By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The group that is putting together the scheduled fight between Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao and WBO Intercontinental champion Gairy St. Clair of Australia is reportedly not prepared to put up more than a maximum of $650,000 or about P40 million to underwrite the entire cost of staging the event scheduled for December 4 at the Araneta Coliseum. This means that there would have to be a reduction in the original purse offers for Pacquiao and St. Clair.
Promoter Murad Muhammad had earlier disclosed that he had $650,000 available from sponsors and indicated that Pacquiao would receive a purse of $500,000 or about P28 million which would leave $150,000 for the purse of St. Clair and all other expenses involved in putting the fight together.
A top official of Solar Sports which has a tie-up with Team Pacquiao for the rights to his fights said if the fighters purses alone amount to $650,000 it would be "too much money" that could not be recovered. The Solar official disclosed they were "speaking to the group that’s putting this together" although he declined to identify the group. There have been rumors that First Gentleman Mike Arroyo was involved in trying to put the fight together but there's been no confirmation of this neither has the group supposedly involved in staging big-time concerts been identified. However, socialite Baby Arenas who is known for bringing in top-flight artists had some months ago discussed the possibility of a Pacquiao fight in Manila with business manager Rod Nazario although nothing apparently came of it.
The Solar Sports official indicated that the income to be derived from the gate would reach a maximum of P10 million at the most while the potential income from television would be another P10 million at the most which indicated a major shortfall. The official said that unless Pacquiao and his handlers including promoter Murad Muhammad look at a realistic budget , it would be hard to make the fight a reality.
Meantime, Pacquiao’s business manager Rod Nazario told Viva Sports/Manila Standard in an overseas telephone conversation yesterday, "as soon as I come, I’ll settle everything." Nazario is scheduled to arrive on Saturday from Los Angeles. Pacquiao himself told Viva Sports/Manila Standard in a telephone conversation yesterday morning that he planned to fly to Manila from his home in General Santos City on Monday to meet with Nazario on the planned December 4 bout against St. Clair and future fights. Pacquiao revealed that he is working out regularly but hasn't been sparring.
