Manila, Philippines – World welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has reportedly been guaranteed a career-high $25 million when he meets undefeated American challenger Tim Bradley on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao’s Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum had told the Bulletin a few days ago that the Filipino will receive “his biggest guaranteed purse” against Bradley although the Top Rank chief declined to say exactly how much.
The last time against Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico, Pacquiao was guaranteed $22 million, plus of course, a share in the pay-per-view sales, gate attendance and international broadcast rights.
With Pacquiao, 33, assured of another record-high in earnings, Bradley, 28, also benefited from the cash windfall as the native of Palm Springs, a desert city in Southern California two hours from Los Angeles, will get $5 million for the opportunity to bang with the world’s best fighter.
Bradley has never earned more than $1 million in his seven-and-a-half professional career.
If the pay-per-view and other money-making schemes do well, Pacquiao stands to receive additional money.
The $25 million paycheck is a far cry from the measly $40,000 that Pacquiao took – then a super-bantamweight (122 lbs) – when he made his US debut in June 2001 as a last-minute substitute also at the MGM Grand.
Pacquiao is a heavy favorite to whip Bradley, who has a 28-0-0 win-loss-draw card with 12 knockouts.
But Bradley is unfazed and is looking forward to the challenge.
“I am definitely shooting for the stars,” Bradley told Leighton Ginn of the Desert Sun newspaper that serves his hometown of Palm Springs.
Bradley’s manager Cameron Dunkin is also excited to see the fight happen.
“I believe in Tim Bradley. I absolutely do,” said Dunkin. Meanwhile, Arum said Pacquiao is arriving in the US way ahead of the three-city press tour that will kick off in Las Vegas on Feb. 21.
“Manny will have his deposition (in relation to the defamation suit against Floyd Mayweather) on the 17th in here Las Vegas and will be attending the Muhammad Ali tribute on the 18th,” said Arum.
After the Las Vegas press conference, the tour will have stops in Los Angeles (Feb. 21) and New York (Feb. 23).