PACQUIAO WATCH: THE GOLDEN BOY BLINKS
By Edwin G. Espejo
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 28 Aug 2008
IT seems a Dela Hoya-Pacquiao match is already a done deal except for the formalities and fine prints of the contract.
Oscar dela Hoya should have known better.
Reigning World Boxing Council lightweight champ Manny Pacquiao and his lawyer confidante are dyed-in-the-wool betting men, with both of them passionate about their cockfighting hobbies.
Never call a bluff against a betting man. As the say, "be careful what you wish for."
So Oscar will get to match up with Manny for the former's farewell fight on December 6 in Las Vegas.
Business-wise, it is Oscar's best available fight. After all, boxing's biggest draw fighting against the sport's best pound for pound king will surely smash some box office numbers.
It is also Oscar's easiest fight to make considering that, in their last official fighting weights, the two are separated by a 25-pound difference.
It does not mater that the agreed catch-weight for their megabout is at 147. Oscar will still have a big advantage in girth and bulk comes fight night. Whether it is a five or ten pound difference, it is still a huge handicap for Manny Pacquiao.
So despite many saying it would be one of the greatest mismatches in boxing in recent memory, Oscar is calling the fight.
Let us do the math and see who will go laughing his way to the bank.
Assuming the December 6 fight generates "only 70 per cent" PPV buys compared to the Dela Hoya-Mayweather match, HBO will easily rake in at least $75 million in gross revenues (at a conservative $50 per buy).
As per industry practice, half of that goes to HBO.
So from the PPV buys, the net for the purses of the two fighters, promoters and undercards will be at $37.5 million.
The gate receipts go to the promoters and the main attraction.
Oscar's last fight against Mayweather reportedly topped the $20 million mark. So assuming that the same will be generated by his fight with Manny, the total for both fighters to share could zoom towards $60 million.
From there, do your calculations based on the final agreed split of the net revenues and you will fairly have an idea how much each fighter would enrich their respective bank accounts.
Of course you will have to deduct the IRS' cut of the pie, the fees that will go to the trainer and the training expenses.
Oscar will get his lion's share of the pie. After all, he will also be the co-promoter of the bout along with Top Rank's Bob Arum as a result of his legal tussle with Manny and Bob Arum two years ago.
Manny will get the smaller slice but he will be compensated by Arum who has committed to have Pacquiao's MP Promotions as a partner in all tickets headlined by the Filipino bomber.
Plus Manny gets the TV and cable rights for all his bouts in the Philippines.
Easily, Manny will earn at least $15 million for his Oscar appointment.
For as long as he does not get seriously hurt, that is not bad for night's work.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Edwin G. Espejo.
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