By Robert “Big Moe” Elmore: Immediately after Manny Pacquiao defeated Brandon Rios, Top Rank’s CEO Bob Arum scheduled Manny’s return on April 12th of next year. This immediately killed any hope of making a fight with pound for pound undefeated champion Floyd Mayweather. Floyd announced shortly after his victory over Saul Alvarez that he would be fighting in May and September.
The media and fans have only speculated who Floyd’s May 3rd opponent will be, but Floyd himself has not uttered a word. Days before Manny’s fight with Rios, Freddie Roach and Bob Arum had become very vocal about wanting a Floyd fight. And after Pacquiao’s victory last Saturday night, Pacquiao has become vocal as well. Naturally, the Pac faithful and Floyd supporters filled the boxing websites to defend their favorite fighters. Here are a few facts that let me know that Floyd/Pac fight wasn’t an option for 2014.
On October 24th of this year a month before Pacquiao-Rios, ESPN’s Dan Rafael tweeted that Arum wanted to match Pac against Bradley or Juan Manuel Marquez for a 5th bout. Then moments after Pac’s victory, the October 24th tweet was confirmed. I believe Pac will fight Bradley on April 12 and then Marquez in October to finish up his contract extension with Top Rank which expires in December of 2014. Fans claim that both fighters need each other to earn the most they can earn in their careers. I agree as this fight will break all records across the board. But boxing is about “what have you done for me lately”. And based on that here’s how the fighters would stack up if negotiations took place today. Floyd is the WBC welterweight champion. At junior middleweight he is the WBA ”super” and regular champion; and the WBC champion. Mayweather‘s guaranteed purse against Alvarez was a record breaking 41.5 million with the potential to earn 100 million. The fight grossed over 150 million in total revenue and did 2.2 million buys which could grow.
Pac made a guaranteed 18 million with the potential to earn 30 million depending on the pay per views. That’s not bad at all considering the fact he’s coming off a defeat to Marquez. Some boxers don’t make that with a string of victories and a couple major belts. Pac has no title as well. So a 70/30 split or even 80/20 split in favor of Floyd would be very generous. Both fighters could finish their careers without fighting each other and make decent money. On Monday, ESPN’S Stephen A. Smith weighed in on the possible Floyd/Pac fight and made a statement that I support whole heartedly. He challenged Floyd to do what he needed to do to get Bob Arum out of the way so the fight can happen. I support that statement and will continue to do so. If Manny leaves Top Rank, this fight happens. PERIOD! Manny’s contract is up at the end of 2014 and it will be interesting to see what he does. Will he become a free agent and use MP Promotions to score a couple big fights where the money would go straight to him or will he resign with Top Rank?
Understand fans, a midst all the smoke screens, ARUM AND FLOYD WILL NOT DO BUSINESS WITH EACH OTHER. This is about total control over the fight and maximizing earnings. First off, this would mean splitting monies between Top Rank, Golden Boy and Mayweather Promotions. Not going to happen. If the fight did happen under these circumstances, this might require Top Rank to “lend” Pacquiao to Golden Boy or Mayweather Promotions (i.e. like the deal with Nonito Donaire and Abner Mares where Donarie was to be paid 3 million to be divvied up how Top Rank saw fit if Donaire were “lent” to Golden Boy and vice versa for Mares). Again, not going to happen. It is interesting to note that Golden Boy receives a percentage of Manny’s purse already.
But if these two never fight, both will continue to make decent money. But the fact that Mayweather’s guaranteed purse against Canelo (41.5million; before pay per view buys were totaled) was more than Manny’s total take for his fight with Rios, says a lot about Floyd’s business acumen. I believe firmly Manny is capable of making that kind of money on his own. What do ya’ll think?
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