Pacman-Morales III reset for Nov. 18
By NICK GIONGCO
WHEN TOLD that a lawsuit has been filed by American Shelly Finkel and company against lawyer Ging Gacal and confidant Wakee Salud, who are his trusted Filipino advisers, Manny Pacquiao reportedly withheld comment and told his entourage that he will continue to focus on his coming fight with Oscar Larios.
This was revealed by Salud yesterday after a long-distance talk with the country’s boxing icon.
Salud said Pacquiao is not bothered at all by the case filed by Finkel last May 30 in Los Angeles.
"Manny told me he is trying his best not to get distracted and he assured me that everything is fine with him," said Salud. "It seems that they (Finkel) have decided to lie low for now because of the show of concern towards Manny by the public."
Salud and Gacal are being sued for misrepresentation by Finkel and lawyers Nicholas Khan and Keith Davidson and the Filipinos have 30 days to submit their counter-affidavit. The Americans are reportedly seeking a million (P350 million) settlement from the Filipinos.
Topnotch Las Vegas criminal lawyer David Chesnoff is being eyed to represent Salud and Gacal.
Salud suspects that main reason behind the suit is that the Americans are after an extension of their contract with Pacquiao which expires on Jan. 31, 2007. Pacquiao’s American trainer Freddie Roach was reportedly disgusted when he learned of Finkel’s suit.
Pacquiao is training at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood in preparation for a July 2 bout with Larios at the Araneta Coliseum.
Pacquiao and Roach are scheduled to arrive in Manila on June 20.
It is believed that Pacquiao is no longer happy with the Americans and is not keen on renewing his contract with Finkel, Khan and Davidson, said people close to the boxer who can’t be identified because they are not authorized to divulge Pacquiao’s plan.
The three Americans took over the managerial rights from Pacquiao’s erstwhile handlers, promoter Murad Muhammad and Rod Nazario last year after the boxer had a falling out with them owing to money matters.
Meanwhile, boxingtalk.net reported that the megabuck rubber match between Pacquiao and Erik Morales has been moved from Oct. 7 to Nov. 18. No reason was given although the report said the scheduled 12-rounder will be staged at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, where the Filipino became the first man to score a knockout win over "El Terrible" last January.
Roach had earlier expressed concern over the Oct. 7 date, saying that’s too close to the Larios fight.
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