While we may question the judgment of Manny Pacquiao in signing a two-year management deal with American Shelly Finkel after discarding his former manager Marty Elorde during a crucial stage of his preparations for a mega-buck showdown with Erik Morales, we certainly cannot question his right to do so.
But the crucial question that is begging for an answer is why Pacquiao agreed to part with 25 percent of his $1.75 million purse in the Morales fight when Finkel et al had absolutely nothing to do in getting him the fight, which was negotiated by international promoter Murad Muhammad with Top Rank chairman and Morales? longtime handler Bob Arum.
Once again, the suspicion is that Pacquiao was enticed by the promise he would earn $4 million from the pay-per-view share to sign up with Finkel.
This has been bolstered by Pacquiao?s own pronouncements that he would sue Muhammad for his claimed share of 40 percent of PPV revenues amid allegations that the latter pocketed $2.8 million, which was supposedly meant for Pacquiao. (This will be dealt with in a subsequent article.)
Finkel, in an interview with Jannelle So for a prefight television special, admitted that he and Pacquiao?s trainer Freddie Roach, had discussed the Filipino champion?s future a year ago which, in the generally accepted rules governing professional sports, could be considered ?tampering? or ?tortuous interference.?
It also raised the issue of Roach?s role. The 2003 Trainer of the Year appeared to be overstepping his bounds as trainer and interfering in the managerial and promotional aspects of Pacquiao?s career.
Roach has often made it clear he dislikes Muhammad and at every opportunity, pushes the line that the American promoter and to a lesser extent Rod Nazario, were stealing from Pacquiao and that Muhammad in particular didn?t care for his fighter.
Roach?s relationship with Finkel, who manages former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, goes back to the time when he served as Tyson?s trainer. He also had links to lawyers Nick Kahn and Keith Davidson, who some two years ago tried to entice Pacquiao to junk Elorde and sign with them. All these proved beyond any doubt that Roach was acting way beyond his assigned role as trainer.
Lawyer Rudy Salud, who manages outstanding Oriental no. 1 super flyweight Z ?The Dream? Gorres in partnership with Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer and also continues to support former World Boxing Council super flyweight champion Gerry Pe?alosa, although he no longer manages him, sensed the tendency of Roach to interfere in the managerial aspects of fighters and kept them away from Roach?s Wild Card Gym.
Instead, Salud sent them to Orlando, Florida to train under 2002 Trainer of the Year and former world junior welterweight and welterweight champion Buddy McGirt.
Pe?alosa said that McGirt was ?better than Alton Merkerson (trainer of Roy Jones Jr. under whom Pe?alosa trained some years ago) and Roach combined.?
This assessment was boosted when Gorres scored a sensational first-round TKO over highly touted Glenn Donaire in the opening bout of the Pacquiao-Morales showdown last March 19.
Finkel himself told us in a conversation in Las Vegas that Muhammad was making more money than Pacquiao and that this was immoral. He also told us he was convinced Pacquiao had a right to a share of the PPV income even as he debunked the claims of Salud and his lawyer-son Chito Salud that Muhammad?s contract with Pacquiao was airtight.
When informed about the Finkel comment, Chito, who was in Las Vegas for the fights along with lawyer-brother Renato ?Ato? Salud, smiled and said ?we?ll see.? It is important to point out that assessment of an airtight contract was in reference to the number of fights Muhammad had a right to promote and the terms covering such fights in as far as Pacquiao?s purse was concerned.
