By Hermie Rivera

“The fight racket (boxing) since its rotten beginnings has always been the red light district of sports.” —Jimmy Cannon

AN ugly war continues.

We aren’t talking here of Manny Pacquiao’s rumble with Erik Morales in their third 12-round encounter at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas Nov. l8.

It’s about the Filipino ring idol’s conflict with his handlers who see dollar signs dancing on the boxer’s head any time of day or night.

While most of Manny’s managers have disappeared, two of his promoters are still around angling for employment possibilities.

Some characters out to strike gold have lulled themselves into thinking that they could get away with larceny—forgetting that somewhere are crusaders opposed to such form of chicanery.

Despite repeated raids on his treasury, Manny will continue to prosper unless he does something incredibly stupid that could set him in a trap by subordinates out to ruin him financially.

As for his peripatetic handlers led by Shelly Finkel, Nick Khan and Keith Davidson—perhaps we can oblige them for an iota of transparency since no one who’s outside the loop knows about the service they provided Manny for the $400,000 they took home from his fight with Oscar Larios.

And that doesn’t begin to touch the fees they treated themselves to—from the past Morales fights, the Hector Velazquez fight and the mother of all scores—-Pacquiao-Morales III.

Manny Pacquiao has been a star before Finkel, Khan and Davidson barged into the scene. All three Morales fights were in place with Bob Arum’s Top Rank long before the Filipino superman was even a gleam in the new management’s eyes.

So, it is a waste, seeing 20-25 percent of Pacquiao’s purses ending up as handler’s cuts—not to mention the quarter-million greenbucks pocketed by the promoter of the “tumble at the center.”

I gather that some $250,000 changed hands in that iniquitous deal.

Guess who footed the bill?

Keep in mind that the trio engineered the greatest escape act since Houdini—a flick of the finger and voila! ex-Muhammad Ali bodyguard Murad Muhammad and business manager Rod Nazario vanished from the Pacman’s screens.

Out of sight—out of mind for the twosome once deemed untouchables at Manny’s Eden.

Enter, Bob Arum, who has delivered a multimillion-dollar package with humongous extras thrown in as bonuses for the “participants.” Quite a bundle.

But let’s avail of the rest period between rounds so I can remind everyone of a firewall that’s etched in the Ali Reform Boxing Act barring promoters from having a direct or indirect financial interest in the management of a boxer—the proviso inversely applies to managers.

Manny’s clash with Erik in their “physical debate” as Recah Trinidad asserts in his Pacquiao tome—Pacific Storm— might be the last fight of the Pinoy hero prior to his entry into a deadlier combat—politics.

Hello Hizzoner Lito Atienza! Welcome Wakee Salud!

Manny Pacquiao is about to become a free agent and his confidant Rex Salud is moving fast to deliver our icon to Bob Arum who also promotes the Mexicano from Tijuana.

One last note to Uncle Bob; who’s coming in as Manny’s designated promoter in your Grand Finale?

No more miscues—else—you’ll run into Yogi Berra wandering around Ed Wynn’s fabulous digs with his immortal ‘de já vu’ all over again?