Philippine Sports News and Updates

It appears that the final stumbling block in the mega fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao is—what else—money.

The two boxing superstars just couldn’t agree how to split the expected multimillion-dollar revenue for the fight, the ESPN reported via Internet Thursday.

Representatives from both camps talked for more than two hours Wednesday night in Los Angeles and came out of it saying the same thing—both fighters must agree to give something to make the fight push through.

HBO has reportedly blocked off Dec. 6 specifically for the extraordinary match-up between De La Hoya, who will be making his last appearance in the ring, and Pacquiao, who attempts to scale new boxing heights.

The venue appeared to be a done deal—the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I think what it will take is for Manny to give and for Oscar to give to get a deal done," said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. "That’s pretty much what it is. But the fact that we had a two hour-plus meeting is obviously a good sign. If it had been a five-minute meeting it would indicate the gaps are too big,”

Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who handles things for the Filipino icon, said pretty much the same thing as he vowed to talk to Pacquiao soon after he finishes his flag-bearing chores for Team Philippines in the Beijing Olympics.

“There will have to be movement on both sides. Hopefully, there will be movement. We want to make a deal, Richard and I. Whether it can be made or not, I don’t know. It will take give and take on both sides, like in any negotiation,” the ESPN quoted Arum as saying.

But like any other negotiation, things got bumpy when money matters were taken up.

“I can say without any question none of that will be a problem, weight or gloves,” Arum said. “We are working essentially on the split.”

Pacquiao got $3 million from his June victory over David Diaz, but the figure was estimated to be a lot bigger than officially declared as he also got an undisclosed amount from the HBO pay-per-view.

De La Hoya’s paycheck, on the other hand, reportedly was at its fattest at $35 million when he lost the WBC super welterweight crown to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year.

Just the same, both camps appeared headed for an agreement that the fight would be at 147 lb.