Floyd & Manny still waltzing
MANNY PACQUIAO wants Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants Manny Pacquiao.
It’s the bromance of our time, the superfight that’s been dangled in front of fans for years.
And of late, the two superstars are speaking as if they really, really want this dance to happen this time.
Of course, they’ve been circling each other for years only to deprive the sport of the era’s signature match because of ego and contract demands.
The latest salvo was launched by Mayweather on Friday during a boxing card he was promoting in San Antonio on the network (Showtime) he is signed too, with the undefeated boxer saying he wants to face Pacquiao on May 2 of next year.
He even called for both sides to get out their respective calculators and start negotiating.
Then, Mayweather did what he always seems to do: He tossed a couple of bananas on the dance floor by saying that Pacquiao shouldn’t expect to collect the same purse that Mayweather will make if they fight.
“You lost twice and now you’re coming back begging for the same money?” Mayweather said. “That’s not gonna happen.”
Translation: I’m in control and if I don’t get what I want, the fight won’t take place.
Mayweather went even further by blaming Bob Arum, the man who handles Pacquiao, for sabotaging previous negotiations for the fight.
“Floyd Mayweather is not ducking or dodging any opponent,” Mayweather said. “Bob Arum is stopping the fight. We have been trying to make this fight happen for many years behind the scene.”
Pacquiao fired up interest in the fight again following his demolition of Long Island’s Chris Algieri last month when he said that he was ready to face Mayweather.
Arum preceded that comment by saying he’d been in talks with Les Moonves, the chairman of the CBS Corp., which has Mayweather under contract for two more fights, about making the fight happen.
That’s why Mayweather’s comments on Friday simply sounded like a reaction to what Pacquiao said and didn’t exactly seem sincere.
“He’s desperate,” Mayweather said. “I wanted that fight a long time ago. I’m just waiting on them.”
And when Mayweather started bringing up his contention that Pacquiao’s refusal to do blood testing for PEDs was the reason why the fight hasn’t happened and that he had previously offered Pacquiao $40 million to get into the ring and he refused, it just sounded like Mayweather trying to win a public relations war with Pacquiao.
“I know that he’s not on my level,” Mayweather said on Friday. “The fans would love to see the fight. And, of course, I want to go out with a bang.”
The fight would likely be the highestgrossing bout of all time, with Mayweather making upwards of $100 million even if both boxers are past their primes; Pacquiao is 35 and Mayweather is 37.
But if history is any indication, the trash talk will continue and the boxers will continue to dance about each other without an actual punch being thrown.