By John F. McKenna (McJack): World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO’s) and undefeated WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0, 26 KO’s) continue to jockey for position for the benefit of the media even though it is highly unlikely that the highly anticipated match between the two superstars will happen anytime soon.
Reportedly Floyd offered Manny a guaranteed $40 million dollar purse a couple of days ago to fight him. As usual there was a catch as there usually is when you are dealing with “Money” Mayweather. The catch in this case is that Mayweather would retain all the Pay Per View (PPV) revenue for the fight. It was a very generous offer indeed by Floyd. He would bring in at least $120 million using that scheme, compared to Manny’s $40 million.
Apparently Floyd did not think that the Harvard educated Top Rank CEO Bob Arum would bother doing the math. Anyway, Arum reciprocated with a counter offer to Mayweather with a $45 million guarantee. The counter offer had the same proviso. Pacquiao would get to keep the PPV revenue.
Arum also took the opportunity to correct the misperception that has been reported on numerous boxing websites that Pacquiao is bringing in approximately $6 million a fight. In Manny’s long term contract for the Marquez fight he brought in approximately $22 million dollars. That amount was paid within ten days, even though his contract stipulated that it could be paid within a two month period.
When you include the PPV revenue Manny will have made a total of roughly $30 million for the Marquez fight. All these figures are reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a copy of the contract is provided to the IRS to avoid not paying the proper amount of taxes.
It is still not clear at this point who Pacquiao’s next opponent will be. It is rumored that a “mini tournament” will be held with Lamont Peterson fighting Juan Manuel Marquez in April, with Timothy Bradley fighting Manny Pacquiao in June. The winner of those two fights would than fight each other in November. Marquez for his part says that he wants to be guaranteed a fight with Pacquiao if he fights Peterson in April.
The whole scenario of a “mini tournament” may be just more posturing on Arum’s part to pressure Floyd Mayweather into accepting a Mega fight with Pacquiao in November.
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