PACQUIAO WATCH: WHAT BETTER DEAL?
By Edwin G. Espejo
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 20 Aug 2008
SO okay, a Dela Hoya-Pacquiao fight could be for real.
It would not be a travesty of the sports and an insult to boxing fans even if the two are right now separated by 25 pounds, at least officially.
They could meet halfway and it would cancel out the advantages and disadvantages each fighter will have against each other.
Assuming this fight pushes through and it does not become a blasphemy to the sports that has produced so many greats, the Dela Hoya-Pacquiao event could rival the all time bests in boxing hypes.
Not because the two are well matched up against each other but because Dela Hoya and Pacquiao represent the best of their respective generations.
Although separated in age by a little over five years, the two reached the pinnacle of their boxing success and popularity in two different but close eras.
This is a battle between boxing's still biggest draw over the last 10 years and the today's best pound for pound puncher.
This is a fight with plenty of drama and tons of personal and professional scores to settle.
They earned their stripes by fighting the best there is in their generation and division.
Sadly, they don't belong to the same era and division.
But those could be well said and done.
The hype began as a conjecture but quickly became a reality after both sides sat down to iron out the fine prints of the contract.
Then it got scuttled because of disagreement over how to divide the pie of what promises to be one of the highest grossing boxing events of all times.
Now, the door is again open for the fight to finally materialize.
Both sides appear to be correct and right about their negotiating positions.
Dela Hoya, being boxing biggest cash register, was right when he offered Pacquiao the same deal he gave to Floyd Mayweather Jr., from which the now-retired former undisputed pound for pound king earned some $22 million.
Pacquiao also could not be faulted for asking the maximum he could get under the circumstances.
For the fight to push through and end the boxing calendar year with the loudest of the bangs, Oscar dela Hoya should make Pacquiao an offer he could not refuse.
Manny Pacquiao's lawyer and confidante Franklin 'Jeng' Gacal Jr., was right. A percentage purse in the PPV proceed will not necessarily guarantee the Filipino bomber will get his $15 million pay check.
What if the PPV buys will not top the 1.5 million mark?
At 1.5 million buys, the fight will "only" gross $75 million of which some $37.5 million will be left for dela Hoya and Pacquiao to share.
At 70-30 split, Pacquiao will only get some $10 million for his share. Now, that's not exactly four, much less, five times Pacquiao will earn in an "ordinary" fight as what Oscar is dangling.
How about a $10 million guaranteed purse and a 30 per cent share on the upside of the PPV proceeds plus a 60-40 split in gate receipts in addition to Pacquiao owning the television and cable rights in the Philippines?
That could be a fair deal, could push the envelope and let the ink flow in the pen that would seal the deal.
Do I hear the cash register ringing?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Edwin G. Espejo.
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