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Finkel on Pac: Morales deal
www.fightnews.com
August 1, 2006
By Lisa Scott
Photo: Lisa Scott
In what can be considered a tremendous act of dealmaking, famed fight manager Shelly Finkel has finalized the contract for the highly anticipated third match up between his featherweight fighter, Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales on November 18th. The contract stipulations are extraordinary and un-precedented in the sport of boxing, and will no doubt be the catalyst for future mega-fight contracts.
Finkel told Fightnews: "If Erik fails to make 130 pounds, he will have to pay Manny half a million dollars for every pound that he is over the contracted weight. In the press conference for their last fight, Erik said that the weight was killing him and he would never fight at 130 again. So we are doing this now, so it won't be an issue later. We are basing it upon what happened in the third fight between Castillo and Corrales."
Last June, the third fight between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo was the most anticipated fight of the year. But when Castillo failed to make the 135 pound limit (he also failed to make weight in their second fight as well, yet Corrales chose to fight him, but ended up getting knocked out by the much heavier Castillo), team Corrales reluctantly exercised their right and called off the bout. That's when a financial tsunami engulfed everyone from promoter, venue, cable network, both the fighters and the fans who traveled to Vegas to see the fight.
Another stipulation in the Morales-Pacquiao contract is that, should Morales exceed 132 pounds, Pacquiao has the option to either accept or decline the fight. Both scenarios would allow Pacquiao to keep the penalty money - which would be 1 million dollars.
Throughout his career, Morales has never been un-able to make the contracted weight. Yet in recent fights, and as age catches up to the 29 year old Mexican warrior, he appears to have gone through hell to make the 130 pound limit, often looking gaunt and emaciated at his weigh-in. Now, because of the astronomical amount of money involved, it would seem to only compound the pressure for Morales. "There is pressure there anyway to make the weight as a fighter," said Finkel. "Erik has a job to do. Manny has to make the weight too! It may be easier for him, but he still has to make it. And, Manny has the same penalty if he doesn't make the weight either."
In their first fight in March of 2005, Morales won a unanimous decision over Pacquiao in a thrilling battle that was a candidate for fight of the year. Their re-match last January saw Morales knocked to the canvas for the first time ever in his pro (and amateur) career, and he was eventually stopped by Pacquiao in the 10th round. In each of their bouts, neither Morales or Pacquiao's weight was ever an issue.
Still, Finkel isn't taking any chances. He adds, "I'm just protecting my fighter. Manny is the one at risk if Erik comes in heavy! In the re-match between Corrales and Castillo, Corrales made the weight but he was the one that got hurt! I won't allow Manny to get penalized because he did what he was supposed to do. I feel that if Morales can't make the weight, then don't sign the deal. Don't take the fight! But don't have us give up the opportunity to fight someone else if you can't make the weight. If Erik CAN make the weight, then there'll be no penalty anyway. But, I've been told that Erik is very heavy right now, so... we shall see."
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Originally Posted by rsan-chez
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