Pacquiao-Hatton could reach 2 million PPV buys, report says

MANILA, Philippines - The pay-per-view sales for the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight could reach 2 million buys, CNN.com, referring to a report on USA Today on Monday, said on its Web site. If the exact total is confirmed, it would likely rank second on the all-time list of highest PPV buys among non-heavyweight fights. The Oscar de la Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. outing in May 2007 ranks first with 2.4 million buys. In cash, it would mean the fight had raked in nearly $100 million as PPV access was pegged at almost $50. Half of the sum would go to HBO, while the remainder will be split between the two fighters. Under the deal, Pacquiao is entitled to 52% of the PPV pie while Hatton gets 48%. The aggregate buys would easily eclipse each fighters' previous best. Pacquiao's date with De la Hoya last year netted 1.25 million PPV buys, now the fourth-highest in the aforementioned category. Hatton's 2007 meeting with Mayweather earned 915,000 buys. The global economic downturn has dampened expectations over Pacquiao's last two fights, but that hasn't reflected at the turnstiles -- at least for Pacquiao. Even Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, wasn't hoping for much prior to the weekend blockbuster bout. "Anything over 800,000 is good in the US," Arum said in a previous USA Today report. –GMANews.TV