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Hatton-Pacquiao showdown 'is off'
From the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7826510.stm
Ricky Hatton's proposed showdown with Manny Pacquiao is off, Hatton's lawyer Gareth Williams has told BBC Sport.
However, Williams said six-weight world champion Oscar de la Hoya could now fight Hatton "in the UK or Ireland" in late spring or early summer instead.
"I woke up on Wednesday morning and read Manny was still demanding a 60-40 split," Williams told BBC Sport.
"I just said 'enough is enough', we'll start looking at Plan B. Manny clearly doesn't want to fight Ricky."
Williams and Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum had issued another ultimatum to Pacquiao that he had to sign his contract by close of business on Wednesday.
But Arum told American website ESPN that Pacquiao was still unhappy with the terms, despite the fact that he was set to earn £8m for the Las Vegas super-fight, which had been slated for 2 May.
"Manny Pacquiao is turning down the biggest pay-day of his career for reasons known only to himself," said Williams.
"Maybe Manny wants to look at the people he takes advice from because there's no prospect he could earn anything like the money he can earn for fighting Ricky by fighting someone else.
"My position has never altered, in that we agreed 50-50 and in every conversation I've had with [Hatton's American promoters] Golden Boy and Bob Arum they've said, don't worry, that's the deal, it's all sorted with Manny.
"Bob Arum held himself out as having the full authority to negotiate on behalf of Manny Pacquiao. Bob Arum has been in this game an awful long time and if he says his fighter's agreed to things, I've got no reason to doubt that.
"My one and only concern is what's best for Ricky Hatton, and hanging around and waiting to decide when, if and on what terms is of no use to me or my client.
"Ricky's mindset is that he's going to fight late spring or early summer and we've effectively wasted three weeks already."
As well as a bout with De la Hoya, who Pacquiao destroyed in eight rounds last December, the other two options for Manchester's light-welterweight king are a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr or the winner of Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz on 28 February.
Mayweather Jr retired after stopping Hatton in 10 rounds in 2007 but there have been stirrings of a comeback.
Mexico's Marquez, a former world champion at feather and super-featherweight, has fought Pacquiao twice, with some observers believing he won both encounters.
Williams added: "Marquez has had two very close fights with Pacquiao and that would be the perfect fight.
"We've also put things in place to reopen negotiations with Mayweather's people, to see if he's serious about a comeback fight.
"And finally, and this has taken me completely by surprise, it's been suggested Oscar de la Hoya might be interested as well.
"I've already spoken to [Golden Boy chief executive] Richard Schaefer and he's spoken to Oscar and I think Oscar feels he didn't do himself justice when he fought Pacquiao and I don't think he wants to go out on that note.
"We'll do everything we possibly can to make sure the fight is in the UK because the pound's plummeting and it suddenly makes a trip to America very expensive."
From the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7826510.stm
Ricky Hatton's proposed showdown with Manny Pacquiao is off, Hatton's lawyer Gareth Williams has told BBC Sport.
However, Williams said six-weight world champion Oscar de la Hoya could now fight Hatton "in the UK or Ireland" in late spring or early summer instead.
"I woke up on Wednesday morning and read Manny was still demanding a 60-40 split," Williams told BBC Sport.
"I just said 'enough is enough', we'll start looking at Plan B. Manny clearly doesn't want to fight Ricky."
Williams and Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum had issued another ultimatum to Pacquiao that he had to sign his contract by close of business on Wednesday.
But Arum told American website ESPN that Pacquiao was still unhappy with the terms, despite the fact that he was set to earn £8m for the Las Vegas super-fight, which had been slated for 2 May.
"Manny Pacquiao is turning down the biggest pay-day of his career for reasons known only to himself," said Williams.
"Maybe Manny wants to look at the people he takes advice from because there's no prospect he could earn anything like the money he can earn for fighting Ricky by fighting someone else.
"My position has never altered, in that we agreed 50-50 and in every conversation I've had with [Hatton's American promoters] Golden Boy and Bob Arum they've said, don't worry, that's the deal, it's all sorted with Manny.
"Bob Arum held himself out as having the full authority to negotiate on behalf of Manny Pacquiao. Bob Arum has been in this game an awful long time and if he says his fighter's agreed to things, I've got no reason to doubt that.
"My one and only concern is what's best for Ricky Hatton, and hanging around and waiting to decide when, if and on what terms is of no use to me or my client.
"Ricky's mindset is that he's going to fight late spring or early summer and we've effectively wasted three weeks already."
As well as a bout with De la Hoya, who Pacquiao destroyed in eight rounds last December, the other two options for Manchester's light-welterweight king are a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr or the winner of Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz on 28 February.
Mayweather Jr retired after stopping Hatton in 10 rounds in 2007 but there have been stirrings of a comeback.
Mexico's Marquez, a former world champion at feather and super-featherweight, has fought Pacquiao twice, with some observers believing he won both encounters.
Williams added: "Marquez has had two very close fights with Pacquiao and that would be the perfect fight.
"We've also put things in place to reopen negotiations with Mayweather's people, to see if he's serious about a comeback fight.
"And finally, and this has taken me completely by surprise, it's been suggested Oscar de la Hoya might be interested as well.
"I've already spoken to [Golden Boy chief executive] Richard Schaefer and he's spoken to Oscar and I think Oscar feels he didn't do himself justice when he fought Pacquiao and I don't think he wants to go out on that note.
"We'll do everything we possibly can to make sure the fight is in the UK because the pound's plummeting and it suddenly makes a trip to America very expensive."
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