Thursday, January 29, 2015

Adviser decidedly more optimistic about likelihood of Mayweather-Pacquiao bout



A key member of Manny Pacquiao's staff told Yahoo Sports on Thursday he is optimistic an agreement can be reached to finalize a bout between the Filipino congressman and Floyd Mayweather Jr., the pound-for-pound top fighter in the world.

After a chance encounter between the fighters Tuesday at the Miami Heat-Milwaukee Bucks NBA game at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Mayweather visited Pacqiuao in his suite at the Trump National Doral hotel later that night.

Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz called the meeting highly productive and said he is optimistic that the long-awaited fight can finally be made.

Pacquiao said earlier in January that he had agreed to all of Mayweather's terms and conditions. Executives for Showtime, which has an exclusive contract with Mayweather, and HBO, which has a deal with Pacquiao, have worked out many of the issues between them relating to the broadcast.

In the Tuesday meeting in Pacquiao's suite, Mayweather expressed concern about what Koncz called broadcast issues, but he said they were quickly resolved after a conversation with Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum and HBO CEO Richard Plepler.

"We talked to Bob and Richard and got that handled pretty quickly," Koncz said.

Koncz said he is more optimistic now than he was last week, when he accompanied Pacquiao to England for a meeting with Prince Harry. During that trip to London, Koncz and Pacquiao met with Amir Khan to see if he was interested in facing Pacquiao in the event a Mayweather-Pacquiao match couldn't be made. Khan said he was and indicated to Pacquiao that he was free and available to take the fight if it is offered.

Pacquiao had earlier this month said he would begin talking to other potential opponents in earnest in February if he didn't have a deal by with Mayweather by that point.

The chance meeting at the Heat-Bucks game seems to have reinvigorated the process. Pacquiao was supposed to have flown to Los Angeles that day after having served Sunday as a judge at the Miss Universe pageant, but because of the weather on the East Coast, his flight was canceled.
He is friends with Heat coach Eric Spoelstra, who is of Filipino descent, and went to the game. Mayweather also happened to attend and came over to speak briefly to Pacquiao at halftime.

"For the most part, it was just Floyd, Manny and I in the [hotel] room and it was a very good conversation," Koncz said. "I think Floyd is sincere about wanting the fight, I really do. I know Manny has wanted it and he's ready to fight and has been for a while. So I'm very optimistic. I really am.

"Nobody can stop this. I can't stop it. Bob can't stop it. HBO can't stop it. Showtime can't. [Mayweather adviser] Al [Haymon] can't. The only ones who can stop it are Floyd and Manny, and right now, they're both saying they want the fight."

Pacquiao is staying in the U.S. through the end of next week. He's going to spend the weekend in Los Angeles, but on Tuesday plans to fly Washington, D.C., to attend the National Prayer Breakfast with his wife, Jinkee, on Feb. 5. President Obama is expected to attend the event with the Dalai Lama.

The fight, if it is finalized, would be held May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Many of the details of the fight are complete, including minutaie such as the type of gloves the fighters will wear, who will walk first to the ring and who will be announced last.

But Koncz said Pacquiao, who has agreed to a 60-40 financial split that favors Mayweather, is doing whatever he can to make the fight.

"We're treating him as the A side in this because we just want to get it done and we want to give the fans what they've been asking for, for years," Koncz said.

If the fight is made, the announcement will come from Mayweather. Mayweather has used social media, including Twitter and Shots, to announce his last several fights.

Koncz said Mayweather wants to make the announcement, and that he and Pacquiao agreed.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Despite Pacquiao concessions, De La Hoya thinks Mayweather still won't fight Manny


Until Floyd Mayweather puts his name on the dotted line, Oscar De La Hoya wouldn't believe that the unbeaten American champion wants any part of Manny Pacquiao.

The retired fighter made his pronouncement in light of news that Pacquiao and promoter Bob Arum had already agreed to all terms set for a fight with Mayweather.

"I'm not speaking to you as a promoter, I'm speaking to you as a fan. I want that fight to happen, but I have a feeling that it's not going to happen. Bob and Pacquiao already conceded to everything," De La Hoya told BoxingScene.com.

"They have their deal in place, so now they are waiting on Mayweather. I just don't think Mayweather wants to fight Pacquiao. I don't think it's going to happen."

Pacquiao has agreed to details such as the date and venue. Rival American cable television networks HBO and Showtime are also holding negotiations to broadcast the fight together on pay-per-view.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

$120 million for Mayweather, $80 million for Pacquiao?


Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. could be part of the richest fight in boxing history, with reports indicating a purse of some $200 million.

According to Yahoo Sports sources, the two boxers could get a 60-40 share in favor of the American fighter, who could pocket $120 million. The Filipino boxing icon, meanwhile, could receive $80 million.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Pacquiao has already agreed to all the terms of the fight following negotiations with Mayweather's representatives but the undefeated pound-for-pound king has yet to give his nod to the contract.

Arum said all they are waiting for now is for the Mayweather to agree to put down his signature, but he said he is not putting pressure on the American boxer by commenting publicly about the usually closed-door negotiations.

"I think Manny has been very reasonable and demonstrated that he wants the fight to happen," he told Yahoo Sports. "Now, we're waiting on Floyd. That's not to say that Floyd has been obstinate, that Floyd won't do it, but we're waiting on him."

Arum said he does wants to avoid another falling out after several failed negotiations in the past, adding that he wants everyone to be satisfied both with the show and the earnings.

"I think it will be a terrific event," he said. "That's what I want, and I've done everything in my power to make that happen."

Showtime exec: Mayweather wants Pacquiao more than ever

Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants a fight with Manny Pacquiao more than ever, a top Showtime executive said Thursday, and negotiations continue to make the long anticipated bout a reality on May 2.

Stephen Espinoza told The Associated Press that Mayweather has not wavered in his determination to fight Pacquiao in what would be the richest fight ever.

"Personally I've been involved in these negotiations continuously since the very first in 2009," Espinoza said. "I can say I'm not sure there's a point where I personally observed him wanting it more than over the last few months."

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said this week that his fighter has agreed to all terms dictated by the Mayweather camp and that all that stood in the way of the bout was the approval of Mayweather himself. But Espinoza said there were still some issues to discuss, though progress has been made.

"We're making meaningful progress but if we were running a race we would still have a ways to go," he said. "Everyone is trying to get to the finish line as soon as possible."

Espinoza, Showtime's executive vice president for sports, confirmed there have been parallel talks between Showtime and HBO over how the fight would be televised, and that those talks were ongoing. Pacquiao is an HBO fighter, while Mayweather would be fighting for the fifth time in a six-fight deal with Showtime.

The two deals are intertwined, he said, but declined to talk about the details of either negotiation.

"We all mutually agreed we're not going to negotiate in the press," Espinoza said. "There's been some misinformation out there and in general all sides realize that the less said publicly the better."

Arum said earlier that Pacquiao agreed to everything from the purse split (reportedly 60-40 in Mayweather's favor) to the gloves to who goes in the ring first in the welterweight title fight. His comments were seen as an effort to turn up the heat on Mayweather, who hasn't spoken publicly about Pacquiao since declaring on Showtime last month that he wanted to fight him on May 2.

Though there has long been tension between the two networks, it is unlikely that friction would hold up the fight. The plan would be for a joint pay-per-view broadcast like the one in 2002 when Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis met for the heavyweight title.

An HBO spokesman said he was not aware of any talks, and said no HBO executives would comment on the possibility of the fight.

The bout would be boxing's richest ever, delivering likely paydays of some $120 million for Mayweather and $80 million for Pacquiao. It would likely have the biggest pay-per-view price, too, expected to be in the $85-90 range.

Espinoza said he is confident that it will be a box office smash, despite the time that has gone by since it was first proposed.

"Hard core fans wish it would have happened five years ago but that doesn't mean they won't watch it," he said. "There doesn't seem to be any diminution of public interest in this fight even though it has taken awhile to get to this point."

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Floyd Mayweather’s team confirms deal to fight Manny Pacquiao is close

The richest fight in boxing history — a much-anticipated showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao — appears closer than ever to happening.

Sam Watson, longtime confidant of Mayweather adviser Al Haymon and one of few in the fighter’s tight-knit inner circle, said Wednesday the final details are being worked out and an announcement for a May 2 fight is imminent.

“They’re putting it together now,” Watson said. “They’re going to do a Showtime-HBO [joint pay-per-view] like they did last time with Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson. They’re working on the monies now and everything they’ve got to work on to make it happen.

“I can’t wait. It’s going to be huge.”

The remarks lent credence to previous reports of a deal-in-progress between the two most decorated fighters of their generation — and marked the first time Mayweather’s team has addressed the fight beyond abstracts.

Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) has two bouts remaining on his six-fight, 30-month contract with Showtime and CBS — the landmark deal worth a potential $250 million he signed in February 2013 — yet the supply of credible opponents is running dry. Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), an eight-division champion, is aligned with HBO, though a rare detente between the network rivals could make the welterweight summit a reality.

Both fighters’ pay-per-view buy rates have trended down in recent outings as dissatisfaction over their refusal to fight one another has approached a critical mass.

Watson spoke on behalf of Haymon following a news conference at Rockefeller Center on Wednesday to announce a multiyear agreement between NBC and Haymon Boxing that marks the sport’s return to prime-time network television.


Haymon — a Salinger-level recluse who rarely ventures into public, refuses all interviews and has been said to have no office or answering machine — is widely regarded as boxing’s most powerful figure, not least for his role as architect of Mayweather’s rise to world’s highest-paid athlete.

He did not attend Wednesday’s announcement in Studio 8H, home of Saturday Night Live, though Watson wryly admitted he was in the building.

“He’s here,” Watson said, “but you don’t see him.”

Seldom do two fighters considered the best in the sport come from the same weight class — and rarer still are both roughly the same age. A superfight between Mayweather and Pacquiao was a fight the public made years ago and its failure to materialize has represented an indictment of a sport.

But while a deal should have been struck years ago when both were nearer their athletic peaks, there’s no question it remains the biggest fight that can be made today. If set for May, Pacquiao will be 36 and Mayweather will be 38, though both still rate among the world’s best fighters regardless of weight.

Better late than never.

“It’s a fight that’s going to break all records,” said five-division champion Sugar Ray Leonard, whose 1987 showdown with Marvin Hagler was subject to similarly laborious negotiations. “The numbers are going to be awesome, incredible.”

If it happens. But it’s looking better than ever.

“He’s my best friend, I work for him, I’m with him every day,” Watson said, stressing that he spoke for Haymon. “I believe it’s going to happen. I believe that everybody involved wants it to happen. I know Floyd wants it.”

Mayweather Vs. Pacquiao: By The Numbers

The much anticipated and long-delayed bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao is inching closer to fruition, according to multiple reports. Executives from Top Rank, which promotes Pacquiao, outlined the potential fight details to ESPN and Yahoo late Tuesday. Pacquiao and Top Rank have agreed to parameters around the date (May 2), location (MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas), network (Showtime and HBO would both broadcast the fight on pay-per-view), drug testing, boxing gloves and the all-important purse split (60/40 in favor of Mayweather).

While Pacquiao and Top Rank are on board with the terms of the bout, Mayweather’s camp remains publicly silent on the discussions. It remains a big question mark whether the bout gets made until the signatures of both fighters are on a contract. Pacquiao has publicly been itching for this fight for a couple years, including filming a humerous ad for Foot Locker FL -3.97% regarding the inability of the fighter to meet in the ring. Mayweather has shown less interest in the fight, although he opened the door a crack after his September bout against Marcos Maidana. “Manny Pacquiao needs to focus on the guy in front of him (Chris Algieri). Once he gets past him, he can look to the future. If the Pacquiao fight presents itself, let’s make it happen,” said Mayweather in his post-bout press conference.

The tortured negotiations between the two fighters have taken place on and off over the last six years, but this is the closest they have come to making the bout happen. The fight would most certainly shatter the records for PPV sales (2.5 million for Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya), PPV revenue ($150 million for Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez) and live gate ($20 million for Mayweather-Alvarez). It would be a record payday for both fighters with Mayweather likely banking as much as $120 million. Here some of the numbers that define the two fighters.

Rank

Mayweather: No. 1; Pacquiao: No. 3 in The Ring’s current pound-for-pound ratings.

Record

Mayweather: 47-0 with 26 knockouts; Pacquiao: 57-5-2 with 38 knockouts.

Age

Mayweather: 37; Pacquiao: 36

Betting Line

Mayweather: -350; Pacquiao: +265 via Bovada (fight must take place May 2 or 3 for bets to be valid).

Twitter Followers

Mayweather: 5.5 million; Pacquiao: 1.6 million

Earnings

Mayweather: $105 million between June 2013-June 2014; Pacquiao: $41.8 million, including endorsements. Mayweather topped Forbes list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, while Pacquiao ranked No. 11.

Purse (last fight)

Mayweather: $32 million (Maidana II); Pacquiao: $23 million (Algieri)

Biggest Career Payday

Maywweather: $75 million (Alvarez); Pacquiao: $30 million (Marquez III)

Career Earnings

Mayweather: $420 million; Pacquiao: $335 million, including endorsements.

Career PPV Buys

Mayweather: 14.2 million; Pacquiao: 13.6 million

Career PPV Revenue

Mayweather: $860 million; Pacquiao: $755 million

Pacquiao Agrees To Fight Mayweather

The fight the world has wanted to see for the better part of six years -- a long-awaited summit meeting between welterweight champions Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, the two top boxers in the world -- is not done, but it has cleared a major hurdle.

Pacquiao and Top Rank, his promoter, have agreed to terms for a May 2 bout, Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti told ESPN.com on Tuesday night, although Mayweather has not yet agreed to terms and it remains to be seen if he will.

"Top Rank and Manny have agreed to the terms on our side. I don't know about the other side," Moretti said.

Nobody from Mayweather's camp could be reached for comment. Yahoo! Sports initially reported the development.

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum has been negotiating the bout for the past couple of months through Leslie Moonves, the president and CEO of CBS, which has two fights left on a six-fight contract CBS and subsidiary network Showtime signed Mayweather to in early 2013. Moonves, according to Arum, has been acting as a go-between in trying to hammer out Mayweather's end of the deal with adviser Al Haymon.

According to a source involved in the negotiations, Pacquiao has agreed to a 40 percent cut of the revenue, leaving Mayweather with the remaining 60 percent of a fight most believe will shatter every boxing box office record, including the all-time pay-per-view buy record of 2.4 million (Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya), the pay-per-view revenue record of $150 million (Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez) and the all-time gate record of $20 million (Mayweather-Alvarez).

If the fight is finalized, it would take place May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Moretti said. Mayweather has had his past 10 fights there, and Pacquiao has had five of his past seven bouts there.

Top Rank initially wanted to go in June to leave May 2 open for another major fight it is trying to finalize -- middleweight champion Miguel Cotto against former junior middleweight titlist Alvarez, a date Alvarez desperately wants to fight on because it is Cinco de Mayo weekend and he is Mexico's most popular active fighter.

But Top Rank gave in on the date, one Mayweather has insisted on, along with a host of other aspects of the fight.

The sides are so far along that they have drafted contracts, according to the Pacquiao side. While the Pacquiao camp agreed to terms, the attorneys on Mayweather's side indicated there were still open issues, although what they are is not clear, according to a source.

According to the Pacquiao side, everything was agreed to, including the gloves and drug testing. As far as the gloves go, each fighter would be able to select their own brand of 8-ounce gloves. Mayweather typically wears Grant gloves and Pacquiao fights in Cleto Reyes.

The drug testing protocol was the one open item that caused the fight to fall apart when it was first negotiated in late 2009 and early 2010. Mayweather wanted Pacquiao to submit to random Olympic-style drug testing, and he declined to do the kind of testing Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs), who turns 38 in February, wanted.

However, Moretti said Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), 36, who has subjected himself (and his opponents) to random testing by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association for his recent bouts, has gone so far as to agree to use the United States Anti-Doping Agency, which has randomly tested Mayweather (and his opponents) for years.

"I think that Manny agreed to USADA testing shows you his eagerness to make this fight," Moretti said.

Mayweather and Pacquiao have been on a collision course since late 2009. Mayweather ended a nearly two-year retirement to easily outpoint Juan Manuel Marquez in September 2009, and two months later Pacquiao knocked out Miguel Cotto in the 12th round to win a welterweight title. Everything had been agreed to but the drug testing, including a 50-50 revenue split.

There have been various attempts over the years to try to make the fight, but it has never been as close as it was in 2009 as it is now.

Back then, Mayweather and Pacquiao were both associated with HBO, even though neither was under contract. In early 2013, Mayweather signed his contract with CBS/Showtime and still has two fights remaining with guarantees of at least $32 million per fight while Pacquiao is now under contract to HBO/Time Warner. Still, the networks are not an impediment to a deal.

Both networks have said that they are willing to work together for what would be a joint pay-per-view telecast, similar to what they did for another fight that had been demanded by the public for years -- the 2002 heavyweight championship fight between then-champion Lennox Lewis, who was under contract to HBO, and Mike Tyson, who was with Showtime.

Promoter says Manny Pacquiao has agreed to terms for a Mayweather fight

Promoter Bob Arum told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday that Manny Pacquiao has agreed to terms for a May 2 bout with Floyd Mayweather, and that the only thing in the way of the long-awaited fight occurring is Mayweather's approval.

Arum said Mayweather's representatives have also agreed to the deal but have not been able to get Mayweather's agreement. However, there is no verification from anyone representing Mayweather whether Arum's side is accurate.

On Friday, the Los Angeles Times reported that progress was being made on making the match a reality. Multiple sources told Yahoo Sports over the weekend that a deal for the two superstars to fight at the MGM Grand Garden was imminent.

The sources told Yahoo Sports that not only have the sides agreed for the fight to be May 2 at the MGM, but also on a 60/40 purse split that would favor Mayweather. Mayweather could make in the range of $120 million. An MGM spokesman told Yahoo Sports that there was no deal for the fight to be held at the Grand Garden as far as he is aware.

In order to pay the astronomical salaries the fighters will command, ticket prices will be scaled at an all-time high. The top ticket at the MGM Grand Garden is expected to go for $5,000 so that the arena can be scaled to produce a $40 million live gate.


A $40 million live gate would be virtually double the existing record gate of $20,003,150, which was set at the MGM in 2013 by Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez.
Arum refused Tuesday to speak about details, but said Pacquiao was on board with all terms.

"I want to get some movement here, with bringing Mayweather to the table so we can go out and get everything signed and get the networks together and get the thing finished," Arum told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday.

Mayweather has an exclusive contract with Showtime and Pacquiao is obligated to HBO. It is not immediately clear which network will broadcast the fight, though it is expected that both will be involved. That was the solution worked out in 2002, when Mike Tyson (Showtime) fought Lennox Lewis (HBO) in Memphis, Tenn.

A Mayweather-Pacquiao bout first began to be seriously discussed in 2009. Mayweather ended a brief retirement by routing Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM on Sept. 19, 2009. Two months later, in perhaps the defining performance of his career, Pacquiao stopped Miguel Cotto at the MGM in the 12th round on Nov. 14, 2009.

It was clear at that point that they were not only the best welterweights in the world, but also the two best pound-for-pound fighters, period. While Mayweather is now widely acknowledged as the No. 1 fighter in the world, there was some debate in 2009 after Pacquiao stopped Cotto. Pacquiao was on a streak of 11 wins in a row that included dominant one-sided victories over Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales.

An agreement was close in 2009 for a March 2010 bout, but it fell apart when Pacquiao declined Mayweather's last-minute demand for drug testing.

Former HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg tried to mediate a deal between the sides in 2011, and talks seemed promising at one point before it lost momentum. And in 2012, Mayweather personally called Pacquiao and offered him a flat $40 million for the fight. Pacquiao declined because there was a lot more money in the fight and he wouldn't have gotten any pay-per-view revenue.

Arum declined to speak on the record over the weekend when reached by Yahoo Sports to discuss the rumors circulating that the fight was on the verge of being made. But early Tuesday, he spoke to Brad Cooney of Examiner.com and told Cooney that Pacquiao had agreed to terms.

In a conversation later Tuesday with Yahoo Sports, Arum was asked if he were trying to force Mayweather's hand by speaking publicly after he was so tight-lipped and adamantly refusing to comment over the weekend.

"I'm not trying to force anybody's hand, I'm just saying, 'Hey, we've agreed to everything, period,' " Arum told Yahoo Sports. "The people we have talked to on Mayweather's side have agreed to everything. Now we need Mayweather to step up and say, 'Yeah, I'm on board. I agree.'

"I'm not going to put a deadline on there. I'm just going to hope that everybody does the right thing and we get this concluded. It would be really sad if we went through this stuff again like we did before."

Arum said he and Pacquiao were "ignorant about the drug-testing stuff," when Mayweather first made the request for testing in the 2009 negotiations. He said Pacquiao has educated himself on it and has no problem to being tested and readily agreed to testing as part of his deal in getting the Mayweather fight.
He declined to talk specifics on Tuesday about purses, venue and the like, but said his only goal was to get a deal consummated. Pacquiao is flying to the U.S. on Wednesday and has meetings with Arum and then is doing publicity for a movie.

Arum said he hopes to avoid getting close to a deal, getting hopes up and then having it dashed.

If that's his position, it doesn't make sense to talk publicly about private negotiations, but that's always been Arum's style.

"The point is that I don't want what happened the other times to happen again," Arum said. "I want this fight to actually happen. I want everybody to make a lot of money on the fight. I want the public to be satisfied. And I think it will be a terrific event. That's what I want, and I've done everything in my power to make that happen.

"I think Manny has been very reasonable and demonstrated that he wants the fight to happen. Now, we're waiting on Floyd. That's not to say that Floyd has been obstinate, that Floyd won't do it, but we're waiting on him."

Top Rank is also working on a middleweight title fight between Alvarez, the Golden Boy star from Mexico, and WBC champion Miguel Cotto. Promoter Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy is on record saying he wants Alvarez to fight on May 2, and Arum has agreed that it made sense to have Alvarez fighting on a Mexican holiday.

But Arum said that if fighting on May 2 meant that much to Mayweather, he would look to make the Cotto-Alvarez fight for some other date. That fight still isn't finalized, though, and it's no guarantee that it will be.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Pacquiao camp sets deadline for Floyd

The camp of Manny Pacquiao has already set a deadline for the camp of Floyd Mayweather Jr. to seal the deal on the mega-fight boxing fans are waiting for.

According to Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz, they want to closer the deal by the end of January.

Pacquiao has already gave a counter-offer and are still waiting for the American’s response.

“We're waiting for word from Floyd. The issue is very sensitive. We're giving this until the end of the month,” he said in Boxing Scene.

So far, the eight-division champion has already agreed to some of the demands brought up by Mayweather, including the May 2 fight date that could affect the planned Cinco de Mayo weekend bout between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Miguel Cotto.

Pacquiao has said the date won’t be an issue for him, so long as the elusive Mayweather signs the contract.

The Filipino has also agreed to take a lower cut in the fight expected to generate at $200 million to $300 million in revenues.

"Importante lang, kailangan muna matuloy," stressed Pacquiao, adding that he has no idea of where the venue for the bout will be as well.

Boxing promoter Bob Arum, who has been working out the fight with CBS' Les Moonves, admitted that the negotiations are proceeding at a slow pace.

"The talks are slow, but at least there is movement," Arum told veteran fight scribe Ronnie Nathanielsz, adding that he remains unsure if a deal will be reached.

"Until a deal is made and contracts signed, we'll never know," the veteran boxing promoter said.

BoxRec: Pacquiao vs Floyd on May 2

The super fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. has got everything on it – except the contract signed by both fighters.

The betting lines opened more than a month ago, putting the unbeaten Mayweather a 3-1 favorite over the surging Pacquiao.

Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, has dedicated an entire page for the fight, the most talked about boxing contest that has yet to happen.

Yesterday, www.boxrec.com, the most extensive boxing website carrying the updated records of professional boxers, both active and retired, fanned the fire.

BoxRec posted yesterday morning (Manila time) the schedule of Mayweather vs Pacquiao on May 2, 2015. It’s got the venue, too, and it’s the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Boxing observers jumped on it and slowly, word spread.

The post was deleted a couple of hours later.

The question being asked now is: What made BoxRec post the fight schedule when no announcement had been made yet?

Or is BoxRec privy to the “ongoing” negotiations between Pacquiao and Mayweather representatives?

Has the fight been sealed?

BoxRec, which draws no less than 50,000 visitors and around a million page views each day since 2008, holds the record of 17,000 active and 345,000 non-active boxers in its database.

It has a massive reputation to hold.

“Anyone in boxing who says he doesn’t use BoxRec is either a complete imbecile or lying,” boxing promoter Lou DiBella once said.

But it may not be the first time BoxRec did it because someone (@boxingadvocate) tweeted that BoxRec once posted a Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight for March 13, 2010.

“Remember when BoxRec listed Mayweather-Pacquiao...for March 13, 2010?” was the tweet.

Around that time, the fight came close to happening.

But it didn’t.

Pacquiao fought Joshua Clottey on March 13, 2010 in Texas.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

‘There Is Movement’ In Manny Pacquiao Vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. Megafight Talks, Bob Arum Declares

In a remark sure to raise hopes that a long-awaited Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. megafight will finally happen this year, promoter Bob Arum sounded a somewhat optimistic note Monday in an interview with the Philippine newspaper, the Manila Standard.

“The talks are slow, but at least there is movement,” Arum told the newspaper, in one of the first instances in which he has acknowledged that negotiations for the fight — anticipated to become the biggest money bout in boxing history — are actually making progress.

While Arum did not comment on the proposed May 2 date for the fight — a date which he had previously ruled out saying that, coming only three days prior to the Mexican-American Cinco de Mayo holiday, any major May 2 fight should include a Mexican boxer — he did reveal to the Standard the single issue holding up the talks. And indeed, the revelation was no surprise.

“It’s always about money,” Arum commented.

Mayweather called Arum’s stance on the May 2 date, the date proposed by Mayweather himself, an “excuse.”

“Bob Arum is trying to throw another excuse out there, talking about how they don’t want to fight on May 2nd,” said the fighter in a recent interview. “Why not? Let’s make the fight happen.”

Last week, Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz, who acts as the Filipino fighter’s go-between with Arum, said that Mayweather and his camp had sent over a new counter-offer in response to the latest Pacquiao team proposal. But Koncz did not specify the terms of the counter-offer or the latest Pacquiao pitch.

Whether the new counter-offer was what Arum meant by “movement” in the talks was not made clear, but given the timing, could well be what the 83-year-old veteran promoter, who made his reputation in the boxing industry staging such superfights as the classic 1985 showdown between Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns, was referencing.

Koncz also said that whether or not the Mayweather fight takes place in 2015, Manny Pacquiao is contractually bound to fight two times in 2015.

Arum added that unless the Mayweather negotiations come together soon, he will book a fight for Pacquiao in April, probably in a United States venue, where the fight will be broadcast by the pay cable network HBO.

Mayweather is under contract to rival pay cable channel Showtime, and must next fight in May — against Pacquiao or someone else.

Pacquiao himself gave an interview to the Philippine network ABS-CBN News over the weekend, in which he said that he is willing to fight on any date of Mayweather’s choosing.

“Of course if he wanted the May 2 date, that is no problem,” Pacquiao told the network, adding that he is pleased that the two sides are now actively negotiating. “It’s beautiful that we’re talking now. We’ve never had that before.”

Not only the date but the venue for any possible Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight in 2015 remains unknown, but the megafight would almost certainly be held in Las Vegas.

Team Pacquiao Give Mayweather Talks Until Month's End

The Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao negotiations will continue, at least until the end of month. Michael Koncz, adviser to Pacquiao, says the delicate terms are still being discussed for a pay-per-view welterweight unification between the two biggest names in the sport.

Mayweather intends to fight on May 2nd, which is perfectly fine with Pacquiao. If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement by the end of the month, then Pacquiao's team will be forced to explore other options for a likely title defense on a date in April.

“We’re waiting for word from Floyd,” Koncz said to the Manila Bulletin. “The issue is very sensitive. We’re giving this until the end of the month.”

Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, is working out the details with CBS CEO Les Moonves, who is negotiating for the Mayweather side.

Nobody but Mayweather? Pacquiao could slowly be running out of possible foes

Manny Pacquiao's list of possible opponents for 2015 is getting slimmer each day, even as his long-awaited showdown against Floyd Mayweather remains up in the air.

If the Mayweather fight falls through anew, the most ideal fight for Pacquiao would have been with light welterweight king Danny Garcia (29-0, 17KOs).

But while Garcia has also expressed his eagerness to fight the Filipino ring icon, promoter Oscar De La Hoya is looking to pit the unbeaten fighter in a unification bout against Lamont Peterson early this year.

"I will push for Garcia vs. Peterson for the first quarter of the year, the next fight that I want to make," De La Hoya told The RING.

Should negotiations with the Mayweather camp break down yet again and Garcia-Peterson get made, Bob Arum reportedly has a mismatch lined up next for Pacquiao against light welterweight world champion Jessie Vargas (26-0, 9KOs).

Monday, January 5, 2015

Pacquiao to fight twice in 2015

Whether it's against Floyd Mayweather or not, Manny Pacquiao is going to fight twice this year, according to his chief adviser, Mike Koncz.

“We’re under contract to have two fights,” said Koncz when asked of Pacquiao’s plans for 2015.

Pacquiao’s contract with Top Rank is good until the end of 2016, and it’s most likely hooked with HBO.

Mayweather, of course, remains the top priority. But if the American remains as elusive as before, then Pacquiao will have to look somewhere else.

His promoter, Bob Arum, said if it’s not Mayweather, then Pacquiao will fight someone else in April, and most likely the fight will take place in the United States.

Mayweather will return to the ring in May regardless of the opponent.

Koncz said a few days ago that negotiations are still on for the Mayweather fight, and Pacquiao is doing everything to make it happen.

Weeks ago, Koncz told Pinoy scribes the same thing.

“Manny said the fans deserve the Mayweather fight and we’re doing everything that we can possibly do other than say that we can fight for free to make it happen,” said Koncz.

“It’s really up to Floyd. If he wants to cement his legacy and pull his head up when he retires he’s got to give the fans what they want,” Koncz added.

Pacquiao, who has proven that he still has the speed, the power and the hunger, has gotten tired facing all the questions about Mayweather.

No matter where he’s at, the 36-year-old Pacquiao is asked when he’s going to fight Mayweather.

“Of course we’ll make substantial money but that’s not the driving force behind the reason Manny wants the fight. He’s an entertainer. He likes to entertain the fans,” said Koncz.

There’s a short list of potential opponents for Pacquiao, and they could be anyone among those in the 140 or 147 pound divisions.

Koncz is not throwing out any names because, “If the opponent knows we’re looking at them they’re going to jack up their prices.”

One thing Koncz could assure Pacquiao fans is that he’ll do two fights this year. They’re looking at Macau for the second one.

“Based on what we’ve discussed in the past I believe the way it stands now we’ll fight in Macau once a year – in November,” said Koncz.

Manny Pacquiao taunts rival Floyd Mayweather

In his last bout in Macau in November Pacquiao, an eight-division world champion, defeated Chris Algieri via a unanimous decision to retain his WBO welterweight crown.

After calling out Mayweather in the aftermath and the long-awaited clash between the two finally looking likely, Pacquiao and the undefeated American have been trading blows on social media ever since.

Pacquiao said on Monday: "Floyd brags about his lifestyle and everything! I don't care. I'm just waiting here for him to sign the contract."

Mayweather had touted May 2 as a possible date for the fight to take place but also insisted that the bout will only happen on his terms.

The pair had been due to meet in March 2010 before negotiations over drug-testing broke down.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Pacquiao’s camp confirms Mayweather negotiations are ongoing

In an interview Ring Magazine’s Lem Satterfield, Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz confirmed that there are indeed negotiations for a mega-fight between the eight-division and current WBO welterweight champion versus the number 1 pound-for-pound fighter and WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather.
“We’re still in negotiations with Floyd’s group through Top Rank. I spoke to Manny this morning. I gave Manny what is perceived to be a counter offer from the Mayweather people,” said Koncz.
“We discussed it and now I’ve given instruction to Bob to counter their counter. We’ve been going back and forth. Bob has been negotiating with the powers that be on Floyd’s side for the past couple of weeks. There’s been offers and counter offers, and a couple of days ago Bob called me and gave me allegedly where Floyd’s side is, and I discussed that with Manny two hours ago.”
Immediately after defending his title against Chris Algieri in Macau back in November, Pacquiao called out Mayweather. The undefeated American finally replied in an interview saying that he wants to fight Pacquiao on May 2.
“Now I’ve given Bob our response to that. I’m never overly optimistic until the contract is signed, but the good thing is that we’re still going back and forth,” Koncz ended.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Pacquiao's New Year message to Mayweather: #LetsMakeFistory

Manny Pacquiao sent another message to Floyd Mayweather in the last days of 2014, telling the brash American it was time to finally step into the ring.
The two camps have been negotiating for a megafight on and off for the past several years, but talks have repeatedly fallen through. But 2015 offers fresh hope that a fight between the two camps would finally happen.

Pacquiao has seemingly stepped up his jabs on social media against Mayweather. Earlier, he had a Christmas message for his unbeaten rival.