Now that he has assumed the role of boxing?s flag-bearer, Manny Pacquiao deserves to demand a heftier purse plus other perks in the on-going negotiations for a megabuck matchup with British slugger Ricky Hatton scheduled for May 2 in Las Vegas.
“Manny Pacquiao is the king of boxing and his victory over Oscar De La Hoya (last Dec. 6) only cemented his claim as the sport?s top fighter pound-for-pound,” said Wakee Salud, a confidant of Pacquiao.
“He is the new Oscar De La Hoya and like the Golden Boy, he has the right to demand a bigger paycheck and it is only proper that he doesn?t agree to a 50-50 split of the purse and revenue (with Hatton).
“When he fought De La Hoya, Manny got the smaller piece of the pie, while Oscar got the chunkier and bigger portion. Now it?s different. Manny ?s De La Hoya now, while Hatton?s Pacquiao.”
Top Rank head Bob Arum and Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer have been telling the US media that a fight between Pacquiao and Hatton is close to being signed.
“I think we?re there. We?re just mopping up little details,” Arum told Dan Rafael of ESPN.com on Friday night (Saturday morning in Manila). “My guy is on board. I think everybody is on board. I am very upbeat.”
Schaefer, the right-hand man of De La Hoya, was also quoted by the wires that he?s “encouraged by the way it?s (talks) going.”
But a Team Pacquiao insider revealed that while Arum and Schaefer have been busy telling the media that everything is falling into place, Pacquiao hasn?t really made up his mind as to who, where and when to fight next.
“Manny hasn?t been given a copy of the contract (for the Hatton fight),” said the boxing man. “Manny?s taking his time.”
Arum said he has told Pacquiao of the pertinent details for a Hatton bout during his brief stay in the Philippines.
Pacquiao expects to be enlightened when he spends the holidays as the 30-year-old GenSan native is set to leave for Los Angeles on Tuesday night to be with his pregnant wife Jinkee.
