The World Boxing Council, citing Manny Pacquiao’s contractual dispute involving rival promoters Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, decided to suspend the purse bid scheduled early next year for the mandatory title defense of world champion Marco Antonio Barrera against the Filipino boxing icon.
In a statement Friday in the US, WBC president Jose Sulaiman said “due to the current legal situation concerning the WBC mandatory super featherweight contender Manny Pacquiao, the WBC has suspended the purse offer that was scheduled for Jan. 12, 2007, for the mandatory title defense of world champion Marco Antonio Barrera.”
The announcement came after Pacquiao declared Friday night that he was accepting Barrera’s challenge to fight him next year to give the Mexican the chance to avenge his loss to the Filipino champ three years ago.
Pacquiao demolished Barrera in a sensational 11-round knockout victory at the Alamodome in Texas. But the Mexican bounced back from that defeat to beat Erik Morales in their trilogy. He is the current holder of the WBC super featherweight crown.
Pacquiao also dominated Morales, defeating the three-time former world champion twice this year but the Filipino fighter has no official title under his belt except for the WBC international super featherweight crown.
Pacquiao signed a seven-fight contract with Golden Boy last Sept. 19 in Los Angeles. But shortly after Pacquiao defeated Morales last Nov. 19 in Las Vegas, Top Rank announced that it has signed the Filipino to a four-year pact.
Arum promoted the Pacquiao-Morales III and said that under the contract for their third fight, the Filipino southpaw cannot sign up with any other promoter until after the Nov. 19 bout.
This, Arum said, made Pacquiao’s contract with Golden Boy illegal.
Arum stunned the media during the Pacquiao-Morales post-fight conference when he said that Pacquiao has renounced his contract with Golden Boy, and has opted to stick it out with Top Rank for the next four years.
Pacquiao even returned the $500,000 bonus he received from Golden Boy. But Golden Boy reportedly shipped the money back to Pacquiao.
Meanwhile, promoter Don King denied reports that he has been trying to strike a deal to represent Pacquiao, saying claims of huge money pitches and repeated calls to the Filipino fighter are false.
“I have not called nor have I spoken with Manny Pacquiao, his trainer or anyone in his camp,” King said. “I have no idea where these reports have emanated from, but I can assure everyone the media accounts are absolutely false in their entirety and have no merit whatsoever.”
Stories ran earlier this week, and have been repeated in publications and Internet Web sites around the world, making several claims directly attributed to Pacquiao’s trainer — all of which King denied. The false allegations include King phoning relentlessly and offering large amount of money attempting to become Pacquiao’s promoter.
