Pacquiao signs deal, awaits Hatton
A fight contract needs two signatures to be valid, and at the moment, the deal between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton for their proposed May 2 junior welterweight bout at the MGM Grand Garden has only one: Pacquiao’s.
Pacquiao signed an amended agreement Friday to face Hatton, after demanding a bigger cut than the previously negotiated 50-50 purse split, which caused the bout to be called off two days earlier. Now Pacquiao is waiting for the Englishman to sign.
“I don’t anticipate any problems,” said Richard Schaefer, the chief executive for Golden Boy Promotions, which represents Hatton. “I talked to Ricky, his father, Ray, and their attorney (Gareth Williams), and I sent the contract on to them to sign.
“I’m hoping by Monday we’ll be able to officially announce that we have a fight. And if the worldwide anticipation for that announcement is any indication, this should be one of the biggest fights in years.”
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the MGM Grand box office, local Ticketmaster outlets and online at Ticketmaster.com. Prices range from $150 to $1,000, and the Grand Garden’s 16,270 seats are expected to sell out quickly.
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who represents Pacquiao, said minor language issues in the contract needed to be worked out before Pacquiao would sign. The Filipino star will receive 52 percent of the revenue and Hatton 48 percent.
Both fighters are expected to make at least $12 million and as much as $20 million, depending on pay-per-view sales. Promoters have been negotiating with HBO and Showtime for the pay per view.
“Everything’s fine,” Arum said Friday. “Everything’s in place, and we’re looking forward to a great fight.”
Schaefer said the contract appeared to be in order and that Hatton relishes the challenge.
“This is the fight Ricky has wanted all along, and I’m glad he’s going to get the opportunity to face Manny Pacquiao,” Schaefer said.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.
