By Edward Chaykovsky
According to Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, former eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao may never fight in the United States again - if the upcoming HBO pay-per-view is a smashing financial success for the boxer. Pacquiao's November 23rd clash with Brandon Rios - which takes place in Macau, China - is saving the boxer millions of dollars because he avoids the high United States tax rate.
“By fighting outside the country, as he’s doing in this Rios fight, Manny doesn’t have to pay U.S. taxes anymore – at a rate of 40 percent for a foreign athlete,” Bob Arum told the Los Angeles Times. “If this pay-per-view and other things take off like we think they may, I can’t imagine Pacquiao will ever again fight in the U.S.”
Arum believes the pay-per-view could generate $10 to $20 million in revenue. Top Rank have worked out a deal when Chinese fans could purchase the pay-per-view fight for $5 to watch on tablets or cellphones devices.
