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| Floyd Mayweather Jr. |
Apparently, he's using a tactic that's reminiscent of the Ali vs. Frazier pre-fight campaign, wherein Ali ridiculed Frazier in an act of promoting the fight.
Last week, Mayweather demanded Pacquiao to "give the world what they want to see" and agree to a bout on the 5th of May.
And while Pacquiao said he wanted the fight, he said he favors a date in late May and suggested Mayweather could not guarantee his side of the purse.
"This is the fight the world wants," said Philippine boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.
"[But] Mayweather wants a guaranteed purse so what he has to do is get a promoter who can give him the guarantee," Pacquiao said.
"I don't have problems getting a guarantee because I have a promoter who will give me my guaranteed purse," Pacquiao continued. "If he gets a guarantee, then we are going to share the revenue on a 50-50 basis."
Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum added: "There is no problem on our part - the problem is on Mayweather's.
"Mayweather needs somebody on his side that's going to guarantee his purse. Mayweather has nobody on his side and GBP (Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions) is not going to guarantee his purse."
Arum and Pacquiao's financial advisor, Michael Koncz, wants a bout in late May to coincide with the completion of a 45,000-seater arena in Las Vegas.
The MGM Grand, where Mayweather is booked to fight on May 5, has a capacity of only 17,000 and Koncz claims an additional $30 million could be raised if the bout took place in the new venue.
"Why would I tell Manny to fight on 5 May and throw away a percentage of $30m? That's crazy," Koncz said.
Last last week, five-weight world champion Mayweather had a 90-day jail term deferred so that he could fulfill a prearranged date at the MGM Grand. He will now begin his sentence on the 1st of June.
The WBC welterweight champion subsequently used his Twitter account to challenge Pacquiao.
"Step up Punk," said the undefeated American boxer. "Manny Pacquiao I'm calling you out let's fight May 5 and give the world what they want to see (sic)."
A year ago, talks failed when Pacquiao, 33, pulled out after Mayweather demanded random drugs tests before the bout.
At the time, Arum called Mayweather "a psychological coward who doesn't want to fight anybody who has a chance of beating him", and predicted the bout would never take place.
But if the purse on offer matches the £25m-per-fighter deal that was rumored to be on offer last year, the biggest payday in boxing history may prove persuasive.
Arum insisted that if there was to be no fight in late May against the American then he would move forward with a Pacquiao clash on June 9 against someone else.
He listed a rematch against Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez or Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, as well as American's Tim Bradley and Lamont Peterson, as potential alternatives.
May 5th is Pacquiao ass whooping day
Just recently, the boxer who likes to fight with words, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is back at it again, twitting messages and calling out Manny Pacquiao.
"January 16th was Dr. Martin Luther king's birthday. Jaunary 17th is Muhammad Ali's birthday," said Mayweather via Twitter. "May 5th is Pacquiao ass whooping day. I am ready to fight Pacquiao 5/5/12. Bob Arum know the date can't change. I have my guarantee. Call Schaefer& Al and stop lying to the public."
Manny Pacquiao stated on more than one occasion that he really wants to fight Floyd Mayweather. Freddie Roach recently stated that he wants to get Manny ready for a fight with Mayweather more than anything else in the world. Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum himself recently stated that there are no more issues left to set up much talked about mega showdown, and all we can do is wait. It seems Floyd Mayweather Jr. is desperate for a fight or maybe, it's just another one of those self-promotions he usually does.
"First they say I am ducking the fight," continued Mayweather, 34. "But now it seems like I am begging for a fight. What is going on?"
Floyd Mayweather Jr. also used twitter to quote Dr. Marin Luther King: "Let no man pull you low enough to hate him."
Arum told RingTV.com on Tuesday that Mayweather is still among the five choices for Pacquiao, including WBA junior middleweight beltholders Miguel Cotto, RING lightweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez, WBO junior welterweight titleholder Tim Bradley and IBF/WBA junior welterweight titleholder Lamont Peterson.
"Floyd Mayweather is the Plan A. And one of those other four guys is the Plan B. Our first priority is to see if a Mayweather fight can be made," said Arum. "If that fight can be made, then everything will fall into place. If that can't be made, then everything else will still fall into place."
Mayweather has targeted May 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for his next bout, but Arum and Pacquiao's advisor, Michael Koncz, have all but dismissed that date for Mayweather-Pacquiao, citing their camp's desire to have built a 40,000-seat, temporary outdoor venue on the Las Vegas strip in late May or early June to maximize revenue.
"I've always said that we could get an outdoor stadium up by the end of May," said Arum, noting that Mayweather is slated to begin a 90-day jail sentence starting on June 1.
"We're talking with the builders tomorrow [Wednesday]. Obviously, if this thing plays out any longer, then that won't be an option anymore."
Oscar de la Hoya chimes in
Oscar de la Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, followed up on Mayweather's tweets.
"Mayweather told bob to contact Richard Schaffer [Schaefer] to make the fight!! Let's do this," later adding, "Way to step up to the plate Mayweather. Let's do it Bob. Now call Richard Schaefer, his phone on."
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