Arum: Pacquiao advisers muddling negotiations

MANILA, Philippines – Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has put the blame on close-in advisers of Manny Pacquiao for the unexpected impasse currently hounding the negotiation for a middle of the year bout between the Filipino boxing superstar and British fighter Ricky Hatton.

The veteran boxing official said that earlier negotiations had the Pacquiao group amenable in a 50-50 share of revenue purse for the May 2 fight in Las Vegas, Nevada.

So it was to his surprise that shortly upon arriving in Manila from Los Angeles, the camp of the General Santos City native is suddenly harping a 60-40 split.

He doesn’t see the fight pushing through if Pacquiao would insist on his latest demand.

“We’ve all agreed to it. Now, people are whispering in Pacquiao’s ear. If they keep pushing for 60-40, Hatton and (his promoter Richard) Schaefer are pulling the plug," said Arum as quoted by the Los Angeles Times.

“There’s no way he’s getting the 60-40," added the Top Rank official. “Unless he comes to his senses and his people start acting intelligently... we’ll see if we can keep it together, but the split is supposed to be 50-50."

Arum appeared to have gotten a solid ally in trainer Freddie Roach, who also vouch that a 50-50 share is fair to both fighters.

Roach said he already spoke to Pacquaio on the phone the other day and hopes he’ll be able to talk to him again as soon as possible.

“I hope the fight happens, and I think 50-50 is a good deal. I agree with it because Hatton brings a lot of people from the U.K I hope I can get Manny on board," said the long-time trainer of the punching machine from General Santos City.

Franklin Gacal, lawyer of Pacquiao, sparked the issue on revenue split when he told before national television after arriving in the country that they ‘would not agree on a 50-50 sharing.’

He added that the 30-year old four-time world champion would move on ‘and find another opponent’ in the event they don’t get a 60-40 sharing.

Rex ‘Wakee’ Salud, another close adviser of Pacquiao, admitted that the Filipino boxing idol should get the bigger chunk of the fight revenue owing to his stature as the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter and a certified Pay-Per-View draw in the light of 1.25 million hits generated by his eight-round technical knockout win over legendary Oscar De La Hoya.

But Schaefer, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Boy Promotions, is also taking the same hard line stance should the original agreement of an equal sharing is not granted. “Ricky brings a substantial amount of revenue to this fight from England.... If Pacquiao doesn’t want to do it, he can fight someone else for less." – GMANews.TV

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/144335/Arum-Pacquiao-advisers-muddling-negotiations

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