he gets from big product endorsements?
“Not true, no,” Jinkee clarifies. “Actually, we divide the total earnings, most of which go to the bank, where our three kids, also have their own accounts.”
“In my case, I have put up a convenience store, the Pacman Convenience Store, in GenSan. I also plan to put up a restaurant, soon.”
But, again, how do husband and wife divide the earnings between them?
“Simple. If he earns, say, P50,000, I get the P30,000 while he gets to keep P20,000.”
Why not an even split?
“Because there’s an entire household to keep, the kids to provide a secure future for.”
What about Manny?
“He spends for a lot of other things.”
These other things include a condo unit in Davao, house in GenSan, a house in Para?aque, a cockfight breeding farm in Sarangani Province, not to mention a fleet of cars, like an Expedition, a Honda CRV, Navigator, the latest, a gray Porsche that cost millions of pesos.
Truth is, it’s never easy tracing where the Pacman sinks his money, the investments being as elusive as the fighter himself inside the boxing ring.
