IF PACQUIAO INSISTS ON 60-40, THE HATTON FIGHT IS OFF
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 15 Jan 2009
If Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao insists on a 60-40 sharing of revenues in the planned May 2 Las Vegas showdown against Britain ?s Ricky ?The Hitman? Hatton then the fight is off.
That was the curt response of Hatton?s father, Ray Hatton, in an overseas telephone conversation with www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports early Tuesday morning, Manila Time.
Hatton indicated he was surprised by the statement of Pacquiao?s lawyer, Atty. Franklin ?Jeng? Gacal that they wouldn?t settle for anything other than a 60-40 revenue split in favor of Pacquiao.
Gacal made the statement in an interview with Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN on arrival from Los Angeles on Monday morning along with Pacquiao and his three children.
Hatton said ?I heard a couple of hours ago that the issue had been resolved? even as Hatton?s lawyer Gareth Williams insisted in a conversation with Telegraph Sport that they ?already had a verbal agreement from Pacquiao?s promoter Bob Arum that it would be a 50-50 split for the contest.?
The Hatton legal counsel made it clear ?we have said all along that that is all we are prepared to do and Arum has agreed to the equal share.?
Ray Hatton pointed out ?obviously Ricky brings as much to the table if not more? than Pacquiao, pointing to the huge TV audiences in Britain and all over Europe for a Hatton fight.
In response to 60-40 demand, Ray Hatton told us ? if that?s the case, well the fight is not going to take place? indicating that Hatton had ?other options? adding ?we can put a fight here against another opponent in May in front of 80,000 people.?
He claimed there were three or four other fighters ?lining up to fight Ricky because that?s where the payday is.?
Hatton?s father said that if the Pacquiao fight is in jeopardy they could ?always take another direction and factor in a gate like that? to make it a truly worthwhile proposition for the British IBO light welterweight champion.
Gacal mentioned the possibility of a Pacquiao fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr should the Hatton fight fall through but the Hatton camp has also claimed that Mayweather Jr had sounded them out on a possible rematch.
Ray Hatton believes that while Mayweather is ?on top of the mix it's not a fight Manny would like because styles make fights? indicating that a Pacquiao-Hatton showdown would be a far better fight and a bigger attraction.
www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports was able to contact Arum late Monday New York time which was Tuesday in Manila and the astute Top Rank promoter said Gacal was ?trying to get a bigger guarantee.?
Arum disclosed he had spoken to Pacquiao?s lawyer and told us there was ?no problem on the split and it will be worked out.?
Arum had guaranteed Pacquiao $11 million for the December 6 megabuck fight with Oscar De La Hoya with Pacquiao taking a 35 percent share to De La Hoya?s 65 percent and still earning a bigger amount than the guarantee because of the revenue from pay-per-view buys of some 1.4 million.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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