Well, so much for that.
If you believe Top Rank boss Bob Arum, the much-talked about May version of a Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. showdown appears to be dead and buried.
Over the course of the last few weeks, boxing fans all over the world have been hanging their hopes on the slim chance that Pacquiao and Mayweather would come to their senses regarding a potential May superfight. Things looked really promising for a while, what with both fighters seemingly acknowledging that they wanted to make the match happen. But then a little thing called reality went and got in the way.
Pacquiao, despite earlier in December promising to sacrifice the lion’s share of the purse in a potential showdown with Mayweather, reneged on that offer. Instead, he made it explicitly clear that he was entitled to a 50-50 split and that he wouldn’t settle for a penny less. He’s right, of course. He does deserve a 50-50 split. But that doesn’t change the fact that a mere month ago he was supposedly willing to sacrifice money for the sake of putting together a bout that his fans have longed for since ’09.
Mayweather is equally culpable in all this. After going on every social media outlet available to him and demanding a fight against his Filipino arch rival, Mayweather suddenly (as he’s done in the past) went quiet when Pacquiao called his bluff. What happened to all the enthusiasm we were seeing just a week ago? Mind you, Mayweather is a guy who splurges on useless consumer products and sports gambling like no other athlete in recent memory. Yet, amazingly enough, when the chance to fight Pacquiao pops up, suddenly every penny matters.
Ridiculous.
Now reports are coming out that Pacquiao, Mayweather and all the people that speak for both men are working towards a fight for November. Right. That’ll happen. As per Ronnie Nathanielsz of Boxing Scene:
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum concedes “lets forget the May date” for a possible fight between “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao and undefeated Floyd Mayweather. But he’s working on a November mega-buck fight instead.
In a telephone conversation with BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard, Arum said “what we are trying to accomplish assuming he (Mayweather) is going to fight in May and Manny is going to fight in June, is that we are pressing to see if we can get a contract signed between the two fighters for November.”
The astute promoter noted “that way the people will be assured that the fight is going to happen and there won’t be any of this nonsense which we can put behind us so we can do a huge, huge promotion.”
So there you have it. A fight that hasn’t gotten put together in about three years will definitely, maybe, possibly get set up for November. Do you feel better now?
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@ Denny Infante, Let's call him Unemfloyd at this moment because he doesn't have anyone to fight with on May 5th.
There Can Be Only One.
I'm beginning to wonder..is there any chance that Floyd and Manny are just playing a game designed to create as much drama as possible, thereby presumably building the largest possible audience when they finally do agree to fight? Or aren't they that clever..
Pacquiao was talking more along the line of 55-45 mix. But Floyd was toying with 60-40 or even 70-30. who wouldn't be insulted with that offer, that's why I don't fault Pacquiao for reneging in his word. Pacquiao many forget has a long line of credentials, not just a punk. He edges Floyd in popularity, belts, civic accomplishments, and heart. Alex Groberman, you obviously forgot to state that along side the flat 40M that Floyd was offering Manny, it came along with a lop-sided offer of no share in PPV. When in fact, Pacquiao's recent PPV and gate receipts are a lot higher than Floyd. Why did you not state that in your article? Who in his right mind will take that? If you were Manny, would you take that deal? Oh yeah, those people who think that it's never Floyd's fault. He's incapable of doing wrong. The judge erred in her conviction of Floyd. It's Josie's and his kids' fault. All his court cases are harassment cases against Floyd. Journalism has truly died!
Signing of the contract for November is a big task to accomplish on team Mayweather's side because Floyd Joy is known to fight ounce a year. I will tell you how I feel when he decides to fight twice a year like Manny..My 2 cents.
There Can Be Only One.