Without Pacquiao, who will watch Hatton?

Manny Pacquiao released his official statement about his called-off fight between British boxing superstar Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton.

In his statement, Pacquiao lambasted Richard Scaefer, Golden Boy Promotions representative, for calling him "spoiled young kid who does not know how to behave."

“I find Schafer’s actions and words too aristocratic, " was Pacquiao's response. "He’s the one who is acting childish. He is not professional and civil enough to give merits to the negotiating table,” added Pacquiao.

Although it was both Scaefer and Bob Arum of Top Rank who had been pressuring Pacquiao to formalize his fight with Hatton by signing a contract where Pacquiao will get 52 percent of the income in the fight, Pacquiao did not mention Arum in his official statement which was a virtual address to Scaefer.

Pacquiao was demanding a 60 percent share of the income, or 55 percent of the income plus conditions he did not divulge.

It should be remembered that during his December 6 fight last year with Oscar Dela Hoya, Pacquiao only had a 32 percent share of the income while Dela Hoya got the 68 percent of it. Pacquiao must have taken the deal only to prove himself to the world he was the better man.

Surely, Pacquiao must have felt slighted or even robbed by that condition but he could not do anything since it was him who needed to prove himself. But now that he one-sidedly beat Dela Hoya, Pacquiao would no longer agree to the terms and conditions prepared by the same men who prepared the contract he signed fighting Dela Hoya.

If we put things into perspective, a 60 percent share is not so much to ask considering that Pacquiao is now known as, or even more popular than Dela Hoya himself. Of course, the 60 percent share Manny is asking would have been too much had we not known that Dela Hoya got the 68 percent of the share (which I failed to consifer in my previous post). Now, a boxer should be paid that much only if he boxed. But did Dela Hoya boxed, at least as hard and as often as Manny? We have seen the fight.

If Richard Scaefer could grant the beaten Dela Hoya the 68 percent, why can he not grant Manny the 60 percent he is asking for? That is 8 percent less than what they have given to a man who only stood inside the ring to be Pacquiao's punching bag!

Hatton's camp is bragging that they are going to bring in British money, and because of that, Hatton will be bringing in a lion's share. But if we come to think of it, why did they decide to stage the fight in the US and not in Britain if Hatton could indeed bring a lot more money from Britain?

They decided to stage the fight in the US because there are more people who are now Pacquiao converts in the US who would like to see him fight, than there are in Britain. These converts are not interested in seeing Ricky Hatton fight as much as they are interested in witnessing how he would get pummeled by Pacquiao. Without Pacquiao, who will watch Hatton?