By Ronnie Nathanielsz

The manager of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao has denied a claim by the Chairman of the Philippine Games and Amusements Board Eric Buhain that Floyd Mayweather Jr was willing to go down to 135 pounds to fight Pacquiao.

Buhain, in a story in the Manila Standard Today on Tuesday said friends in the World Boxing Council  had tipped him that Mayweather who currently holds three world titles and is regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, found no challenge in the divisions he fights in and planned to fight Pacquiao even though he would have to come down in weight.

In an email to Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Finkel said “there is no truth to the rumor of Manny fighting Floyd. Floyd is 147 pounds and Manny is 130 pounds."

Finkel said that in fact there is talk of Mayweather moving up to fight Oscar De La Hoya.

Finkel also disclosed that he and lawyer Nick Kahn who is also a member of Pacquiao’s management team had met with Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin “Jing” Gacal and close friend and confidant Rex “Wakee” Salud  over the lawsuit filed by Finkel. Kahn and Atty. Keith Davidson, a third member of the management team, against  Gacal and Salud .

The suit alleged that the two had advised Pacquiao to sign a disadvantageous contract with giant broadcast network ABS-CBN even though he had no right to enter into a contract without the written permission of the management team.

Finkel revealed that “everything had been worked out.” However, Finkel   declined to give details saying “everything is under control at this moment and I would rather not comment at this time.”

Salud earlier claimed that Finkel had filed the suit in an effort to pressure Pacquiao into extending the management contract which expires on January 31, 2007.

In their lawsuit, Finkel, Kahn and Davidson alleged that Pacquiao was paid $4 million by ABS-CBN for the July 2 showdown against former two-time super bantamweight champion Oscar Larios and they were entitled to 25 percent or $4 million and not 25 percent of Pacquiao’s reported purse of $1 million.