Focus on Marquez before anyone else, says Manny

MANILA, Philippines -  WBO welterweight champion Rep. Manny Pacquiao said the other day he’s not entertaining offers to fight anyone beyond Juan Manuel Marquez who’s been designated as his next opponent in Las Vegas on Nov. 12.

Pacquiao was at the PICC to receive seven brand-new Foton ambulances from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for the seven municipalities of Sarangani, the province he represents in Congress.

“It’s my talent fee,” said Pacquiao with a smile, referring to the agreement where in consideration for endorsing the PCSO in an advertisement, seven ambulances worth P950,000 each will be delivered to Sarangani.

PCSO chair Margarita Juico said she couldn’t be happier with Pacquiao as an endorser. “We support Cong. Manny’s projects which are for the poor,” she said. “We share the same objectives and believe in the same principles to be of service to the Filipino people, especially the needy.”

Juico cited Pacquiao’s endorsement as a valuable contribution to the effort of making the public more aware of the PCSO’s mission of service to the Filipino people, particularly those in need.

It was estimated that for a single commercial endorsement, Pacquiao fetches a talent fee of between P25 to P40 Million. But last March’s filming that produced the advertisement was a bargain for the PCSO as the seven ambulances cost less than P7 Million. Pacquiao did it for his constituents and Juico lauded him for his commitment to public service.

Pacquiao said by next week, he will be presented the design of a proposed tertiary, 200-room hospital to rise in Sarangani. The budget is projected to be P600 Million. Sarangani has no hospital of its own and local folk go to neighboring cities, like General Santos, for medical attention.

Juico said the PCSO is ready to support Pacquiao’s hospital project as it is for the poor.

PCSO general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas took the occasion to present Pacquiao a sweepstakes booklet with a face value of P500 for the Freedom Draw on Aug. 21 with a P5 Million first prize. Pacquiao said he would give the booklet to his mother Dionisia.

Regarding rumors that a wealthy Mexican businessman will put up a P65 Million purse for Pacquiao to fight WBC lightmiddleweight titlist Saul Alvarez in Mexico, the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter shrugged it off. It seemed like he didn’t even give it a thought.

“Isn’t Alvarez so much bigger?” he asked. “Right now, I’d like to concentrate on my next fight, that’s all, not the fight after that.” Pacquiao’s comment showed respect for Marquez, the WBC lightweight champion who is moving up a division to challenge the Filipino at a catchweight of 144 pounds. Told that their third meeting will be different from the first two because he’s now stronger and bigger, Pacquiao cleverly avoided making a premature analysis of the fight by simply saying, “You think so?”

Pacquiao’s chief of staff Franklin (Jeng) Gacal said discussing a catchweight for a possible fight against Alvarez would be inconsequential at this time. Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis (Chavit) Singson, who was informed of the possibility of a future offer for an Alvarez fight by the Mexican ambassador, also said it was pure speculation in a phone conversation with American producer Ryan Moore last Monday. Singson said every promoter wants a piece of Pacquiao and that’s why there is talk of staging a fight in Tokyo, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg and others. Moore is in town to shoot footage for a future movie on Pacquiao.

“Nothing is final,” said Singson. “Everything is speculation. The offers will go through Bob (Arum) and eventually, it will be Manny who decides whom to fight.”

Alvarez, 20, has a 36-0-1 record, with 26 KOs, but despite his frightening knockout rate, his last two fights went the distance. He is scheduled to stake the WBC lightmiddleweight crown against Ryan Rhodes in Jalisco on June 18. 

The heaviest that Alvarez has weighed in for a fight was 151 1/2 when he decisioned Matthew Hatton for the vacant 154-pound title in Anaheim last March. He made the leap from welterweight to lightmiddleweight only last year. A busy campaigner, Alvarez logged seven fights in 2006, 2007 and 2009, eight in 2008 and five last year. He was only four years old when Pacquiao turned pro in 1995.