Manny Pacquiao’s cobweb of a legal battle against promoter Murad Muhammad could derail television network HBO’s plan to set a rematch between him and Mexican nemesis Erik Morales on Sept. 10.
According to LA Daily News, HBO may be forced to put in International Boxing Federation (IBF)-World Boxing Association (WBA) champion Juan Manuel Marquez should Pacquiao’s case deter him from fighting.
But Top Rank promoter Bob Arum also has other ideas as he might also pit Marquez and Morales in a December pay-per-view match.
?If they both win, then we would match them in a very attractive pay-per-view card in December,? Arum said.
But for that to happen, Marquez should first hurdle Victor Polo in the May 7 fight which is the undercard of the lightweight unification showdown between Jose Luis Castillo and Diego Corrales.
Pacquiao wants to recover some $3 million in pay-per-view income from Muhammad following his loss to Morales last March 19 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pacquiao said he should have been entitled to a share in the pay-per-view revenues from his blockbuster March 19 fight with Erik Morales in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao earned $1.75 million in the fight, which drew 350,000 PPV buys amounting to $16 million.
Pacquiao’s management team headed by Shelly Finkel reportedly tapped high-caliber lawyer Judd Bertein to pursue the case in which the attorney denied he has already committed.
?No final deal has been struck with Manny,? Burstein said during an interview with fightnews.com.
?To be sure, I have had very serious discussions with Team Pacquiao regarding representing Manny in his case against Murad Muhammad, but I have not made a final decision as to what I will do,? Burstein stated. ?I think he is a great fighter and it would be a honor to represent him,? he added.
