AT THE end of the day, Manny Pacquiao will have to knock on the door of Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions if he wants to land big-money fights against big-name fighters, the Filipino star’s New York-based manager said yesterday.
“After he (Pacquiao) wins he will still deal with Golden Boy if he wants any big fights regardless of the lawsuit,” said Finkel in an email.
Since it is almost certain that Pacquiao will collide with Korean Injin Chi next, Finkel said the GenSan lefty has nothing to gain but everything to lose in fights against little-known punchers like Chi, who is the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight titleholder.
While Pacquiao is committed to fight under Bob Arum’s Top Rank, there is a dearth of talent in that promotional outfit since most of the popular sluggers fighting in the 130-lb category are under contract with GBP.
Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, both from Mexico, and who are slated to fight each other on March 17 in Las Vegas, and Dominican Republic’s Joan Guzman are all with GBP, while unbeaten Edwin Valero of Venezuela, is promoted by Japanese Akihiko Honda of Teiken Promotions.
GBP and Top Rank are embroiled in a legal battle over the promotional rights over Pacquiao, whose popularity reached greater heights following his easy third-round knockout win over erstwhile Top Rank moneymaker Erik ‘El Terrible’ Morales last year in Las Vegas.
Top Rank is proposing that Pacquiao slug it out with the rugged Chi on April 28 at the newly-opened Wynn Casino and Hotel in Macau.
