Tug-of-war over venue looms

Manila, Brisbane eye Manny-Horn match

MANILA, Philippines - A showdown for the right to stage Manny Pacquiao’s rematch with Jeff Horn on Nov. 12 is shaping up between Manila and Brisbane, Australia, as the two cities have expressed interest in hosting the bout.

Days after Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk confirmed that the city will again be the venue for the fight, Philippine Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo made a contrasting announcement.

Speaking at the Balitaan sa DOT briefing yesterday, Teo said she is working with Pacquiao’s camp regarding the possibility of holding the rematch at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan this December.

Teo said she had been in touch with Pacquiao’s business manager, Rep. Eric Pineda, about the DOT providing financial backing to make the fight possible.

“Just this morning we have talked to Rep. Eric Pineda. He was asking us if we could sponsor the Pacquiao fight this coming December. So we’re working on that,” the tourism chief said.

Wanda’s announcement comes in direct contrast with Quirk’s statement claiming that 55,000-seat Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane will again be the site for Pacquiao-Horn 2.

“This (rematch) is now confirmed it will happen. I have had a meeting earlier today which has confirmed that Manny Pacquiao will definitely be in Brisbane this year for a rematch with Jeff Horn,” Quirk earlier told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Brisbane, Australia’s third largest city, played a key role in the staging of Pacquiao-Horn last July 2, putting up a significant amount of money to meet Pacquiao’s purse demand.

Now, it appears the Pacquiao camp wants the DOT to do the same in order for the rematch to happen on Philippine soil.

In an email to Philstar.com, Sean Lawson of Duco Events – Horn’s promoter – said they were unaware of the Philippine government’s desire to host the fight.

“First I’ve heard of this. I’ll try to get a response from the Horn camp but I’m pretty sure this will be news to them as well,” Lawson wrote.

Meanwhile, Philstar.com sought a comment from one of Pacquiao’s top aides, who said he still has to consult the fighting senator regarding the matter.

Meanwhile, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) will create a pool of judges and referees, from which those who will officiate the rematch.

Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions said the move is aimed at avoiding or preventing a repeat of the controversy that marred the first fight last July 2 in Brisbane.

“We’ve taken care of the controversy,” Arum told The STAR yesterday after it was announced that the rematch between the Filipino superstar and the new WBO welterweight champion from Brisbane is on.

Arum said he expects Pacquiao to sign the fight contract “sometime this week” and sees no problem at all on the side of Horn because “he has agreed on everything.”

Pacquiao lost to Horn last month in an action-packed fight that went to the judges’ scorecards. The Filipino icon has been insisting that he won the bout and wants to exercise his rematch clause.  – Dino Maragay/Philstar.com, Abac Cordero and Catherine Talavera