Mayweather Refuses to Commit to Pacquiao Fight
That groaning sound you heard earlier this week came from boxing fans all around the world. They were reacting to the news that the on-again, off-again negotiations for a mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao to meet this November and determine exactly who the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world is, have been derailed — perhaps permanently. The one fight that could re-energize boxing and bring in casual fans is apparently off until at least 2011.
A preliminary deal had been reached earlier this month between the promoters of Pacquiao and Mayweather for a fight to take place in November either in Las Vegas or Dallas. The key sticking points from negotiations were said to be resolved, including a 50-50 split of the purse and a compromise on the issue of drug testing which was the downfall of negotiations for a bout earlier this year. Pacquiao agreed to the deal and the ball was put in Mayweather’s court to sign the agreement and make the fight happen.
Pacquiao’s Top Rank management team had placed a deadline of this Friday for Mayweather to accept the terms or else Pacquiao would look for another opponent for the November night. When Friday’s deadline came and went without comment from Mayweather or him signing a contract, Pacquiao’s team was left to do nothing other than declare the negotiations dead and express hope that a fight could take place in 2011.
Conflicting reports about what happened have been circulating from the Mayweather camp. Mayweather’s lead advisor Leonard Ellerbe issued a statement refuting the claim by Top Rank CEO Bob Arum that Mayweather’s camp had stopped communicating with HBO Sports head Ross Greenburg, who had been serving as a mediator in contract talks. Ellerbe said that there had been no negotiations between the two sides, much less a deal reached for a fight. Meanwhile, Mayweather said during a brief interview this weekend at his basketball camp that he was “not interested in rushing” into a fight and was “not really thinking about boxing right now.”
No matter what the reason for Mayweather missing the deadline for the bout, the reality is that the one fight that every boxing fan is dying to see has been postponed again. Many fans feel as though they have yet again had the rug pulled out from underneath them at the last minute. While the fight could still happen (either in November or sometime in 2011) the nature of the protracted and public contract talks might have already damaged the lustre of the fight.
Pacquiao’s team claimed that the deadline for Mayweather to sign the deal was necessary in order to give their fighter enough time to train and rearrange his hectic schedule (which includes his political career along with film, music and promotional appearances in the Philippines). It was also necessary because the status of the fight also impacts several other fighters.
If a bout against Mayweather isn’t happening this November, it appears likely that Pacquiao will be taking on either Antonio Margarito or having a rematch against Miguel Cotto at a catch-weight between welterweight and junior middleweight. Both potential opponents are also Top Rank fighters, making potential negotiations much easier. While most people thought that a bout would either be at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas or Cowboys Stadium near Dallas (both venues have been reserved by Top Rank) it’s also possible that Abu Dhabi could serve as a location for a bout.
Why did Mayweather avoid signing a contract? Some would say that he is simply scared to fight Pacquiao. His supporters have claimed that he is waiting for the resolution of an assault case involving his trainer and uncle Roger Mayweather before committing to another fight. No matter what the reason, the manner in which everything was handled is sure to leave a bitter taste in the mouth of boxing fans.
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