Frank Warren weighs in on Mayweather, possibility of superfight with Pacquiao
Frank Warren, Europe’s premier boxing promoter for over 30 years, has finally weighed in on the Mayweather Jr. – Pacquiao matchup, the failings of which threaten to make the biggest fight in the history of the sport an astonishing pipe dream. Warren said that while there will be a lot more “posturing,” he believes the fight will happen.
Speaking exclusively to Telegraph Sport Warren explained: “It is the fight that must happen for boxing. As fighters, I think they are the best of their generation, I think it’s a natural match. And it will happen.”
Warren also expressed his dismay at Mayweather and his camp’s treatment of the fight. “There are times I’ve felt that Floyd Mayweather was doing his best not to make the fight.” The opinion was linked to another, in which he noted that Mayweather has “picked and chosen who he wants to fight over the years.”
He elaborated. “He never fought Shane Mosley when he should have fought him. He just didn’t do it. There have been a few times like that. Roy Jones Jr. did a similar thing. He didn’t fight the best guys at the best times, in my opinion. This one is [Mayweather-Pacquiao] a huge fight, a huge money fight that could do 3 million pay per view buys on television. I think it will outdo [Floyd and Oscar De La Hoya at 2.25 million Pay-per-view buys]. It’s a huge money fight and it has to happen and in the tens we are into, it is the biggest fight out there for a long long time, a megafight.”
When asked if the fight compared to earlier historic bouts, such as “Marvellous” Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard, Warren quickly responded that it was, and that in this case it is probably even more significant, since it is “what the business needs.” In terms of forecasting future problems with the signing by both parties, Warren suggested that he thinks the mega-fight will be held up as long as Mayweather continues to think “he is worth more than the 50 – 50 split.”
Currently Warren is busy preparing his own mega-card, set to occur at the LG Arena in Birmingham on 18 September. The card, dubbed “The Magnificent Seven,” features nine title fights, including Matthew Macklin, who is trained by Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach.
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