Pacquiao signs deal with new US promoter

Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao has signed with promoter Gary Shaw Monday, joining the impressive stable, which already includes the undisputed junior middleweight champion Winky Wright and IBF/IBO super middleweight champion Jeff Lacy.

"As a promoter, you always hope to sign a ‘blue chip’ athlete who will win a world title. Today, I have signed a ‘platinum chip’ world class champion whose persona transcends sports and approaches folklore in the Philippines," said Shaw, chief executive officer of Gary Shaw Productions.

Pacquiao, who demolished Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera two years ago but lost a 12-round fight of the year candidate to Erik Morales early this year, is in the thick of preparations for his upcoming 12-round super featherweight bout with Hector Velazquez on Sept. 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao, a former three-time world champion, packs a 39-3-2 card with 31 knockouts while Velazquez has a 42-10-2 record, also with 31 KOs.

HBO will televise the Pacquiao-Velazquez fight live, along with the second main event, another 12-round super featherweight fight pitting three-time world champion Morales, 48-2 (34 KOs), against 1996 US Olympian Zahir Raheem, 26-1 (16 KOs).

Shaw is eyeing a Pacquiao-Morales rematch in March 2006.

"I feel privileged that Manny has chosen me as his promoter," said Shaw. "Manny has a superb management team in Shelly Finkel, Nick Khan and Keith Davidson, as well as a Hall-of-Fame caliber trainer in Freddie Roach. I look forward to working together with them and I am truly honored that the team has placed its confidence in me. One thing we already agree on: Manny will get the biggest hotel room."

That was a dig at ex-Pacquiao promoter Murad Muhammad, who actually took the MGM Grand suite that was supposed to be Pacquiao’s on the eve of the Morales fight.

Shaw began his New Jersey-based company in 2002, bringing a unique background from the regulatory and promotional sides of boxing. A member of the New Jersey State Athletic Commission from 1971-1998, Shaw then ran Main Events as its COO for the next four years before leaving to start his own company.

Shaw has promoted or co-promoted some of the biggest fights in the past seven years, including: Lewis vs Tyson; Trinidad vs Vargas; Castillo vs Corrales; Lewis vs Klitschko; Tyson vs Etienne; Tyson vs Williams; Trinidad vs Wright; Mosley vs Wright; Lewis vs Tua.

Pacquiao signed a pact with Shaw two months after he agreed to an off-court settlement offered to him by Murad with regards to the landmark $33 million suit he filed against the controversial American promoter in a New York federal court.