Pacquiao open to smaller purse

PACQUIAO

Manny Pacquiao is enticing Floyd Mayweather Jr. with a tempting offer yet again.

The Filipino eight-division world champion said he is now willing to accept a lesser guaranteed purse just to seal a fight with the unbeaten American.

Pacquiao, however, insisted that the pay- per-view revenues be split equally.

“It’s fine with me if he has a bigger guaranteed purse,” Pacquiao told ANC Headstart in Filipino yesterday. “There’s no problem as long as we have a 50-50 split on the PPV.”

Pacquiao scoffed at Mayweather’s earlier offer of $40 million with no PPV share and made a counter offer of 45-45 sharing with the remaining 10 percent going to the winner of the fight.

Mayweather rejected the offer and instead booked a showdown with Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto on May 5, forcing Pacquiao to stake his crown against unbeaten WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley on June 9.

Pacquiao said he is willing to fight Mayweather any time and it is up to his pound-for-pound rival to seal the deal that could reward each fighter with at least $50 million.

Pacquiao also disclosed that Mayweather’s reluctance to agree to an equal sharing stems from the possibility that he might suffer a first, career-derailing defeat.

Mayweather reportedly told a member of his team that Pacquiao, being a congressman (of Sarangani province), has a fallback position while he has none.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao was guest of honor at the well-attended 12th Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Banquet of Champions held Sunday night at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City.

In his speech, Pacquiao, who was feted for his outreach program, enjoined his fellow boxers, including former world champion Rolando Navarette and former world contender Z Gorres, to continue pursuing their dreams for the country’s glory.

Also present was former light welterweight champion Amir Khan, who will join Pacquiao’s training camp in Baguio City.

In one of the pre-event bouts, Dennis Laurente survived a first-round knockdown to stop Eusebio Baluarte in the 12th round and retain his Philippine welterweight title.