By Ronnie Nathanielsz

If it’s a question of money, Golden Boy Promotions says its no problem and has offered to up Manny Pacquiao’s signing bonus to $1 million to match what the Filipino ring idol was given when he inked a four year deal with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum two months after signing a seven-fight deal with Golden Boy in mid-September last year.

 

Trainer Freddie Roach who honed Pacquiao into a devastating fighting machine regarded as the most exciting boxer in the world today and No.1 on the pound-for-pound list said Golden Boy told him “they will match Arum’s offer and will give him (Pacquiao) another half-a-million dollars.” Golden Boy had given Pacquiao $500,000 when he signed a seven fight agreement in mid-September.

 

Roach was also upset over how his deposition in the legal battle between Golden Boy and Arum which was taken by Arum's lawyer and apparently leaked to a Las Vegas newspaper was interpreted by some writers who claimed that De La Hoya “lured” Pacquiao to sign a contract with cold cash in a briefcase.

 

Roach said “they gave him cash because Manny told me that’s what he wanted. It wasn’t illegal. It was in the contract. Pacquiao asked for cash and that’s what I told them. Its not my fault.”

 

With the crack stable of fighters under Golden Boy Promotions, Pacquiao has much more to gain since he could have megabuck fights against Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Joan Guzman and even Edwin Valero since Golden Boy has him under contract if he fights in the US.

 

 It was pointed out that with the readiness of Golden Boy to match Arum’s $1million goodwill bonus Pacquiao could earn $7 million for a Barrera rematch while getting much less for his April clash with Solis where Pacquiao’s purse is reportedly a minimum of $2 million with no indication of a maximum.

 

Roach who was at the huge press conference for “The World Awaits” battle between De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr said De La Hoya was “doing very well” and predicted that De La Hoya’s power would be “too much” for Mayweather who would be knocked out in the later rounds.