So, will this really happen?

Not only the league’s top stars were present courtside during NBA AllStar Game last weekend. Celebrities from various fields were seen including a former US president made infamous with his liaisons with a White House intern, sitting alongside an NBA legend, also famous for his finger wagging.

One of the superstars watching the superstars play was Floyd Mayweather Jr. and he was asked during halftime of the game about the fight with Manny Pacquiao and the reportedly done deal of $250 million. His reply, “That’s not true. I haven’t signed yet, he hasn’t signed yet. That’s all speculation and rumors. But I’m hopeful the fight will happen.” And so Floyd has spoken.

The rumors and speculations just would not die down ever since both of them were seen briefly chatting during a break in an NBA game. The Mayweather camp continues to deny any deals made while the Pacquiao camp continues to peddle false hopes.

Prior to any major deals, in this case the mega fight, draft contracts are supposed to be given to both parties for them to study, evaluate and to have changes in the provisions. Everything that covers a mega fight must be covered by a contract whose specifics I honestly don’t know. Together with their managers, lawyers and maybe wives or mothers, both fighters must carefully go over the provisions for them to have a fair deal. If both parties are amenable to what is being stated, then and only then can the contract be finalized and signed.

Talks about the Pacman-Floyd fight almost always comes from the Pacquiao camp. They say this and that, obviously putting the Mayweather camp’s back against the wall and hoping to pressure them into the fight. In all fairness to Floyd, as per reports, he also wants to have the fight and from the looks of it, both fighters have some kind of mutual understanding, but there are network and promotional issues to be settled.

Floyd is with the Showtime network while Pacman has a deal with HBO. The last time these two networks teamed up was during the Mike TysonLennox Lewis heavyweight fight in 2002. Tyson was past his prime that time so it was easier for the networks to negotiate. That was then, this is now. Both Floyd and Pacman are in their prime and both HBO and Showtime must settle for a deal that is both to their advantage.

As to promotions, no other boxing promoter is more clever and shrewd than Bob Arum. If he really wanted to have this mega fight, fans wouldn’t have to wait for five years. Yet, until recently, Pacman is being fed with fighters carrying too much hype yet having the skill sets of spar mates. Arum gets the biggest share from these fights because he chooses who to fight Pacman. This match, if ever this happens, is a guaranteed money magnet and this is where we get stalled. Pacman has agreed to a 4060 split and that means Arum only gets 40 percent of the fight revenues. And he won’t be settling for a mere 40 percent.

The recent hotel meeting with Pacman and Floyd indicated both fighters’ desire to have a clearer picture on the proposed mega fight. Maybe Floyd and Manny wants to do away with agents and just have the two of them decide. But with the people around them, specifically our fighting congressman, no deal can be made unless Bob Arum says so. Let us not believe on reports that an “agreement” has been reached. Everything must be in writing and until Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao affixes their precious signatures on the dotted line, only then can we say that the mega fight is on.

Meanwhile, with big smiles on our faces, we continue to dream of Mommy Dionesia casting her voodoo spells while clutching a rosary and Pacman is battering Floyd black and blue. Include in your dreams that congressman from Bacolod happily waving the Philippine flag on the ring.

*** It’s been almost a month since that barbaric act at Mamasapano yet we still have to hear a strong statement of condemnation from the Commission on Human Rights. Since time immemorial, this group had been ridiculously biased. When activists are hosed with water cannons for an illegal assembly, they cry human rights. When dubious characters are shot and wounded for some reasons, they cry human rights. Law enforcement officers were killed, this time savagely, it’s all right? CHR’s silence is deafening it makes people vomit. Related to this, it would be wise to just let the prim and proper Grace Poe and the Senate do the inquiry. Letting Congress do their own is a rowdy anomaly. Spending millions of pesos for a congressional circus is too much.