LOS ANGELES?Unknown to many, the biggest distraction and mental anguish that may have affected Manny Pacquiao going into his last fight against Erik Morales came from the same people whom he used to trust and respect.
Pacquiao, who has ordered his new team of professionals including managers Shelly Finkel and lawyers Keith Davidson and Nick Khan to go all-out in gathering evidence against promoter Murad Muhammad and business manager Rodolfo Nazario?s nefarious business activities, has started to see the light.
After years of being left in the dark about his finances in the United States where most of his big fights occurred, Pacquiao tried to stay cool after getting confirmation that he has not paid a single cent representing taxes since the year 2001.
Pacquiao?s tax problems have been kept secret from him up until he fought Morales. Pacquiao, who commended Morales for coming in prepared and ready, also claimed that his mental preparedness for the fight was not 100 percent.
Muhammad and Nazario helped stir Pacquiao?s career to certain heights starting on June 23, 2001 when he won the International Boxing Federation super-bantamweight belt, defending it four times en route to winning the Ring Magazine ?People?s Champion? belt from Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003.
Initial talks with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) indicated that Pacquiao has been remiss in paying taxes due the US government since 2001, according to Davidson, who spoke to a senior IRS officer Tuesday.
In fact, the IRS threatened to withhold 100 percent of Pacquiao?s $1.75 million prize after learning of his case, which is common to foreign-based boxers. Pacquiao has become one of the most exciting boxers to invade US soil and despite his gallant loss to Morales, his stock has never dropped but instead risen more.
Pacquiao?s good faith in seeking the truth regarding his taxes, as well as his intention in paying anything that he might have owed, was the main reason why the IRS deducted 30 percent from his purse, amounting to $525,000.
Two months before the fight with Morales, Pacquiao was in a quandary as to how he will correct a mistake he made in December 2004 when he signed a two-fight agreement with Muhammad even under duress.
Pacquiao pointed to journalist Ronnie Nathanielsz as the person who cajoled him into signing back with Muhammad, who previously was not able to shop for a worthy opponent, including a supposed rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez in September.
According to Pacquiao, Nathanielsz made him believe that should he fail to sign with Muhammad, he would lose face with cable giant HBO, which has ?reserved? a February 26 date for him and Marquez and that his next fight would occur months later. Nathanielsz? bluff would later be debunked by HBO officials and the Marquez fight would not materialize.
Pacquiao previously ordered the elder Nazario to sever ties with Muhammad after he got disenfranchised by the ineffective New Jersey native. Pacquiao also started to receive unsubstantiated information on how he gets ripped from contracts and secret deals.
?They have to account for themselves,? said Pacquiao, referring to Muhammad and Nazario, in a long-distance phone call from Manila, where he is currently staying, after meeting with the Philippine president Tuesday and honoring other engagements.
Pacquiao signed Finkel last February, knowing that a protracted battle looms and that Muhammad has an inside stake on the pay-per-view earnings which was never brought to his attention.
A week before the fight, Pacquiao was also disheartened to know from Nazario that he will not get a share of the TV rights in the Philippines, after Nazario directly negotiated with Top Rank Inc.. Two days before the fight, Nazario tried to talk to Pacquiao and get that distraction out of his mind.
With nowhere to go, Pacquiao sought the help of Finkel so that every cent that he will earn be accounted for. In the past, Pacquiao never received copies of itemized earnings and expenditures. He even gets his net prize in pesos (converted.)
(To be continued)
