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Roach: No go if De La Hoya weighs in at 150 lbs

Manny Pacquiao could earn as much as $23 million against Oscar De La Hoya, but trainer Freddie Roach says there will be no fight if the American comes in at 150 lbs for the Dec. 6 scrap at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. “I know I’d be under tremendous pressure and I know my guy will say, ‘screw the weight, let’s fight,’ but my job is to protect the fighter. If De La Hoya comes in at 150, I’ll say ‘no fight!”’ Roach was quoted by sweetscience.com as saying. At three pounds over the agreed fight weight of 147 lbs., Roach said De La Hoya, already taller by four inches and enjoying a longer reach by six inches, would be too much of a danger for the 5-foot-6 Pacquiao. Although he would paying Pacquiao $3 million for every pound over the weight limit, De La Hoya would be way too comfortable with his poundage and at fight time could be at his fighting form of 154 lbs, Roach added. “If he’s (De La Hoya) too far over I’ll make him make 147,” Roach said. “I wouldn’t put it past him to try something like buying his way to 150 but three pounds over is a huge difference. A contract is a contract. The contract weight is 147. Make it. I want him to work as much as possible.”

It was Pacquiao’s former business manager Rod Nazario, who earlier said the Filipino champ should get no less than $20 million from the fight. “He (Pacquiao) told me he will try to get $30 million, I told him that’s better,” said Nazario. “He could very well retire after that fight if he wants to.” The computation is largely based on the pay-per-view buys, which could range from $49.95 to as much as $54.95 per household. Even if the fight just hits the $100 million mark, on the projected 2 million PPV buys, the fighters would be splitting $50 million with the other half going to HBO. Still, many are expecting the proceeds to exceed the standards set by the De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight which last year grossed a reported $120 million. The May 18 fight had 2.4 million PPV buys. All told, Mayweather, 31, reportedly pocketed $22 million. Gate receipts at the 17,000-seater MGM Grand could reach as much as $20 million, the reported figure that the De La Hoya-Mayweather earned.

From there, the amount both fighters will share profits could hit $70 million. And since Pacquiao is taking 33 percent of the pie, the reigning pound-for-pound king stands to earn $23.1 million. Pacquiao also owns the TV and cable rights for Philippine viewing and his MP Promotions is a partner of the co-organizing Top Rank. Roach, whose comment that Golden Boy no longer has what it takes to pull the trigger infuriated De La Hoya into pursuing the fight, said weight loss would be taxing on Oscar’s 35-year-old body. Then there’s the pressure of facing a fast-moving target who also hits hard like Pacquiao. “I don’t think we can knock out Oscar with one punch. He’s the bigger guy. He’s used to being hit by bigger punches. But Manny can break him down by making him work three minutes of every round,” said Roach. inquirer.net

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