By Michael Marley

The old saying is to the victor go the spoils. I do not think anyone was thinking about rotten goat meat when they conjured up the phrase.

Which reminds me that canny promoter Bob Arum did miss one cute trick when it came to the smartest member of the David Diaz camp, Billy The Goat. Years ago, the National Lampoon had a cover photo of a cute puppy. The cover line was something “if you don’t buy this magazine, we will kill the dog.”

Talk about an attention grabber. But back to the WBC lightweight champion’s pet cabrito or, as we say in Tagalog, “kambing.”

Yes, the Mandalay Bay is not kid-ding. Yes, the hotel-casino granted the nagging Billy a Team Diaz credential.

But the question I am debating with our imbedded Team Pacquiao correspondent Hermie “Chiz” Rivera is what is the fate of the tin can eater if, as we all expect, Megamanny Pacquiao dethrones Billy’s bossman.

It seems as though once Pacman slaughers Diaz, Billy gets slaughtered. I’d hate to be the one who has to relate this tragic news to Billy’s nanny!

Surely, there will be budget cuts for Team Diaz. I don’t want to get anyone’s goat but I bet Billy will be let loose so to speak when that happens.

Rivera said he has already discussed Billy’s dim future with Manny.

“We will immediately grab Billy by that beard of his, right at ringside,” Rivera said. “Then the only question is whether Billy is boiled, broiled, baked or steamed. His next destination is the nearest fiery pot. He will not return to Chitown unless he is frozen or burning on a skewer.

“Goat meat and a San Miguel beer is a typical Pacman treat when he is not in training,” Rivera said. “We put goat into our calderata and marinate it for kilawen. I’ve told Manny, ‘We must slaughter the goat for our victory party, for our celebration after you KO or stop David.”

Rivera, who reports that Manny will exit the lightweight class and move up to 140 for a Ricky Hatton fight next, said Billy only has one supporter on Team Pacquiao.

“It’s your Boston boy, Coach Freddie Roach,” Rivera said. “Freddie is an animal lover and wants to send Billy to a petting zoo for the kiddies. Freddie is opposed to our eating Billy in any form.

“Freddie told me, ‘Hey, Hermie, the goat is a Chicago Cubs baseball fan. Hasn’t he suffered enough?”