A CASH windfall awaits Manny Pacquiao when he returns to the ring in September or October.
Based on the contract that Pacquiao signed with Top Rank, the Filipino puncher stands to collect not lower than million as purse and additional income will come from the sale of the television rights for the Philippines as well as his usual share on the pay-per-view revenue and other financially-rewarding ventures.
As in his last fight, an April 14 knockout victory over Jorge Solis in San Antonio, Texas, Pacquiao cashed in on the purchase of blocktimer Solar Sports of the TV rights.
Arum said Pacquiao is likely to make another killing with the sale of the rights for his next bout.
“0,000 to 0,000 (the value of the TV rights in the Philippines),” said Arum upon his arrival yesterday in Las Vegas from Memphis.
While Pacquiao fans are still guessing who he will locks horns with, Arum, 75, assured the boxer’s followers that he is doing everything to arrange another competitive match.
“Tell the people in the Philippines that we are working on it,” said Arum when asked about the progress of negotiations for Pacquiao’s next fight.
“Manny’s coming over to the US next week and we will know during his stay here who is it going to be. I want to put it on Manny’s shoulders as to who’s he fighting next,” said the Harvard-educated lawyer, who will accompany Pacquiao to the 82nd Boxing Writers Association of American annual awards dinner on June 9 at Copacabana in New York.
Arum said the camp of Joan Guzman of the Dominican Republic “is anxious (eager) to make the fight” and there are also a lot of venues Top Rank is looking at to stage the fight.
“We have offers in Asia and North America,” said Arum, sounding very upbeat about Pacquiao’s much-awaited return to the ring following his forgettable political stint.
Arum also revealed that he has informed the World Boxing Council (WBC) that Top Rank will not participate in a purse bid for a proposed Pacquiao rematch with reigning super-featherweight titlist Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico.
“That can’t be done because Manny won’t get the lion’s share of the purse,” said Arum. In the event a purse bid is held, the champion (Marquez) gets the chunk of the prize-money, leaving the challenger (Pacquiao) with nothing but crumbs.
The Mexico City-based WBC had ordered the camps of the fighters to start negotiations and in the event that they fail to reach an agreement, a purse bid will be held via teleconference call.
Arum insists that Pacquiao, not Marquez or any other guy in the starstudded 130-lb division, is the reason why people buy tickets and subscribe to PPV.
To get rid of the rust which has accumulated during the election period, Pacquiao said he plans to start training by the end of June.
