MANILA—Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim has offered $65 million to Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao to fight in Mexico next year with one of Mexico’s up-and-coming fighters.
This was revealed yesterday by Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson, a long-time confidante of Pacquiao, who said that negotiations with Slim, the world’s wealthiest man, have already started and that Pacquiao was interested in the guaranteed money.
Singson’s report came after Top Rank’s Bob Arum revealed that American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. had turned down a $65 million offer from a Singaporean group to fight Pacquiao.
In a phone interview, Singson said that Slim had told him about his desire to host one of Pacquiao’s fights as a favor to his countrymen who have been looking to see Pacquiao fight on their soil.
The $65 million offer to Pacquiao was guaranteed by Slim, who would pick the Mexican opponent for the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer.
He said Slim is looking at WBC light middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez as likely opponent for Pacquiao.
The unbeaten Alvarez is just 21 and holds an awesome 36-0-1 record with 26 knockouts.
Since 1995, Pacquiao has figured in more than a dozen fights with Mexican or Mexican and Mexican-Americans such as Oscar De La Hoya, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez but he has never fought in Mexico.
He added that unlike Mayweather, Pacquiao would not turn down $65 million especially since he still has to find his match in the ring.
“I think Manny is still at his peak,” said Singson.
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