Everybody who is anybody in boxing has virtually mouthed his piece on the thrilling rematch.
None however has ventured to guess how much the purse will be for each of the two protagonists in the main card.
As always, Pacquiao lawyer and confidante Franklin “Jeng” Gacal remains coy and tightlipped on the fine prints of the contract signed by Manny Pacquiao.
It left us all but offering our educated guesses.
Let us begin with who gets the bigger pie in the pay per view (PPV) and ticket sales and the peripheral add-ons that come with this year’s initial mega-bout in the super featherweight division.
Each PPV buy will still cost $49.95, according to Gacal, whom Michael Marley fondly calls “The Jackal.”
If the sales hit the 350,000 mark, the gross alone would be $17.48 million upwards. Ticket sales could reach another $1 million and additional income from advertisers could add another couple of hundred thousand dollars. That is something like $18.68 million in gross.
As usual, HBO’s PPV people will get fifty percent of the gross proceeds.
Bob Arum’s Top Rank and Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions are left with at least $9.34 million to pay for the purses of all boxers in the card.
Now, here’s the fix. How much is Manny’s guaranteed purse and share of the PPV and gate receipts?
My educated guess is Manny will not come home after the fight with just sixty per cent of what is left for the purses less the profit for the two promoters.
My estimate is that $7 million will be left for Manny and Marquez to divide, not equally of course as the latter has agreed for a lesser cut just to make the bout materialize.
I bet Manny’s handlers will not settle for a $5 million guaranteed purse, excluding proceeds of TV rights in the Philippines which were already cornered by Solar Sports and GMA 7.
If the PPV buys hit the 500,000 mark, which is not a remote possibility, Manny’s purse could go upwards to $8.5 million.
Maybe, that’s too much match but not entirely impossible. Anybody who guesses otherwise?
(Edwin G. Espejo was formerly editor-in-chief of SunStar General Santos.)
