By Allen Fox: UK writer Steve Bunce sees Floyd Mayweather Jr’s 90 day jail time as being something positive as far as narrowing down Mayweather’s options to the point where he’ll likely be more interested in negotiating a fight with WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in 2012.

In his column at the independent.co.uk, Bunce said “The last figure being discussed for Mayweather against Pacquiao was $35 million each for their time in the ring for a fight that has been tarnished by time, dodgy decisions, Pacquiao’s dip in form, Mayweather’s sucker punch [of Victor Ortiz] and now Mayweather’s incarceration.”
Given that both fighters make $20 million for each fight, they’re not all that much ahead for a fight between them if they’re only going to get an extra $15 million. It seems like it might be a better deal for them to not fight at all because is going to be devalued from the fight.

I disagree with Bunce about Mayweather having viewer options after he gets out of jail. That doesn’t quite make sense. He’s only going to be in for two months at best, and when he gets out he’s got guys like Saul Alvarez, Miguel Cotto, Andre Berto and Sergio Martinez all waiting in line to fight him. Anyone one of those guys would make for a big fight with Mayweather where he could likely bring in his normal $20 million per fight. Mayweather won’t have his back against the wall and be in desperate straits after he gets out; for from it actually. He can continue on for a long time without needing to fight Pacquiao, although he’s better taking the fight sooner rather than later because Pacquiao is starting to show serious signs of decline. Mayweather can’t take the chance that Pacquiao will get beaten by one of the guys that his promoter Bob Arum is matching him against.