ARUM: THE HATTON FIGHT IS OFF AS OF NOW
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 21 Jan 2009
The megabuck fight between Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and Britain?s Ricky ?The Hitman? Hatton is off ? as of this hour.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, in an overseas telephone conversation with www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports a short while ago said ?The Hatton people have been very patient. They have told (Richard) Schaefer that tomorrow morning (London Time) they are calling a press conference announcing that they are calling off the fight.?
Richard Schaefer is the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions who handle Hatton's fights in the US and negotiated the 50-50 deal with Arum.
Arum said he had informed Pacquiao?s lawyer Franklin ?Jeng Gacal that he ?has to have a signed copy of the contract by 6:00 p.m. Manila Time. If I don?t have it faxed to my house I can?t prevent these people from pulling the plug.?
The Top Rank promoter reiterated what he told us the other day that he had been able to get Pacquiao a 52-48 revenue split from the original 50-50 deal and had raised the guaranteed purse, adding ? I don?t know what these people want anymore. If it won?t happen, it won?t happen.?
The astute and internationally renowned promoter said ?I have no idea what Plan B is.?
Arum said if the Hatton fight doesn?t push through the world?s No.1 pound-for-pound fighter will be back to getting $2 to $3 million. He speculated that Pacquiao might just have to sit out the rest of the year.
In pushing the urgency of Pacquiao agreeing to the deal as outlined in the latest contract submitted to him Arum said ?he?s got a few more hours.?
Pacquiao?s lawyer Franklin ?Jeng? Gacal confirmed that Arum was not prepared to raise the guaranteed purse any higher than he had already done and had given Pacquiao an ultimatum, otherwise the fight would be called off.
Trainer Freddie Roach also indicated he was upset over the fact that he?s been trying to contact Pacquiao without any success and that his calls are not even being returned. He too believes that Pacquiao won?t make anywhere near the guaranteed amount for the Hatton fight no matter who he fights.
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