LOS ANGELES – Manny Pacquiao fans accustomed to traveling to and watching him fight in Las Vegas, will have to pack their bags to the Far East for his next bout.
Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s advisor, told the Asian Journal on Friday that he and Pacquiao have spoken and that Pacquiao gave him the directive to look for a venue in China or Singapore for a fall bout against an unnamed opponent.
“Right now, we’re looking into places in China and Singapore,” said Koncz. “Once we have a venue in place, then we will choose an opponent.”
The former Welterweight Champion Pacquiao is hoping to rebound from a devastating knockout loss against Juan Manuel Marquez last December.
Koncz would neither confirm nor deny that a fifth fight against Marquez is in the works.
Yahoo! Sports originally broke the story about Pacquiao’s plans to fight in the Far East.
Koncz told Yahoo! the 34-year-old Filipino prefers to fight in China because he does not want to pay the high taxes associated with fighting in the US.
Koncz said nearly 40 percent of Pacquiao’s earnings inside the ring go to US taxes.
“I know, Manny knows, that he only has a certain number of fights left, maybe one, maybe three. We don’t know. So that means the priorities change a little bit at this point,” Koncz told Yahoo!
Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum echoed Koncz’s assertion that fighting in China would be more lucrative for Pacquiao.
“Manny can go back to Las Vegas and make $25 million, but how much of it will he end up with – $15 million?” Arum told Yahoo! “If he goes to Macau, perhaps his purse will only be $20 million, but he will get to keep it all, so he will be better off.”
Macau, China has become one of the top gambling destinations in the world rivaling Las Vegas.
Koncz told the Asian Journal he has not set a timetable as to when he’ll announce a venue.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend February 16-19, 2013 Sec. A pg.18)
Pacquiao"s next bout in China or Singapore
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