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12-14-2006, 11:39 AM
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
FILIPINO ring idol Manny Pacquiao may lose by default his planned re-match with World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera with Golden Boy Promotions, considering a fight with Juan Manuel Marquez on March 11, 2007 instead.
With the lawsuit filed by Golden Boy against Top Rank for tortuous interference likely to take another month or two to be resolved by the Superior Court in Los Angeles, Viva Sports/Standard Today was informed that Golden Boy, who signed a seven-fight contract with Pacquiao in mid-September, is considering Marquez as an opponent for Barrera.
In a poll conducted on Manny Pacquiao's official Website, an overwhelming majority wanted a Barrera re-match as opposed to Bob Arum’s plan for a title shot at undefeated World Boxing Association champion Edwin Valero (20-0, 20 KOs) planned for March at the Wynn Hotel and Casino in the gambling haven of Macau. The poll also had 70 percent voting for Pacquiao to go with Golden Boy Promotions and just under 20 percent picking Top Rank.
The WBC announced two days ago that it would hold a purse bid on Jan. 12 in Mexico City if negotiations between the handlers of Barrera and Pacquiao, who was designated the mandatory challenger, don’t push through. The issue may be further complicated following reports that Don King himself may enter the bid and has the financial backers to put in the money against Arum. The Top Rank honcho appears to be banking on Steve Wynn, the resort hotel and casino mogul, who supposedly is ready to put up $15 million.
But Golden Boy Promotions officials are not panicking and believe they have a solid case against Top Rank and an airtight contract with Pacquiao.
An added complication is the fact that the management contract of the team of Shelly Finkel and lawyers Nick Kahn and Keith Davidson will expire on Jan. 31 and there has been no indication from Pacquiao what his plans are. But several of his so-called advisers have recommended that he must not renew the Finkel contract and manage his own affairs because he is regarded as hot property right now.
Promoter and boxing manager Rex “Wakee” Salud, who has allegedly been eased out of Pacquiao’s inner circle by boxing agent Michael Koncz, whom Salud accused of double-crossing him and serving as an agent of Arum, has always maintained that Pacquiao stood to earn much more money if he didn’t sign up with any promoter and could go for the highest bidder on a per fight basis, although it was widely known in the recent past that Salud was pushing for a deal with Arum.
FILIPINO ring idol Manny Pacquiao may lose by default his planned re-match with World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera with Golden Boy Promotions, considering a fight with Juan Manuel Marquez on March 11, 2007 instead.
With the lawsuit filed by Golden Boy against Top Rank for tortuous interference likely to take another month or two to be resolved by the Superior Court in Los Angeles, Viva Sports/Standard Today was informed that Golden Boy, who signed a seven-fight contract with Pacquiao in mid-September, is considering Marquez as an opponent for Barrera.
In a poll conducted on Manny Pacquiao's official Website, an overwhelming majority wanted a Barrera re-match as opposed to Bob Arum’s plan for a title shot at undefeated World Boxing Association champion Edwin Valero (20-0, 20 KOs) planned for March at the Wynn Hotel and Casino in the gambling haven of Macau. The poll also had 70 percent voting for Pacquiao to go with Golden Boy Promotions and just under 20 percent picking Top Rank.
The WBC announced two days ago that it would hold a purse bid on Jan. 12 in Mexico City if negotiations between the handlers of Barrera and Pacquiao, who was designated the mandatory challenger, don’t push through. The issue may be further complicated following reports that Don King himself may enter the bid and has the financial backers to put in the money against Arum. The Top Rank honcho appears to be banking on Steve Wynn, the resort hotel and casino mogul, who supposedly is ready to put up $15 million.
But Golden Boy Promotions officials are not panicking and believe they have a solid case against Top Rank and an airtight contract with Pacquiao.
An added complication is the fact that the management contract of the team of Shelly Finkel and lawyers Nick Kahn and Keith Davidson will expire on Jan. 31 and there has been no indication from Pacquiao what his plans are. But several of his so-called advisers have recommended that he must not renew the Finkel contract and manage his own affairs because he is regarded as hot property right now.
Promoter and boxing manager Rex “Wakee” Salud, who has allegedly been eased out of Pacquiao’s inner circle by boxing agent Michael Koncz, whom Salud accused of double-crossing him and serving as an agent of Arum, has always maintained that Pacquiao stood to earn much more money if he didn’t sign up with any promoter and could go for the highest bidder on a per fight basis, although it was widely known in the recent past that Salud was pushing for a deal with Arum.