Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
Manny Pacquiao will face Juan Manuel Marquez a fourth time only if the Filipino welterweight champion will get no less than $28 million in guaranteed purse.
“Basta hindi bababa sa $28 million,†Pacquiao told the media in General Santos City yesterday.
Pacquiao’s public information officer, Rose Tamayo, said Pacquiao made the announcement in an interview with a local television crew in his home province.
Pacquiao was also quoted as saying he’s willing to face Marquez one more time because a lot of people were “not contented†with the result of their last fight.
Pacquiao and Marquez have fought three classic battles over the last seven years, and these fights have always been both close and controversial.
Last November, Marquez came so close to a victory, even though a lot of people thought that the 38-year-old Mexican had done enough to win.
Immediately after the match, chief promoter Bob Arum called for a fourth fight and a “definitive end†to one of the great rivalries in the sport.
Arum said he would sit down with both fighters to set up a fourth fight that can break the existing records in pay-per-view buys.
Marquez was guaranteed $5 million for the third fight, and Pacquiao around $20 million.
But under the fight contract, in case a rematch or a fourth fight takes place, Marquez will get more than what he got for the third one, perhaps twice as much.
Arum spoke to The STAR the other day, and said whoever Pacquiao fights next, whether it’s Miguel Cotto, Tim Bradley, Lamont Peterson or Marquez, he should get no less than $20 million.
“No less than that,†said Arum.
But now Pacquiao is saying he wants $28 million if it’s a fourth match with Marquez, and this should be on top of the menu when Arum comes to the Philippines next week.
Arum said he’s flying in on Jan. 10 to meet with Pacquiao for them to tackle the next fight, which will take place sometime in May or June.
Suddenly, Marquez is the priority.
