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Purse spat jeopardizes Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight
Pacquaio backs away from agreement on a 50-50 split. Promoter Bob Arum says the match in Las Vegas won't happen unless the world's No. 1 fighter 'comes to his senses.'
By Lance Pugmire
3:24 PM PST, January 13, 2009
Manny Pacquiao has retreated from his verbal agreement to share a 50-50 split of purse money with boxer Ricky Hatton for the pair's tentatively scheduled May 2 fight in Las Vegas.
As a result, Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum said today "the fight's not happening" unless his star fighter drops his demand for a 60-40 percentage by Wednesday.
"There's no way he's getting the 60-40," Arum told The Times Tuesday. "Unless he comes to his senses and his people start acting intelligently . . . we'll see if we can keep it together, but the split is supposed to be 50-50. We've all agreed to it. Now, people are whispering in Pacquiao's ear. If they keep pushing for 60-40, Hatton and [his promoter Richard] Schaefer are pulling the plug."
Schaefer, chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions, said: "Ricky brings a substantial amount of revenue to this fight from England.... If Pacquiao doesn't want to do it, he can fight someone else for less."
But Arum said Hatton and Schaefer would "be in the right" for backing out of a showdown at 140 pounds that would match Pacquiao, the world's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, against Hatton, a popular English fighter who's never lost at that weight and typically lures large crowds of British fans to watch him in Las Vegas.
The ruckus over money -- nothing new in boxing -- originated from a Monday interview in which Pacquiao's attorney Franklin Gacal told a reporter in the Philippines that he would "not agree to a 50-50 sharing," and would move to "find another opponent" if his request is not met.
Hatton's attorney told the Telegraph in the U.K. that he expects the oral agreement of a 50-50 split to remain unchanged.
Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, may emerge as the calming voice of reason. Roach said he spoke by telephone to Pacquiao on Monday night, and plans a similar chat tonight.
"I hope they can come to an agreement but right now they're at a standstill," Roach told The Times on Tuesday. "I hope the fight happens, and I think 50-50 is a good deal. I agree with it, because Hatton brings a lot of people from the U.K. I hope I can get Manny on board."
Arum declined to say how much money Pacquuiao has been guaranteed for the Hatton bout, but said it was "a lot," and said he's stumped and frustrated about how this drama will end.
"I have no idea, and at this point, I could care less," he said.
Pacquaio backs away from agreement on a 50-50 split. Promoter Bob Arum says the match in Las Vegas won't happen unless the world's No. 1 fighter 'comes to his senses.'
By Lance Pugmire
3:24 PM PST, January 13, 2009
Manny Pacquiao has retreated from his verbal agreement to share a 50-50 split of purse money with boxer Ricky Hatton for the pair's tentatively scheduled May 2 fight in Las Vegas.
As a result, Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum said today "the fight's not happening" unless his star fighter drops his demand for a 60-40 percentage by Wednesday.
"There's no way he's getting the 60-40," Arum told The Times Tuesday. "Unless he comes to his senses and his people start acting intelligently . . . we'll see if we can keep it together, but the split is supposed to be 50-50. We've all agreed to it. Now, people are whispering in Pacquiao's ear. If they keep pushing for 60-40, Hatton and [his promoter Richard] Schaefer are pulling the plug."
Schaefer, chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions, said: "Ricky brings a substantial amount of revenue to this fight from England.... If Pacquiao doesn't want to do it, he can fight someone else for less."
But Arum said Hatton and Schaefer would "be in the right" for backing out of a showdown at 140 pounds that would match Pacquiao, the world's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, against Hatton, a popular English fighter who's never lost at that weight and typically lures large crowds of British fans to watch him in Las Vegas.
The ruckus over money -- nothing new in boxing -- originated from a Monday interview in which Pacquiao's attorney Franklin Gacal told a reporter in the Philippines that he would "not agree to a 50-50 sharing," and would move to "find another opponent" if his request is not met.
Hatton's attorney told the Telegraph in the U.K. that he expects the oral agreement of a 50-50 split to remain unchanged.
Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, may emerge as the calming voice of reason. Roach said he spoke by telephone to Pacquiao on Monday night, and plans a similar chat tonight.
"I hope they can come to an agreement but right now they're at a standstill," Roach told The Times on Tuesday. "I hope the fight happens, and I think 50-50 is a good deal. I agree with it, because Hatton brings a lot of people from the U.K. I hope I can get Manny on board."
Arum declined to say how much money Pacquuiao has been guaranteed for the Hatton bout, but said it was "a lot," and said he's stumped and frustrated about how this drama will end.
"I have no idea, and at this point, I could care less," he said.
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