By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Promoter Murad Muhammad who was taken aback by the news that Manny Pacquiao had returned home without his knowledge and that of business manager Rod Nazario , revealed in an exclusive overseas interview with Viva Sports/Manila Standard that it may be God's blessing because a news conference was being planned in two or three days to announce his fight against WBO Intercontinental featherweight champion Gairy St. Clair of Australia tentatively scheduled for November 27 or more likely December 4.
St. Clair has fought some of the toughest champions and gone the distance with such awesome punchers as reigning WBO lightweight champion Diego Corrales, WBA light welterweight champion Vivian Harris and former WBA/IBF and IBC champion Leonard Dorin and was a regular sparring partner of current WBC/WBA/IBF light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu.
Murad disclosed that a group headed by Taguig City Mayor Freddie Tinga, son of former Congressman and now Supreme Court Justice Dante Tinga was finalizing details of the fight which would be staged at an open air venue in the sprawling upper class Global City which could accommodate 40,000 fight fans. A Filipina representative of Murad based in the US identified as Riza Pascua was also reportedly in Manila to finalize an agreement on the fight although there were some who believed there was no need to cut Murad in on the deal because if the fight is staged in the Philippines then Murad would have nothing to do with the promotion. However, a son of Nazario who runs the Wild Card Gym in BF Homes, Paranaque said Murad was involved and was scheduled to call the Mayor late Tuesday.
Murad said that he had discussed the future of Pacquiao with Nazario and top executives of HBO Sports and claimed that several fighters under contract with the giant sports network 'only fought once this year' even as he added that Pacquiao didn't win against Juan Manuel Marquez despite the fact that it was a controversial decision and he thought Pacquiao definitely won the fight. Murad also pointed out because of his injury Pacquiao could fight super featherweight champion Erik Morales as originally planned and they missed the opportunity of a second fight this year.
Murad said HBO "doesn't want trouble with any of its boxers" even as he claimed there were "some crazy things coming out of the gym" but didn't specify. Murad said Pacquiao thought he got $1.5 million for the Marquez fight but insisted that if a fighter makes $700,000 - $900,000 you should consider yourself lucky. 'Murad claimed the purse' for both fighters (Pacquiao and Marquez) was $1.5 million. Manila Standard learned that Pacquiao had asked Murad for an advance of $25,000 but after sometime Murad gave Pacquiao $15,000 last week.
