Fight between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton back on
Following weeks of protracted negotiations as a result of Manny Pacquiao’s financial demands, Ricky Hatton is now scheduled to fight Manny in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 2. The fight will now go ahead as previously planned and the contest will be officially announced on Thursday.
The deal followed weeks of uncertainty about the fight after it emerged Pacquiao wanted to renegotiate financial terms despite having agreed to a 50-50 split before Christmas.
Manny has reportedly signed the contract a day after the bout had been declared off. Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum told Los Angeles Times that Pacquiao contacted him that he has signed the contract.
Earlier reports state that the contract is of a 52-48 split in favor of Manny and a guaranteed purse of $12 million. Last Thursday, Pacquiao released a statement reiterating his desire to fight Hatton and stating his desire to get it on “without the middleman” before finally signing the contract.
Hatton’s lawyer Gareth Williams confirmed that he is in possession of the signed contract but said that Hatton has yet to sign it. According to Williams, “it won’t be a problem.” Williams also confirmed that the fight will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where Hatton suffered his only career defeat by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in December 2007.