MANNY PACQUIAO has until New Year’s Day to either “accept or decline” an offer made by Golden Boy Promotions to face Marco Antonio Barrera in a rematch set for March 17, 2007 in Las Vegas, GBP Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer revealed yesterday.
Schaefer issued the statement following the decision by Pacquiao to hook up with Bob Arum of Top Rank, who had earlier made the announcement that he is luring Barrera with a .5 million paycheck and a slice of the pay-per-view revenue to fight the lethal-hitting Filipino lefty on April 28, 2007.
GBP insists that it has promotional rights over Pacquiao since it signed the boxer to a seven-fight contract last Sept. 19 in Los Angeles.
But Arum, who was in the Philippines recently, countered that the signing was invalid since Pacquiao had just come out of a 13-hour flight from Manila when officials of GBP took the prized puncher to a restaurant at midnight.
Pacquiao was told that he will earn at least million if he accepts the Barrera challenge under the GBP banner, but Arum said he could also do the same thing with him.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach expressed fears that his fighter might get entangled in a legal battle with the Oscar De La Hoya-owned company.
“I think they’re going to sue Manny,” said Roach from Hollywood.
Roach added that Canadian Mike Koncz might also be included in the lawsuit because of his participation in helping Arum land Pacquiao.
