Sorry scenes in Philippine boxing

Two developments in professional and amateur boxing -- the planned fight between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton, and the dangling of more millions for an Olympic gold -- had me all dismayed because they reflect the way foreigners regard us, and how we regard ourselves.

According to reports, the projected Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton scrap in May is off because the camps of the two fighters cannot agree on how to split the prize money. Pacquiao wants the bigger share but Hatton insists on an even split.

Hatton is definitely one of the best fighters in the world. But professional boxing does not thrive on skills alone. If you want skills, go to amateur boxing. In the professional world, it is all about entertainment.

People go to professional fights to be entertained. And at the moment, there is simply no bigger draw at the box office than Manny Pacquiao. Hatton may be a big hit in Britain, but he cannot match the global star appeal of Pacquiao.

The way things stand at this very moment, it is Pacquiao who should have the say on his purse, not Hatton. In fact, it was an insult for Hatton to impose a deadline on Pacquiao to agree to his split-even terms.

It was good that Pacquiao let the deadline pass without signing any agreement. But my suspicion is that the fight will still push through and that Pacquiao will be forced to agree to a term that is not deserving of his true stature.

And that is because, in the world of professional boxing, the real fight is only held partly in the ring. Some of the real fighting is done in the negotiating tables between those who hold the say on the boxers's purses.

Whether we like it or not, it is the promoters who have the final say on anything. A boxer who insists on his own terms is not likely to see many fights. And without fights, what is there to stay a professional fighter for?

The bind Pacquiao now finds himself in started when his promoter Bob Arum proposed a 50-50 split to Hatton right after Pacquiao demolished Oscar de la Hoya. The swiftness with which he made the proposal indicated the matter was not thoroughly discussed with Pacquiao.

Does the aging Arum have any respect for Pacquiao or is he only out to make as much money while he still can out of the Filipino for as long as he is hot? The very heavy and hectic boxing schedules of Pacquiao over the past few years should tell you a lot.

 As to amateur boxing, a P12 million prize has just been dangled for any boxer to win the first ever Olympic gold for the country, as if it is prize money that is responsible for a win instead of fighting skills.

 Admittedly, the practice of dangling prize money for an Olympic gold is a relatively new phenomenon in Philippine amateur boxing. But this only reinforces our view that skills, and not money, are what can win that elusive gold.

Long before we tried to mesmerize our boxers with money, there were boxers like Anthony Villanueva who settled for the silver after being robbed of the featherweight gold in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in a heartbreaking questionable loss to Russian Stanislav Stephashkin.

Of course the money is welcome. But it should not be announced beforehand because it is wrong to think of it as an incentive. On the contrary, it is a distraction. Instead of seeing his foe, our boxer will see wads of money before his eyes, and all his training will fly away.

As I said, let the money stay with professional boxing. In the amateur ranks, let skills and training define the boxer. That way, he truly lusts for that gold. Corrupt him with money, and the gold doesn't fire him as much as it should.