WANT a crack at managing Manny Pacquiao’s millions?

You have to join a high-stakes game of musical chairs.

That’s what the mayor of Manila and the guy admirers call the local clone of Howard Cosell—Muhammad Ali’s favorite broadcaster—are looking into.

Hizzoner Lito Atienza, Pacquiao’s chief adviser, and boxing man Hermie Rivera are shuffling and circling with the other players. Their aim is to snag the last chair when the tune stops.

Rivera reveals that their aim is for Manny to agree on a promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions owned by the legendary Oscar de la Hoya.

Ostensibly, the move is to ensure the financial solvency of the highest-paid Filipino boxer of all time.

“I can’t wait to leave for Los Angeles since I’d like to be around when the t’s are crossed and the I’s are dotted on an agreement if ever there is going to be one,” said Rivera at the end of a recent “goat together” with friends in his Quezon City house.

Interestingly, the Mexican American de la Hoya—pay per view television’s biggest draw—is one of only a handful of boxers in history who chose to shoulder promotional burdens while still active.

If that is not concern for his band of brothers in the ring, what is?

The Golden Boy, still fighting as a junior middleweight, handles a stable that includes the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley and two fighters Pacquiao vanquished in the past—Marco Antonio Barrera and Oscar Larios. Two of the brightest stars of the ALA boxing gym of Tony Aldeguer, Ray Boom Boom Bautista and AJ Banal, are also with the Golden Boy Promotions.

Oscar de la Hoya as promoter is poised to give Pacquiao a fresh start in so far as fiscal matters are concerned.

Rivera says the objective for the long haul is to “make golden the remaining days of Manny’s title shots” after his grand finale with Erik Morales at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on November 18th.

“Let’s face it, Pacquiao has always been saddled with operators out to clean his clock,” says Rivera.

“Fact is, his last two promoters had to leave ingloriously owing to their penchant for Manny’s ’ ‘moneys.’”

It is coincidental that one of these managers (Rod Nazario) still has to pay Rivera’s former charge, ex-two time world champion Luisito Espinosa a world championship purse from nine years ago.

To his American management players and the big-time Las Vegas promoter currently handling the Filipino champion before he gets free from their managerial hold—Rivera asks for transparency.

Observed Rivera:

“A firewall in the Muhammad Ali Boxing Act prohibits promoters from having a direct or indirect financial interest in the management of a boxer. Specifically, it is illegal to be employed by or receive compensation or other benefits from a promoter except for amounts received as consideration under the managers contract with the boxer—the proviso inversely applies to managers.”

In the first two Morales-Pacquiao encounters, as well as the fight with Larios, the Ali Act was grossly violated.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars changed hands among the handlers, says Rivera. And guess who wound up footing the bill?

“For the second Pacquiao-Morales fight, the preposterous expenses included a record-breaking one-time fee of $50,000 to an English language interpreter for the Filipino boxer,” says Hermie. “Guess who footed the bill? And who does the interpreting really for Manny? Don’t answer that one.”

“How their cut from the $3 million (pay per view income not included) that the General Santos fighter will get for the Pacquiao-Morales III, will be divvied up among his posse remains to be seen and explained” Rivera concluded.

Sports Note: Better late than never to say farewell to former Information Minister Greg Cendana. Manong Oyo, who died recently was a true friend and a great boss. He rescued a former newsman from the depths of underemployment and gave him the chance to revive his broadcast career in Los Angeles as a Philippine network television correspondent and local Filipino news hour anchor.
(PDI)