MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao should be happy to strike a 50-50 deal with Floyd Mayweather.
But that?s as far as the 31-year-old Filipino, who once again made history when he became the first active boxer to be elected congressman, could bend just to make the superfight happen.
?I think 50-50 would be a fair deal,? said the boxer?s adviser, Mike Koncz, Monday evening as Pacquiao was starting to celebrate his election as congressman in his province of Sarangani.
Koncz said the fight with Mayweather is the fight that the world wants to see.
?Manny can make around $12 million to $15 million fighting someone else. But it?s still the fight with Floyd that everybody wants to see. I think it can happen if they agree at 50-50,? he said.
The superfight, if and when it happens, can break all existing records in boxing, and both fighters, granting that they agree to the even purse split, can easily earn around $40 million each.
?But that?s as far as we can go ? the 50-50 split. We?re not going give in to the other concessions that we agreed to during the previous negotiations like Manny climbing the ring first,? said Koncz.
The random drug-testing, which Mayweather wants to happen, is out of the picture because, according to Koncz, it?s not going to happen.
?We will do it the way the (boxing) commission does it, and not the way Floyd wants it,? he said.
Pacquiao is willing to take the blood tests but not the way Mayweather wants it ? Olympic style where blood can be drawn from each boxer as many as a dozen times in the weeks and hours leading to the fight.
Pacquiao said he can take the tests 24 days before the fight, and immediately after, inside his dressing room. His contention is that if there?a any illegal substance in him that enhances his performance in the ring, then it should still be in his body right after the fight.
?We?re not going to agree to what Floyd wants. Besides, Manny will lose face if he agrees to this. It?s like giving the first two rounds to Floyd,? said Koncz of the fighting congressman from Sarangani.
Bob Arum, who stood by Pacquiao in the days leading to the elections, was scheduled to fly home to Las Vegas last night.
?When I get there I?m going to start talking to the Mayweather people and see where we are. But I think we can make this happen,? added the ageless promoter who spent five days in oven-baked General Santos City.
He left Pacquiao?s territory wearing a big smile. He considers the victory in the elections as even bigger than any victory he had in boxing.
?It?s just unbelievable,? said Arum.
As he left Pacquiao?s campaign headquarters at around 2 a.m. Tuesday, Arum hugged Pacquiao like his own son.
?Are you happy?? Pacquiao, who was to be proclaimed as congressman last night, asked.
?Of course, I am,? said Arum.
