By Ronnie Nathanielsz

SHELLY Finkel, who both Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao claim is no longer the Filipino champ’s manager, warned that the legal battles are ahead of the Pacman and the results may still surprise him.

Finkel’s management contract with Pacquiao was scheduled to lapse on Jan. 31 but Arum claimed he signed a waiver last Aug. 12 after being guaranteed he would receive 20 percent of Pacquiao’s purse directly from Arum and not from Pacquiao.

Finkel, in an e-mail to Viva Sports/Standard Today, did not elaborate on his claims about the lawsuits. He was referring to the tortuous interference charges filed against Arum and Top Rank for signing Pacquiao to a four-year deal some two months after Golden Boy Promotions had signed the exciting super featherweight to a seven-fight deal in mid-September. Arum responded by asking a Las Vegas court to decide on which contract was valid.

But the main thrust of Finkel’s e-mail was to respond to the statements of World Boxing Council founding secretary-general Rudy Salud, who said Finkel was sour-graping when he criticized the choice of WBC super featherweight champion In Jin Chi as Pacquiao’s possible opponent for an April 28 showdown in the gambling enclave of Macau.

Finkel, who had also criticized the list of nine unknowns earlier provided by Arum for Pacquiao to choose from, said while he had the utmost respect for Salud, he respectfully disagreed with him, stating that “we shouldn’t fool ourselves as to who Chi is or who the public wanted to see.”

Regarded as one of the most astute managers in boxing with a string of excellent fighters in his stable, Finkel said: “Perception is reality. No one is going to tell me that the public puts Chi in the same category as Marco Antonio Barrera. Even if Manny destroys either opponent in Round 1, with Barrera he is a hero. With Chi it is expected.”

But Finkel said he agreed with Salud that a well-trained Pacquiao is “the best super featherweight in the world, bar none.”

In supporting plans for Pacquiao to fight In Jin Chi, Salud said Pacquiao deserves to have a comparatively easy fight after a series of hard fights, including the trilogy with Erik “El Terrible” Morales.