FACED WITH the possibility of holding an empty bag, Manny Pacquiao relented and signed the two-fight contract presented by promoter Murad Muhammad last week.
After holding out for days, Pacquiao, who is relaxing in his home in General Santos City, faxed the signed documents to Manila yeterday after getting assurance that he would get the promised $900,000 for his next fight whether or not Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez agrees to fight him.
Marquez has yet to agree on the rematch tentatively set Feb. 26 in Las Vegas. He and Pacquiao fought to a thrilling 12-round draw last May at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao earlier feared that he would get less of what was promised him in the event Marquez backs out.
Apart from the rematch with Marquez, Pacquiao has been lined up against Eric Morales for $1.75 million.
Should he get past Marquez and Morales, Pacquiao is expected to fight Marco Antonio Barrera in November.
Pacquiao said he?s ready to show up at the doorstep of the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California in the first week of January to begin training with Freddie Roach.
Roach had earlier wanted Pacquiao to come to Los Angeles a day after Christmas, but the flamboyant fighter insisted that he would go there in January.
It is believed that pressure from HBO, which is a major player in boxing promotions in the States, had a lot to do in convincing Pacquiao to toe the line.
HBO had threatened to give away the Feb. 26 fight date to the highly-anticipated rematch between Glencoffe Johnson and Antonio Tarver.
Before yielding, Pacquiao had earlier assailed Muhammad for not getting the best money there is.
But thinking that a legal dispute would only complicate matters and jeopardize his campaign, Pacquiao gave in.
Pacquiao knocked out Fahsan 3K Battery of Thailand in what had been advertised as a tuneup for his return meeting with Maquez.
