Floyd Mayweather calls out Manny Pacquiao

[muddym2002]

What makes me laugh is before floyd got sentenced, Arum said Manny's eye wouldn't have healed in time for a May 5th fight. However, as soon as Floyd was sentenced to 90 days in jail, Arum came out and said May 5th is a possibility for Manny especially if it's a fight with Marquez. Low and behold now that Floyd's jail terms been postponed, Arum changed his tune once again and is now saying that May 5th is not possible as he needs to find a temparary venue which will hold 40,000. He also went on to say that Manny would need to get his eye checked but he should be ready to fight in June. He know's full well that a fight inJ une is very unlikely due to the agreement Floyd has with the judge. He has to hand himself in on June 1st. I wish Manny would grow a set and tell Arum it's Mayweather on May 5th an no-one else. It's clear his team don't want the fight.

[Vermilion]

It's a shame cos it's not now the fight it would've been 2-3 years ago. Money would be on, er, 'Money', but I'd love Manny to destroy him.

Yep, me too. It's a shame this couldn't have happened when they we're both a few years younger, but i do think time and boxing style has been kinder on Mayweather, and i'd have him as the winner if they fought in may.

[Pablo]

All sides have been pathetic and all come out of it looking like dickheads. One of the dullest saga's in sporting history.

It's everything that's wrong with the sport these days in microcosm

[Vermilion]

It's everything that's wrong with the sport these days in microcosm

They should have been made to fight by now, simply for the fact they have been the best two out there for so long now, how they avoided each other for this long is incredible, and a blot on the sports governing bodies that the fight every punter has wanted to see for ever, is still yet to happen, and may never.

[Shaggy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/16515328.stm

Manny Pacquiao has accepted Floyd Mayweather's challenge for a showdown in May, but barriers remain in the way of a possible super-fight.

On Wednesday, Mayweather demanded Pacquiao "give the world what they want to see" and agree to a bout on 5 May.

And while Pacquiao said he wanted the fight, he said he favours a date in late May and suggested Mayweather could not guarantee his side of the purse.

"This is the fight the world wants," said Philippine superstar Pacquiao.

"[But] Mayweather wants a guaranteed purse so what he has to do is get a promoter who can give him the guarantee.

"I don't have problems getting a guarantee because I have a promoter who will give me my guaranteed purse.

"If he gets a guarantee, then we are going to share the revenue on a 50-50 basis."

Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum added: "There is no problem on our part - the problem is on Mayweather's.

"Mayweather needs somebody on his side that's going to guarantee his purse. Mayweather has nobody on his side and GBP (Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions) is not going to guarantee his purse."

Arum and Pacquiao's financial advisor, Michael Koncz, want a bout in late May to coincide with the completion of a 45,000-seater arena in Las Vegas.

The MGM Grand, where Mayweather is booked to fight on 5 May, has a capacity of only 17,000 and Koncz claims an additional $30m (£13m) could be raised if the bout took place in the new venue.

"Why would I tell Manny to fight on 5 May and throw away a percentage of $30m? That's crazy," said Koncz.

Last week, five-weight world champion Mayweather had a 90-day jail term deferred so that he could fulfil a pre-arranged date at the MGM Grand. He will now begin his sentence on 1 June.

The WBC welterweight champion subsequently used his Twitter account to challenge Pacquiao.

"Step up Punk," said the undefeated American. "Manny Pacquiao I'm calling you out let's fight May 5 and give the world what they want to see (sic)."

A year ago, talks failed when Pacquiao, 33, pulled out after Mayweather demanded random drugs tests before the bout.

At the time Arum called Mayweather "a psychological coward who doesn't want to fight anybody who has a chance of beating him", and predicted the bout would never take place.

But if the purse on offer matches the £25m-per-fighter deal that was rumoured to be on offer last year, the biggest payday in boxing history may prove persuasive.

Arum insisted that if there was to be no fight in late May against the American then he would move forward with a Pacquiao clash on 9 June against someone else.

He listed a rematch against Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez or Puerto Rican southpaw Miguel Cotto, as well as Americans Tim Bradley and Lamont Peterson, as potential alternatives.

Seven-weight world champion Pacquiao fought Marquez for a third time in November and retained his WBO title, although, as with the previous two fights, the decision was a controversial one.

Mayweather, who turns 35 next month, won the WBC title with a fourth-round knockout of compatriot Victor Ortiz in September.

[Gibbo]

I'll only believe it when it is all signed. Good development though

[RichC]

that sounds a little like Manny looking for a payday over actually fighting Mayweather.

Problem with boxing is there are too many belts and it's governed by the promoters/tv deals, no interest in seeing who's really the best more drag out their cash cow for as long as possible.

[Shaggy]

FloydMayweather Floyd Mayweather
I only want one person and it's Manny Pacquiao. Read more here: FloydMayweather.com/?u=content11547

http://fighthype.com/pages/content11547.html

(that website doesn't allow copy & paste)

[Chris]

Floyd v Cotto May 5th. Funny how that happens as soon as Cotto is a free agent and not with that snake Arum.