Pacman to fight in Manila 2014?

MANILA, Philippines - As long as Manny Pacquiao keeps on fighting, the possibility that the Filipino boxing icon will fight on home soil will always be there.

“It’s still possible. The possibility is open,” said Pacquiao’s legal adviser, Franklin Gacal, yesterday.

Pacquiao has staged his last 14 fights in the United States but because of high tax rates for foreign athletes, the Filipino icon has decided to face Brandon Rios in Macau in November.

Taxes in the US, if he ever fights there again, have gone up to 39.6 percent, and it’s just too much for Pacquiao to shell out close to $8 million in taxes for a purse of at least $20 million.

In Macau, the 34-year-old congressman is not going to be taxed as much, as well as in the Philippines where he last fought in 2006 against Mexico’s Oscar Larios.

Last April, Top Rank staged the first big boxing card in Macau, one that featured Chinese Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming and Filipino Brian Viloria.

Insiders said it was a success, and that the host venue, The Venetian, is expecting a bigger take when Pacquiao faces Rios on Nov. 24.

Top Rank’s Bob Arum said he expects huge pay-per-view numbers for the next Pacquiao fight, to be held at noon to cater for the primetime audience in the US and other parts of the world.

Gacal said talks are still on with people planning or hoping to put up a Pacquiao fight in the Philippines.

“There are talks although there’s nothing concrete. May mga gusto,” said Gacal, who refused to identify those involved in the talks.

A few months ago, it was reported that business mogul Manny V. Pangilinan is interested in putting up the Pacquiao fight here. But the talks settled down.

Gacal did not say whether Pangilinan is still among those involved in the talks which may include newly opened casinos like Resorts World or Solaire.

Lately, the SM Mall of Asia Arena has hosted big-time events like the Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga concerts, too. In October, it will be the venue of a pre-NBA season match between the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers.

Pacquiao once said that before he retires, he would like to do one more fight before his countrymen.

“Anything can happen next year,” said Gacal.

And that may include a Pacquiao fight in the Philippines.