By Ronnie Nathanielsz

MANNY Pacquiao’s purse in his rematch with legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino last Sunday, Manila time, was $2 million.

Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, informed Viva Sports/Standard Today that Pacquiao and Barrera each received $2 million.

But there was no indication of what the agreements were regarding pay-per-view revenues both fighters were entitled to.

Pacquiao’s contract with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum guaranteed him a minimum of $2 million, which the Pacman himself said he had received for the April 14 fight against previously undefeated, but unknown Jorge Solis in San Antonio, Texas. Pacquiao won by an eighth-round knockout in that fight.

There had been reports prior to the Barrera fight that Pacquiao was unhappy over what he would earn for his rematch with Barrera, but his lawyer, Franklin “Jeng” Gacal, said the reports were not true. Pacquiao himself said everything was fine.

In the meantime, Pacquiao’s close friend and confidant Rex “Wakee” Salud said the problem in arranging a rematch with World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez was that he was asking for too much.

But Marquez’s handlers have maintained that he is the champion and should not get less than the challenger even though the challenger is Pacquiao. Now they are certain to point to the fact that according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Barrera got the same $2-million purse as Pacquiao and Barrera had no belt and was beaten by Marquez in his last fight.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s mother Dionisia was rushed to the hospital after she fainted.

Her attending physician, Dr. Lamberto Chomi, said she was suffering from “chronic fatigue syndrome.”

But he said there was nothing to worry about.

When Viva Sports/Standard Today checked yesterday afternoon, she was resting comfortably at her room in St. Elizabeth Hospital in General Santos City.

Dr. Chomi said that Dionisia’s blood sugar was low even after meals and it could cause “loss of consciousness” if not checked in time.

He said she was “exhausted both physically and mentally and may have been worried about Manny’s fight” last Sunday against Barrera in Las Vegas.