MANILA, Philippines—There’s still another weighty issue to deal with as far as the planned Manny Pacquiao-Oscar de la Hoya megabout is concerned.

Pacquiao’s camp is asking for a penalty of no less than $3 million per excess pound if the Golden Boy doesn’t meet the catch weight of 147 lbs.

“We still don’t have any deal yet with regard to that but we are asking $3 million,” Pacquiao’s chief counsel Franklin Gacal told the Inquirer.

De la Hoya has not fought in the welterweight division for the past seven years and will be coming down two weight classes to meet the current WBC lightweight titlist.

Pacquiao will leapfrog two divisions to meet him though he has not gone past the lightweight ranks (135 lbs) since starting his pro career at light flyweight (108 lbs).

Both camps have also yet to agree on the date of the weigh-in, something that could tilt the favor either way.

Pacquiao is pushing for the same-day weigh-in but Gacal admitted that it won’t be acceptable to De la Hoya’s camp.

“We want it to happen the day before fight,” said Gacal.

However, considering the toll it might take on the 35-year-old De la Hoya shedding pounds that much, his camp might opt for three days before the fight.

“That won’t be acceptable for us,” said Gacal. “We would practically surrender the fight if we agree on that.”

The mere size difference has brought the Dec. 6 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in a different dimension.

“It is important for boxing that at least once a year there is a matchup which truly transcends the sport, which captures the imagination of sports fans everywhere, and which has everyone buzzing,” HBO PPV chief Mark Taffet said in an interview posted on the Internet.

“De la Hoya-Pacquiao is that matchup for 2008. It is a true megafight which people will be talking about for years to come,” he said.

Pacquiao’s representative, Top Rank president Bob Arum, said at a teleconference held in Las Vegas: “I’m thrilled that this fight is taking place. I’ve been involved in many great fights but this one has worldwide implications. [It is between] an American Olympian and the greatest athlete ever to come out of the Philippines.”