By Michael Marley
According to 39 year old Shane Mosley, who spoke to Lance Pugmire of the LA Times, his adviser, Houston based rap music-boxing mogul James Prince will visit Top Rank CEO Bob Arum at his Las Vegas office on Tuesday.
There will be one limited subject and it's how much money, guaranteed and in the form of a pay-per-view TV overage, will Mosley accept to fight Manny Pacquiao on May 7 at the MGM Grand Hotel.
Arum has no meetings set with Golden Boy to wrangle over a purse for Juan Manuel Marquez. Ditto for Lou DiBella, who in accord with Al Haymon, handles Andre Berto's business. Marquez and Berto were both being considered as opponents for the Pacquiao date in May.
Pugnacious Pugmire writes, and I think he's on firm footing because he often talks to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, that Juan Manuel demanded $5 million firm and an upside of $5 per pay-per-view buy over the 1.2 million mark, making a total purse of $8.5 million.
To land the bout, and this my guesswork, Mosley must go much lower.
Prince and Mosley have to keep in mind that May 7 is not an African American themed holiday, it's "Cinco de Mayo" weekend and fight fans have gotten used to going to the gambling mecca for fun and fights featuring Mexican heroes named Chavez and De La Hoya.
Given Mosley's precarious financial situation since ex-wife Jin TKO'd Shane under California's "community property" law, I think that he will come in way under the Marquez demand and get the final nod for the fight.
Another sign that it will be Mosely, at least in the Pacman camp's thinking, is Coach Freddie Roach, already doing his Jekyll/Hyde routine. In one breath, Roach reminds us that Mosley was nabbed as a drug cheater and then, in another, delineates how rugged a foe Mosley, seven years older than Manny, will prove to be.
Berto's not even in line. Marquez priced himself out of serious consideration and only puts himself in play - if Prince/Mosley suffer delusions of grandeur.
I don't see any reason why Mosley won't jump to take about a $3.5 or 4 million guarantee, about the same as Antonio Margarito got for his beatdown by Manny with some pay-per-view upside potential.
Prince is not going to Nevada to block the deal, that's for sure. His chore is to lather up and lay back.
If he and Mosley do that, Arum will get a "Viva Mexico" ring outfit made up for Mosley.
