By Ronnie Nathanielsz
OSCAR de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions isn’t scared of the threats made by bitter rival Bob Arum of Top Rank Inc.
Arum has vowed to take legal action against Golden Boy and even Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao himself for signing a huge seven-fight deal with De la Hoya’s outfit.
Golden Boy Promotions vice president and international matchmaker Eric Gomez, who is also a close friend of De la Hoya, told Viva Sports/Standard Today: “We don’t take threats lightly. We are ready to confront him head on.”
Gomez insisted Golden Boy was confident. “We did nothing wrong.”
Pacquiao’s celebrated trainer Freddie Roach said the tie-up with Golden Boy takes effect after the Pacman’s Grand Finale rubber match with legendary Mexican Erik “El Terrible” Morales at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas on Nov. 18.
Standard Today learned that Roach, who has a great influence on Pacquiao, was instrumental in getting him to hook up with Golden Boy after a late-night steak dinner in Los Angeles shortly after the Filipino arrived in Los Angeles last Monday.
World Boxing Council founding secretary-general, the eminent lawyer Rudy Salud, said Arum had no case against either Golden Boy or Pacquiao, pointing out that the signing was “not a tortuous interference” of Top Rank’s contract with the Pacman as promoter of the Nov. 18 fight against Morales.
Salud said the contract with Golden Boy is “not injurious, impeding or jeopardizing the Nov. 18 fight in any way.”
“I think Arum has forgotten his law,” Salud added.
Gomez said Pacquiao had requested that the signing be kept secret in order to avoid any distractions before his showdown with Morales, but De la Hoya was forced to confirm the signing after it was leaked to the media.
Pacquiao reportedly received $300,000 as a signing bonus. There were also indications that Roach himself would take over as manager-trainer of Pacquiao and receive a total of 25 percent from Pacquiao’s future purses for his efforts. Roach had earlier signed up flyweight contender Diosdado Gabi, who also inked a deal with Golden Boy.
Former WBC super flyweight champion Gerry Peñalosa, who will now be managed by the tandem of Pacquiao and Roach, was scheduled to meet last night with De la Hoya to also sign a seven-fight deal and get a signing bonus of $5,000.
Peñalosa, who is scheduled to fight on the undercard of the Juan Manuel Marquez-Jimrex Jaca title fight on Oct. 21, has been promised a title shot against Fernando Montiel should he win impressively.
Gomez said Pacquiao “is probably the no.1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now, in opinion and we are delighted to work for Manny.”
“Golden Boy can deliver for him all the fights he wants. He’s the boss,” said Gomez, adding this included a possible March rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera, who was demolished by the Pacman in 11 rounds on Nov. 15, 2003 in San Antonio, Texas.
Gomez said among the big names lined up by Golden Boy are Juan Manuel Marquez, Joan Guzman, Israel Vasquez, Jesus Chavez and Jorge Barrios.
