Pacquiao-Mayweather Bout: Mayweather Still Want Fight

While Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s camp believes his prospective bout with Manny Pacquiao can be saved, Pacquiao’s promoter says he’s moving on. After six weeks of contentious negotiations failed to produce a compromise on Mayweather’s insistence on stringent drug testing for the bout, Pacquiao has made plans to fight welterweight Joshua Clottey in mid-March, Top Rank boss Bob Arum told The Associated Press on Friday. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who works with Mayweather, isn’t ready to give up. He’s worried Top Rank hasn’t told Pacquiao that the potential richest fight in boxing history could be saved if the Filipino star would agree to take a blood test for performance-enhancing drugs 14 days before the proposed March 13 bout — just 10 days later than Pacquiao already agreed. "I am hopeful that this fight can still happen," Schaefer told the AP. "No matter what, Floyd Mayweather will fight at the MGM Grand (in Las Vegas) on March 13. I hope the man across that ring will be Manny Pacquiao." Schaefer was angered when Arum came out of the camps’ mediation hearing Tuesday blaming Mayweather for the fight’s collapse, saying Mayweather wouldn’t agree to a final blood test 24 days before the bout. Schaefer claims Top Rank turned down a compromise of 14 days on New Year’s Eve, but he isn’t sure whether Pacquiao — who’s at home in the Philippines — was involved in that decision. Both fighters stand to make much more than $25 million apiece from the much-anticipated bout.

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Manny Pacquiao and Mayweather in Dallas

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport of boxing, will square off on March 13, 2010, in one of the most anticipated fights in years. Everything is signed, sealed and delivered. The fight will be contested at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, the gloves will be eight ounces, the money will be split 50-50 and I'm sure Michael Buffer will be there to get us started. The one thing that we don't yet know is where this fight of fights will go down.

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Retirement of Manny Pacquiao in 2010

Retirement from the sport for Manny Pacquiao in 2010? Pacquiao is hinting that his next fight could be his last. Perhaps it is a ploy to drive more interest in what will be the TV event of the year when HBO Pay-per-view presents Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. Or maybe Pacquiao truly wants to retire and enter Politics as he has so often stated and is doing so by running in the upcoming elections in his home country, the beautiful nation of the Philippines. In a recent article done by Abac Cordero of The Philippine Star, Cordero quotes Pacquiao from a TV show that aired very recently, in which Pacquiao tells the TV audience that his upcoming fight against Mayweather Jr. (propsed for March 13th on HBO Pay-per-View) could ultimately be his final fight and then retirement. Well, the boxer now being considered as the greatest of his era thinks so. Pacquiao told the TV audience in his native tongue (English translation by Abac Cordero): "Baka last fight ko na (It could be my last fight)." The keywords for me is "could be", because personally I want to see a lot more of Pacquiao in the next coming years... but who could fault him from wanting to retire after Mayweather Jr.? Especially if Pacquiao defeats Mayweather Jr... I couldn't think of a better way to fly into retirement than on the wings of such a victory. Well folks, bottom line... March 13th could be the last live Pay-per-view you can catch on your TV featuring Pacquiao... Like we needed another reason to purchase this hot event!

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Manny and Floyd Mayweather Jr. at Cowboys Stadium.

It sounds like negotiations are still serious about having a fight on March 13 between Manny and Floyd Mayweather Jr. at Cowboys Stadium. An Associated Press story says the promoters and - perhaps just as telling - the head of HBO Sports are in town today to tour the stadium. The other contenders for the fight apparently are the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and the Superdome in New Orleans. There were many who were skeptical about how many non-football events would be booked at the stadium, but so far, the place has been busy. Recently, they added dates for a monster truck event and Supercross. I have no idea though if they use the same dirt from the bull riding competition in February for the Monster Jam a week later.

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Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Deal

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have signed off on the major issues in the negotiation for a megafight on March 13, and contracts could be signed in the next few days, a person with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press. Top Rank promoter Bob Arum met with Pacquiao in his native Philippines on Friday and the charismatic champion agreed to terms with only minor changes, said the person, who requested anonymity because the sides agreed not to speak publicly during negotiations. Arum planned to return to the United States on Sunday and present the amended terms to Golden Boy chief executive Richard Schaefer, the person said. Schaefer is negotiating on behalf of Mayweather and his promotional company.

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