Pacquiao Sticks to Solar Sports

The broadcasting of the upcoming May 2 bout between Filipino ring superstar Manny Pacquiao and Briton Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas, Nevada will still be undertaken by Solar Sports Entertainment Corp.

Jude Turcuato, Solar Sports’ vice-president for sales and marketing, said Saturday that Pacquiao decided to remain under contract with Solar Sports for good.

“Yes, after five days of confusion, Solar and Pacquiao have already settled the problem,” Turcuato told The Manila Times in a phone interview. “As of now, everything would remain ‘status quo’.”

Turcuato said that he was informed by his bosses—Solar President Wilson Tieng and Chief Officer-in-Charge Peter Chan Liong— that the problem had already been resolved for the benefit of both parties and “public interest.”

Tieng and Liong flew to the United States to dialogue with Pacquiao over the contract dispute and avoid a possible battle in court.

“It was only a little misunderstanding between us and the Pacquiao camp,” said Turcuato, who noted that television network GMA 7 would stay as Solar’s broadcast partner as stipulated in their block time agreement.

“Yes they [GMA 7] will remain as our partner,” he said.