MANILA, Philippines - Sinasabing inalok na siya ni Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions ng $1.5 milyon at bahagi ng kikitain sa pay-per-view buys para labanan si Filipino world eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao sa Nobyembre 22.
Ngunit dahil sa gusto niyang makakuha ng mas ma-laking prize money ay posible pang mawala ang natu-rang pagkakataon.
Ito ang ikinakatakot ni Joe DeGuardia, ang promoter ni Algieri na light welterweight titlist ng bagong World Boxing Organization (WBO).
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. I need to know his answer. It’s been a week,” wika ni DeGuardia. “No one has told me anything about needing more money.”
Sa kanyang pag-agaw sa WBO light welterweight title ni Ruslan Provodnikov noong Hunyo ay tumanggap lamang ang 30-anyos na si Algieri ng premyong $100,000.
“Hopefully, he comes to his senses, but if I don’t hear anything, we’ll likely lose the offer,” babala ni DeGuardia kay Algieri, may bachelor’s degree sa healthcare science mula sa Stony Brook University at master’s degree sa New York Institute of Technology.
Idinagdag pa ni DeGuardia na walang boksingerong tatanggi sa naturang alok ni Arum lalo pa at labanan ang isang kagaya ni Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs).
Ang iniisip ni DeGuardia ay maaaring may tao na nagbibigay ng maling advise sa 5-foot-110 na si Algieri (20-0-0, 8 KOs).
“I know what a deal is worth and this is a good deal. I think he’s getting advice from people who aren’t in the business, and they’re not giving him good advice,” ani DeGuardia kay Algieri. “This deal is a no-brainer. I have to think he’s going to come to his sense eventually.”
Galing naman ang 35-anyos na si Pacquiao sa pagbawi ng kanyang WBO welterweight crown kay Timothy Bradley. Jr. sa kanilang rematch noong Abril. (RC)