While it is Manny Pacquiao who represents the sport, Ricky Hatton has an ace up his sleeve and the British boxer is using this as leverage to make sure that he doesn?t settle for crumbs in the financial split being drawn for their showdown in Las Vegas.
“Even though Manny Pacquiao is the hot fighter, the up-and-comer, and Ricky Hatton is the veteran who is sort of playing out the string, the financial split is likely to be 50-50 for their 140-lb boxing match in Las Vegas on May 2,” wrote Bill Dwyre in the Los Angeles Times? Fabulous Forum yesterday.
“Hatton?s huge British fan following is expected to contribute handsomely to the fight?s bottom line,” wrote Dwyre, former sports editor of the paper, quoting Top Rank head Bob Arum.
“We might do a million homes on pay-per-view in England. You have to give Hatton some credit for what he brings to the table,” Arum told the Times.
When Hatton fought and lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in late-2007, the fight generated 1.2 million buys in pay-per-view in England alone even if the fight was held at around 4 in the morning there.
In contrast, the US numbers yielded just 850,000 buys.
Hatton is under the Oscar De La Hoya-owned Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) and Arum said GBP Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer and himself will decide within the week which among the MGM Grand and the Thomas and Mack Center will be used to stage the scheduled 12-round bout.
Pacquiao assumed the role of boxing?s flag-bearer after he dismantled De La Hoya last Dec. 6, 2008 in Las Vegas.
Earlier, close Pacquiao aides expressed the belief that since the Filipino is widely regarded today as boxing?s best pound-for-pound, he deserves the lion?s share of the prize money.
Pacquiao and Hatton haven?t put their names above the dotted line although Arum said Pacquiao will likely do so before he heads back to Manila this weekend after spending the holidays in Los Angeles.
Hatton is also on the road doing stand-up comedy shows across England and Wales and hasn?t signed the contract for the Pacquiao fight, according to his agent Paul Speak, who disclosed that his boss will report for training camp in February.
According to the British press, Pacquiao and Hatton stand to collect $ 20 million each.
Pacquiao earned $ 15 million in the De La Hoya fight, $ 10 million as guaranteed purse, and another $ 5 million as his pay-per-view cut.
