Pacquiao victim of conspiracy?

International Boxing Federation (IBF) superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao may be a victim of a conspiracy hatched by New Jersey promoter Murad Muhammad to take his crown away.

In a letter dated last April 16 and addressed to Filipino promoter Gabriel (Bebot) Elorde Jr., IBF president Marian Muhammad — who used to be Murad’s wife and is apparently in good terms with her former husband — designated No. 3 contender Jose Luis Valbuena of Venezuela as Pacquiao’s next challenger in a mandatory defense on or before July 26.

The letter put a halt to Elorde’s negotiations to sign up former two-time World Boxing Association (WBA) champion Antonio Cermeno as Pacquiao’s next challenger in a proposed title bout on June 28 here.

Another letter dated last April 17 reached Elorde on the same day. Murad’s lawyer Brandon Davis signed the second letter informing Elorde that M&M Sports is the "sole and exclusive owner" of the promotional rights of Pacquiao’s fights. M&M Sports is Murad’s promotions company. It was probably no accident that both letters were sent within hours of each other by fax.

Elorde is now in the US finalizing plans for Pacquiao’s next defense. Last April 11, he issued a post-dated check for P1 million — half of which will go to Pacquiao — as an advance of the P10 million purse for his next defense. Pacquiao’s business manager Rod Nazario received the check which was dated April 25. Nazario and Elorde agreed to a Pacquiao defense in Manila.

Before leaving for the US last April 13, Elorde said he was cooking up a P20 Million blockbuster card — featuring Pacquiao in the main event — for a pay-per-view hookup in the US. Heavyweight Shannon Briggs would be in the undercard. Two World Boxing Council (WBC) International title fights were also on the drawing boards.

The IBF refused to sanction a defense against Cermeno because he isn’t ranked in the top 12. Elorde suggested No. 11 contender Nedal Hussein, one of only four fighters to floor Pacquiao, as a replacement but the IBF insisted on Valbuena. Hussein’s manager Jeff Fenech confirmed the fighter’s availability to challenge Pacquiao in Manila if cleared by the IBF.

Curiously, the IBF ranks no fighter either No. 1 or No. 2 in the 122-pound division. Valbuena is the leading contender at No. 3. The speculation is the IBF deliberately vacated the top two slots to force an "official" eliminator which an allied promoter could arrange for the right price with the governing body’s blessings.

Nazario confidant Moy Lainez said it’s unusual for the IBF to order a defense so soon after Pacquiao stopped Fahprakorb Rakkiat-Gym in a mandatory defense last October. The prescribed period for a mandatory defense, under ordinary circumstances, is 12 months.

The IBF later informed Elorde its rule on the period for mandatory defenses is every nine months.

Valbuena, 32, is managed by Manuel Ferreira and trained by Carlos Pinango. It is rumored that Murad also owns his promotional rights in the US. Murad promoted the World Boxing Organization (WBO) superbantamweight title fight between Marco Antonio Barrera and Valbuena in New Orleans three years ago.

If Murad is Valbuena’s promoter, too, he’s in a no-lose situation. And to make a pile out of the fight, Murad will likely insist on staging it in the US where he has control of TV revenues.

Pacquiao inked a 2 1/2 year contract extension to be represented by Murad last July. The contract stipulated a total purse of $650,000 for three fights in the first year, $900,000 for three fights in the second year, and $1 Million for two fights in the last six months.

The problem is Murad hasn’t lived up to his end of the bargain. He has yet to promote a Pacquiao fight and the first year of the contract is about to end. An American lawyer has advised Nazario that Murad is now liable in a breach of contract suit.

Before the IBF designated Valbuena, Murad tried to foist Emmanuel Lucero of Mexico as Pacquiao’s next challenger in a Home Box Office (HBO) show in June or July. He offered Pacquiao a purse of $180,000.

Valbuena, a southpaw, won’t be a piece of cake for Pacquiao. He gave Barrera plenty of trouble in their fight and staggered the Mexican at least twice before losing on points. The decision was unanimous as Kenny Saintes scored it, 116-112, Thomas Miller, 115-113, and Russell Naquin, 117-111. But Valbuena outworked Barrera throughout the 12-round bout, throwing 846 punches to the Mexican’s 611.

Valbuena made Barrera look bad as he darted in and out of punching distance. As a result, Barrera landed only 19 of 194 jabs. During a break in between rounds, Barrera was overheard admitting to his cornermen, "I can’t hit him — he’s too fast."

Boxing News of London reported that, "by the 10th round, as nimble Valbuena continued boxing and moving, it looked as if he might be ahead." The cocky Venezuelan speared Barrera repeatedly with a long right jab and never allowed the Mexican to bully him into the ropes. When the verdict was announced, Valbuena looked surprised.

Valbuena is a versatile boxer-puncher. Against Barrera, he showed his boxing skills. Against ill-fated Carlos Barretto, he displayed his punching power. Valbuena halted Barretto in the 10th round in 1999. Barretto was carried out on a stretcher and died of head injuries three days later. Two years ago, Valbuena proved his mettle as a body banger when he punished Jose Estrella into submission with blows to the midsection at the end of the seventh round.

So Valbuena can hurt his opponents upstairs and downstairs.

Valbuena’s record is 23-2-1, with 12 knockouts. He has won his last five outings and his only losses–to Barrera and former WBA superbantamweight champion Yober Ortega–were on points.

With the issue of Pacquiao’s next challenger settled, what’s still up in the air is where and when the fight will be held. Elorde is moving heaven and earth to stage it in Manila. But he’s up against the Muhammads who seem to be conspiring to lock it in the US and assign a challenger of their choice.