The last time Manny Pacquiao lost a fight was by unanimous decision to Mexico's Erik Morales in March of 2005.
Since then, the seven-division titlist has steamrolled Morales, twice, by knockouts in the 10th, and, third rounds, respectively, during a run of 12 straight victories that have included eight stoppages.
Pacquiao carried that momentum into his election campaign in the Saragani province of his native Philippines, having lost his previous bid at a congressional seat.
But by Monday night, the 31-year-old, WBO welterweight (147 pounds) champion had his 61-year-old rival, Roy Chiongbian, on the ropes, so much so, that the election's conclusion -- much like many of Pacquiao's often, one-sided bouts -- already had been been decided.
Even though the final vote tallies weren't complete, Pacquiao's approximately 90,000 votes out of 125,000 registered voters made it mathematically impossible for the boxing hero to lose.
It was around that time that Pacquiao stood before his constituents at his headquarters in General Santos City and declared "a landslide victory" over Chiongbian, making the Filipino his nation's first professional boxing congressman.
"This is the biggest achievement of his life," said Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz, who expects the fighter to make an official proclamation of victory at 11 a.m on Tuesday (Philippines time). "This is certainly more important than any victory that Manny has ever accomplished in the ring."
Considered among the best fighters in the world, pound-for-pound, if not the sport's No. 1 performer, Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts) will be sworn into his new office in June.
Pacquiao will be required to report for his congressional duties in July, but Koncz and his promoter, Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank Promotions, said that they expect Pacquiao to be free to return to the ring soon after.
Koncz said that the Pacquiao camp has set a target date for either November 6, or, November 13, meaning that he would likely begin training throughout the entire months of September and October.
"Those are tentative dates," said Koncz. "Nothing has been agreed upon."
Pacquiao's next fight, if it comes off, could be against 33-year-old, unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KOs), who is coming off of a May 1, unanimous decision over 38-year-old, WBA welterweight titlist, Shane Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs).
A six-time champion over five weight classes, Mayweather earned a non-heavyweight record, $22.5 million purse to Mosley's $7 million, generated 1.4 million per per buys, and earned a career-high, $40 million with the pay per view upside added in.
Pacquiao is coming off of a March 13, unanimous decision victory over Joshua Clottey (35-4, 20 KOs) at The Dallas Cowboys' Stadium, where he earned $12 million before a crowd of 51,000.
The date of Pacquiao-Clottey had originally been established for Mayweather-Pacquiao, to be contested at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
But the negotiations for Mayweather-Pacquiao reached an impasse over the issue of random blood and urinalysis testing for illegal drugs -- Mayweather's camp wants it; Pacquiao's doesn't.
At one point, in mid-December, it appeared that Mayweather-Pacquiao was a done deal, with the fighters having agreed on a 50-50 split of the purse, eight ounce gloves, and the welterweight limit rather than a catch weight.
Pacquiao had initially agreed to Mayweather's insistance that each fighter by subject to Olympic-style, random drug testing to be overseen by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, that is, until he realized that the procedure would require him to be tested all the way up to and after the fight.
Citing the loss to Morales as evidence -- Pacquiao had blood drawn within days of that bout -- the Filipino super star claimed that removing his blood any closer than within 24 days of the competition would weaken him.
Pacquiao also filed a lawsuit seeking compensatory and punitive damages for defamation of character against alleged steroid accusations, naming Mayweather, Floyd Mayweather Sr., the fighter's uncle and trainer, Roger Mayweather, and Richard Schaefer and Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions.
Mosley agreed to the random drug testing, and after defeating him, Mayweather said that Pacquiao would have to do the same.
Koncz, however, said that Pacquiao's stance on the subject is unchanged, and that if anything, the kid gloves are off as far as any new negotiations with Mayweather are concerned.
"Manny would like to make a fight with Mayweather, as I've said before, But everybody knows our stance on the drug testing, which hasn't changed. However, the are some new conditions, and the atmosphere of the negotiations this time will be different. There are a number of different factors involved," said Koncz.
"We're not going to make any of the small concessions that we made the last time, because the last time, we were eager to please the fans and to give them what they wanted. So it's hard to say," said Koncz. "But again, if they're expecting us to come to the bargaining table and to give in to little concessions, like who walks to the ring first and stuff like that, that's not going to happen."
Asked if Pacquiao would still accept a 50-50 split of the purse, Koncz said, "I don't see the financial terms as a stumbling block."
"But there won't be any disclosure of the financial terms," said Koncz. "Any discussions on a split of the revenue, it's my belief that that should be kept between the fighters, and I've instructed Bob Arum of the same thing."
What does remain a sore spot of the negotiations, however, occurred on the night of Arum's 78th birthday on Dec. 8. That's when Arum received a call from Schaefer canceling the next day's scheduled trip to tour the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium with owner Jerry Jones and HBO's president Ross Greenburg.
"I think that another issue will be the venue. If this fight is made, I think that the most economic thing to do and what is most advantageous to the fighters is to hold it at the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium. I mean, how can Nevada or the MGM compete against a 100-seat capacity arena? They just don't have that kind of facility," said Koncz.
"We've been treated very well by the MGM, and, specifically, the Mandalay Bay Hotel, and Manny loves fighting in Las Vegas," said Koncz. "But it's a business. It's about money. And we have to go where the biggest return on the investment is."
Along with Florida, Nevada and Texas are the three states where the purses of Pacquiao and Mayweather won't be subject to heavy taxation.
"Regardless of what Mayweather's people say, regardless of what [Pacquiao's trainer] Freddie Roach says, and regardless of how excited Bob Arum is, Manny's the one who calls the shots," said Koncz. "In the end, Manny's the one who is going to decide what we're going to be doing, and when we're going to do it."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
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