Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton is done. Finally.

Hatton on Tuesday faxed a signed copy of a contract to Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, Hatton’s U.S. promoter, who then forwarded it to Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum.

Thus ends contentious on-again-off-again negotiations for the May 2 junior welterweight fight in Las Vegas.

Schaefer suggested that negotiating through the media might’ve hindered talks because neither fighter wanted to look weak publicly. Pacquiao wanted more than a 50-50 split of the purse but Hatton wouldn’t oblige him.

“The fighters have egos,” he said. “They have to have egos to do what they do. It became too public, which I think was a negative. But, hey, now it’s done and we can move on and actually start the promotion.

“This is big. You have one guy, Hatton, who is the most popular fighter in country. Pacquiao, the most popular fighter in Asia. And they have styles that will make for an exciting fight.”

Schaefer said the official split of the purse was 50-50, not 52-48 in Pacquiao’s favor, as reported. However, he said Arum was willing to accept less money to increase Pacquiao’s take.

“Bob had a choice to make,” Schaefer said, “whether to give in and make the fight or not given and not make the fight. He decided to give in.”

Promotional tours will place in England, Hatton’s home country, at the end of February and in the United States in March. Hatton will move his training camp to Las Vegas six or seven weeks before the fight, Schaefer said.

Michael Rosenthal can be reached at [email protected]