Next year will be a year like no other for Manny Pacquiao.
The reason: the Filipino boxing icon now stands to receive a staggering $2 million for his scheduled 12-round, non-title fight against Mexico’s Erik Morales on Jan. 21.
The fight contract was reportedly signed during Pacquiao’s most recent visit to the US where his younger brother Bobby posted a big upset over El Salvador’s Carlos Hernandez in Las Vegas.
Promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud of Cebu, who handles the career of the younger Pacquiao, yesterday said he’d seen a copy of the new contract worth a mind-boggling P112 million.
Credit in sealing the juicy contract should go to Pacquiao’s new promoter Gary Shaw, manager Shelly Finkel and top-notch lawyers Keith Davidson and Nick Khan.
The Pacquiaos flew home early yesterday morning with Bobby bringing with him some newfound confidence and Manny taking home a copy of the multi-million-dollar contract.
Pacquiao had shown mediamen a different contract last month, a few days before he fought Mexico’s Hector Velasquez whom he stopped in six rounds at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The contract stated a $1.75 million purse for Pacquiao who absorbed a painful 12-round decision to Morales last March 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
It turned out to be just a draft of the contract for the Jan. 21 rematch to be held at the Thomas and Mack Center or the home UNLV Runnin’ Rebels in Las Vegas.
The Pacquiao-Morales rematch is also scheduled for 12 rounds despite the fact that there’s no title at stake. The weight limit is pegged at 130 lbs and the fight, once again, will be a pay-per-view.
Pacquiao received $1.75 million for his first fight with Morales, which turned out to be a classic 12-round brawl that left boxing fans around the world begging for an immediate rematch.
Morales stands to receive the same amount for the rematch although observers believe that he could get a little less following his stunning loss to Zahir Raheem at the Staples Center.
There’s more to come Pacquiao’s way if he beats Morales in January since the WBC had announced that the winner will become the mandatory challenger to Mexican WBC super-feather champion Marco Antonio Barrera.
Pacquiao stopped Barrera in 11 rounds the first time they met last 2003. If the Filipino beats Morales in January, then it’s on for the world title plus of course, a bigger purse.
