By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Games and Amusements Board chairman Eric Buhain expressed his concern like several boxing aficionados about the disparity in size, height, reach and weight between Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya but he never asked the World Boxing Council to cancel the "Dream Match."
Buhain, in a conversation with insidesports.ph indicated his surprise over the story that came out this morning.
The fight between the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and "The Golden Boy" is set to take place at the GMG Grand in Las Vegas on December 6.
The claim that Buhain told congressmen during a budget hearing that he believes Pacquiao has no chance against the bigger De La Hoya and had requested the WBC to call off the fight was reportedly contained in a press release issued by the Office of Congressman Rufus Rodriguez and not from Buhain or the GAB.
WBC president Don Jose Sulaiman in an overseas telephone conversation with insidesports.ph, Manila Standard and Viva Sports said he had not received any communication or request from Buhain to take action to try and stop the fight.
Sulaiman made it clear that while he "agrees with my good friend Chairman Buhain about the disparity" between Pacquiao and De La Hoya there "is nothing we can do because it is not a WBC sanctioned fight. Besides, contracts have already been signed."
In fact tickets for the fight were sold out within minutes after they went on sale ensuring a huge income at the gate aside from the expected revenues from pay-per-view buys in the US and television rights income from around the world.
Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin "Jeng" Gacal said that Pacquiao was initially upset when he heard the story but was "most upset with Congressman Rodriguez" who had claimed the fight was "just about money" and that Pacquiao had "no chance of winning."
Gacal said that after jogging in the morning Pacquiao played nine holes of golf and was now in San Diego to be at special ringside for the first US promotion by his outfit, MP Promotions headlined by the super bantamweight bout between world-rated Bernabe Concepcion and Mexican champion Giovanni Caro.
Gacal branded Rodriguez’ suggestion that Pacquiao be deprived of his license "an unpatriotic act" and said it may derail plans for Pacquiao’s next fight possibly in the Philippines.
Gacal said "if Rodriguez plans to run for senator he should not try to ride on the popularity of Pacquiao."
