Otherwise, the undefeated American and current pound-for-pound champion may become a big disappointment to the boxing public.

He may be branded as a coward.

“If he still refuses, then he’s really scared of Manny,” said Pacquiao’s legal adviser, Franklin Gacal, yesterday by phone.

“Chicken McDo,” Gacal added, referring to the hot-selling meal at McDonald’s.

The other day, as he turned a year older, Pacquiao was quoted as saying he’s willing to get the smaller percentage of the purse – if it’s a fight against Mayweather.

It’s the fight the entire planet wants to see, and if it pushes through, it should easily generate more than a hundred million in revenues.

The fight, it’s been said over and over again, should guarantee both fighters $50 million each – or more.

It should also break the standing pay-per-view record of 2.4 million buys, set by Mayweather in his fight against Oscar dela Hoya in 2007.

No fight has come close to that figure. But here’s one fight that can break the record.

Gacal said Pacquiao wants the fight to happen, even if it means giving up millions of dollars. Earlier this year, the Filipino boxer said he won’t settle for anything less than fifty percent.

But now he’s saying he’d settle for less.

“Manny wants the fight to happen, and give the fans what they deserve,” said Gacal, who did not elaborate on the figures involved.

“There’s no specific amount, no specific percentage yet. But he has agreed to a smaller share of the purse. The public has been waiting for this fight, and Manny is giving it to them.

“That’s how Manny loves the sport of boxing, and how he loves the fans. He said it’s his way of thanking the fans,” Gacal added.

The drug-testing procedure is no longer an issue because Pacquiao has already agreed to Mayweather’s demands of a random, Olympic-style testing.

And now he’s agreed to get the smaller purse.

Well, Mayweather still can say “No,” and demand that Pacquiao drop the defamation charges he filed against the American for saying he’s on steroids.

But if Pacquiao can agree to a smaller purse, there’s no reason why they can’t work this one out.

Source: Philstar.com

Pacquiao was expected to face Juan Manuel Marquez in his next fight after their meeting earlier this month ended in controversial circumstances. The judges awarded the contest to Pacquiao, but most of those in attendance – and many respected commentators – disputed the decision as they felt Marquez won.

Following the rumpus, a rematch with Marquez looked likely for Pacquiao, but he has revealed that nothing is set in stone. That news comes as a boost to Mayweather, whose advisor revealed before the Marquez clash that the unbeaten American was interested in facing Pacquiao during 2012.

“Negotiations are ongoing for my fight with Mayweather, but nothing is final,” Pacquiao said, according to abs-cbnnews.com. “Mayweather may be thinking ‘I can fight Pacquiao now because he had trouble against Marquez, and I was able to beat up Marquez’.”

Negotiations between the Mayweather and Pacquiao camps have traditionally been awkward, with the most recent discussions ending because of a dispute over the timing of blood testing. If no deal can be agreed, Mayweather has the option of Sergio Martinez, the WBC middleweight champion.

Source: ESPN UK

Former Pacquiao victim Oscar De La Hoya is hoping Pacquiao convinces Top Rank chief Bob Arum to pursue a match against undefeated superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“The fight that has to be made is Mayweather against Pacquiao,” said the former superstar also known as Golden Boy. “We want the fight, Golden Boy wants the fight, Mayweather wants the fight.

“I know for a fact that Pacquiao wants the fight,” added De La Hoya, who spoke to Filipino journalists at the Wild Card gym Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao could earn for the Sarangani congressman $100 million in guaranteed purse, pay-per-view shares and a slice of the ticket sales in a bout with Mayweather.

De La Hoya said he is disappointed that Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, is going after Juan Manuel Marquez to find a definitive winner in a compelling rivalry that has a lot of issues still left unsettled.

The latest? Pacquiao’s majority decision victory over Marquez in their WBO welterweight championship bout Saturday in Las Vegas.

De La Hoya, however, feels that a fourth fight with Marquez won’t settle anything for Team Pacquiao, it will only open more questions given the fight history between the two rivals.

“What for?” De La Hoya said. “We’ll [just] see the same fight.”

Which makes Pacquiao-Mayweather the right choice, said De La Hoya.

“The one that doesn’t want the fight is Bob Arum,” De La Hoya said. “He’s the one who doesn’t want the fight. For whatever reasons I have no idea.”

Talking to ESPN, De La Hoya said: “It would be very unfortunate if this fight could not be made because of Bob Arum.”

“The fans are the ones who speak in a big way,” De La Hoya added in the ESPN interview. “They’ve been asking for this fight for a very long time. Look, Manny Pacquiao is the champion of the people and the people are asking for this fight so let’s make it happen.”

Source: Inquirer.net

The pound-for-pound king, coming off a less-than-decisive victory over Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday, decided to stay an extra day in Las Vegas—taking his own sweet time before making the road trip here.

Pacquiao is expected to take a week off before plotting what could be a slam-bang 2012.

Mike Koncz, Pacquiao’s adviser, said the Filipino ring icon would not make any decision yet despite saying he was open to a rematch with Marquez after yet another nondefinitive victory over his Mexican rival at the MGM Grand.

But what’s really starting to take shape is the fight everybody has been hoping for in the last two years.

Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the pound-for-pound title.

After not allowing himself to get reeled into calling for a fight with the undefeated American during a round-table with journalists last week, Pacquiao finally said after the Marquez bout that it was time to square off with Mayweather in the ring.

“Let’s make it happen on May 5,” Pacquiao said after the Marquez bout. “Let’s give the people a good fight.”

“Let’s get it on.”

It was the boldest statement yet by the eight-division champion on the possibility of fighting Mayweather. Previous to that, Pacquiao would only say his job as a fighter was to battle whoever his promoter puts with him in the ring.

But what’s really starting to take shape is the fight everybody has been hoping for in the last two years.

Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the pound-for-pound title.

After not allowing himself to get reeled into calling for a fight with the undefeated American during a round-table with journalists last week, Pacquiao finally said after the Marquez bout that it was time to square off with Mayweather in the ring.

“Let’s make it happen on May 5,” Pacquiao said after the Marquez bout. “Let’s give the people a good fight.”

“Let’s get it on.”

Source: Inquirer.net

Boxingscene.com reported that Mayweather made the statement during an interview in Conan O’Brien’s TBS show.

“I just want to be fair, be on an even playing field. You know, he’s from another country, and all I ask is for him to take the test,” he said.

O’Brien asked Mayweather if he was referring to testing for performance-enhancing drugs.

“Just random urine and blood tests,” said Mayweather.

“So if he does that,” O’Brien asked, “you would fight him?”

“Absolutely,” said the controversial boxer.

Pacquiao earlier claimed that the drug testing issues with Mayweather have already been settled.

What needs to be addressed, he said, is the share in fight revenues.

“There’s no more issue about the testing. What needs to be done is the profit sharing, more of that,” said Pacquiao.

Mayweather outpriced himself during past negotiations with Pacquiao’s camp.

The former pound-for-pound king reportedly demanded as much as $100 million for the fight.

Mayweather is scheduled for a welterweight title clash against Victor Ortiz this weekend. (View Mayweather Vs Ortiz Tickets)

Pacquiao, on the other hand, will square off against Juan Manuel Marquez in November. (View Pacquiao Vs Marquez Tickets)

Source: ABS-CBN News

“We are certainly not the impediment for that fight to happen,” Arum said in an interview with the Inquirer. “We will do whatever we can to make that fight happen.”

The Top Rank promoter emphasized that pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao has agreed to take the blood test which Mayweather has been insisting on.

But, to the chagrin of Arum, he said Mayweather’s “crazy father says ‘yes’ but he’s not allowed to train in the Philippines. This is bizarre.”

Meantime Arum said he would arrive with Juan Manuel Marquez and his party in Manila on September 1 for a massive media tour kickoff rally at the Luneta Grandstand in Rizal Park on September 3.

Arum said “we’ll have a lot of fun and a press conference and then go from Manila to New York, Los Angeles and finally Mexico City.”

He disclosed that they had decided to skip the planned stops in Tokyo and Dubai because Pacquiao “has more important businesses to attend to” besides his desire to have eight full weeks of training with four weeks in the Philippines and the second four weeks at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

Initial reports indicated that WBA/IBF light welterweight champion Amir Khan is likely to train alongside Pacquiao in Baguio City as he too prepares for a fight in December.

A stumbling block may well be the legal battle over Mayweather’s allegations that Pacquiao was on performance enhancing drugs and his constant refusal to provide his deposition claiming he was in training for his Sept. 17 fight against Victor Ortiz.

Atty. David Marroso provided evidence to contradict Mayweather’s claims.

Marroso told the Inquirer that in their motion for “default and dismissal” against Mayweather Jr before Judge Larry Hicks they charged Mayweather with “deliberately defying a court order to appear at deposition on any of the 24 alternate dates offered by Pacquiao.”

Marroso contradicted Mayweather’s claims that he could not provide his deposition because he was in training and avoiding all distractions and provided supporting evidence including photographs. Marroso accused Mayweather of “lying repeatedly to avoid appearing for deposition.”

He said Mayweather “refused to participate in court-ordered discovery because it interfered with his partying schedule.”

Source: Inquirer.net

“There are no issues,” Arum told BoxingScene.com.

Arum said that the money split will be “50-50 on everything.”

Regarding the drug testing issue, Arum said that they have already accepted Mayweather’s demands for a test.

“That is not a real issue of any kind,” Arum said.

He also clarified the issue regarding the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA).

“USADA can only handle drug testing in the United States. The USADA can’t go to the Philippines, and that’s where Manny will do the 1st part of his training camp,” Arum said.

Because of that, a Filipino laboratory working under the approval of and procedures of WADA will conduct the drug testing while Pacquiao is in the Philippines.

Pacquiao has not given his reaction regarding Arum’s statement.

Mayweather will end a 16-month lay-off from boxing on September 17, when he goes against Victor Ortiz.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, will face Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez for the 3rd time on November 12.

Source: ABS-CBN News

Arum said this is because “Pretty Boy Floyd” keeps on ducking the Filipino superstar.

“Anybody who really knows the situation says, ‘Really, his record is 41-1 because he already lost to Pacquiao by ducking the way he has,” Arum said on EsNEWSreporting.com.

Arum, owner of Top Rank Inc., was referring to Mayweather’s 41-0 record as a pro boxer.

Arum said Mayweather recently thumbed down a $65-million offer to fight Pacquiao.

“Recently, as recent as this week, legitimate people from Singapore offered Mayweather $65 million to fight Manny Pacquiao and he turned it down. Sixty-five million dollars obviously is a sum that Manny Pacquiao would accept. So, what does that tell you?” he said.

This proves that Mayweather wants no part of Pacquiao, said Arum.

He said Mayweather has trouble dealing with left-handed fighters, especially power punching boxers like Pacquiao.

“That’s why Floyd was always reticent about fighting a southpaw. And a southpaw like Manny Pacquiao, he doesn’t want no part of, because even if he protects himself from his left, he’s going to bang him with his right hand,” Arum explained.

Most people believe that the Pacquiao-Mayweather match it would be the biggest money fight in boxing history, but Mayweather has repeatedly declined the bout.

He even insinuated that Pacquiao was into performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) just to excuse himself from facing the fighting congressman from the Philippines.

Pacquiao’s business adviser, Michael Koncz, earlier said Mayweather was dangled a $50-million offer for the bout.

However, Mayweather reportedly priced himself out by demanding $100 million.

Source: ABS-CBN News

Jeff Mayweather, a retired boxer-turned-boxing coach, told FightHype.com that Pacquiao knocking out Mosley means more interest for the possible super fight between the Filipino champion and Floyd Jr.

“If he does knock him out, that’s good because it’s good business for the fight because the fight becomes even bigger between Manny and Floyd,” said Mayweather, who fought as a boxing pro in the 1990s.

Earlier, Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, predicted that his prized fighter will be the first boxer to beat Mosley by stoppage.

“I’d say he’ll stop him in six, seven rounds,” the esteemed coach said.

Mayweather, however, believes that Pacquiao will have a hard time doing this against the 39-year-old Mosley.

“He’s (Mosley) been durable his entire career and I don’t think that he’s completely done,” said Mayweather.

He said Mosley has faced guys bigger and stronger than Manny, and all of them failed to stop the American boxer.

“I’m not a Manny hater or anything like that, but I just don’t see Manny knocking Shane out. If he does, more power to him,” said Mayweather.

Source: ABS-CBN News

“If he takes that test I know we’ll have a fight. But he don’t want that test. That’s the whole key. That means he (Pacquiao) don’t want that money,” said Roger Mayweather in an exclusive interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer recently.

Mayweather clarified, “I’m not saying that Pacquiao is not a good fighter but what I am saying is this. A guy fights with something in him, he ain’t basing that on his skills and ability as a fighter, he’s basing that on something that energizes him to do what the f**k he’s doing.”

Mayweather insisted that “boxing is a healthy sport so if you ain’t doing the right thing, no.”

The trainer said Pacquiao has been fighting with “something in him. How are you going to fight somebody who is taking something? That’s why the fight will never happen anyway.”

Asked whether Floyd Mayweather would fight anybody else should a Pacquiao fight not take place, Mayweather said he did not know how his nephew felt about boxing now.

“But I hope we do fight Pacquiao so we clear up all this about how good Pacquiao is. All he has to do is take that test.”

Source: Inquirer.net