SAN FRANCISCO, Ca.--Reports indicating that promoter Don King is behind the recent drama involving the WBC and superstar Manny Pacquiao gained ground yesterday after a top executive of Golden Boy Promotions had been quoted as saying King had a hand in the on-going tussle.Earlier, the WBC during its 46th annual convention held in Chengdu, China had asked Pacquiao to pay what he owes to the organization to the tune of $30,000 for his recent fight with David Diaz, and another $100,000 for his upcoming fight with Oscar De la Hoya. According to a report by Philboxing.com, Golden Boy Promotions vice president and international matchmaker Eric Gomez said that when the issue of a $20,000 offer by Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz as sanction fee for the “Dream Match” against Oscar De La Hoya was raised at the convention, King said such an offer was “a crime” considering Pacquiao stood to make between $15 to $20 million. Gomez was asked by the WBC to clarify the issue and told the convention that the amount was nowhere near the figure mentioned and was “less than half” the $15-$20 million bruited about. Gomez was also quoted as saying he “felt very bad that Manny was made to look like a petty thief. It was bad for him, bad for his image, bad for boxing because they ridiculed him before representatives from around the world and that’s a shame. He deserves more respect.” Gomez said “I like Manny. He has done so much not just for Filipino fighters but Asian fighters and all boxers. He has opened doors and has been great for the sport.” Fight fans in the Bay Area, meanwhile, have speculated that perhaps King was trying to bully his way into forcing the WBC to strip Pacquiao of the lightweight title hoping that his newly-signed fighter Marco Antonio Barrera could be given the chance to vie for that crown. Barrera had stopped o-hoper Sammy Ventura in his comeback fight on Friday night in Chengdu, China. Venezuelan Edwin Valero is the mandatory challenger to the crown, and maybe King has cast a moist eye on a possible Valero-Barrera fight for the vacant title should Pacquiao fail to pay the WBC. | 
