By Dave Lahr: Bob Arum’s mid July deadline is almost up for Floyd Mayweather Jr. to speak up about whether he agrees to Arum’s contract for the Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight. Mayweather isn’t saying anything. Since he really wanted the fight with Pacquiao up until recently, you have to wonder who screwed it up and caused Mayweather back off?
I can only guess that it was something in the contract that Mayweather found not to his liking. I think Pacquiao must have priced himself out of the bout by asking for a 50-50 deal with Mayweather. That’s a big mistake. You can’t expect Mayweather, the cash-cow of boxing to agree to an even deal with a fighter that’s not getting the same pay per view numbers. That would be crazy for Mayweather do that.
I believe in charity but Mayweather would be giving away tons of money if he agreed to a 50-50 deal with Pacquiao, not when Mayweather is putting backsides in the seats and when he’s selling big numbers on PPV. Arum probably sent the contract over to Mayweather and as soon as he saw the numbers, he was turned off from the fight. Instead of complaining about it, Mayweather showed the class act that he is and wouldn’t even lower himself to respond to what he didn’t feel was a deal worthy of his response.
You see, Mayweather is the star in the boxing world. When you want to fight him, you have to come at a lower level. You got to grovel a little. You’re not going to be working an even deal with him, because he’s the star. If Pacquiao wanted a fight with Mayweather, he should have come to the table knowing that he’ll be getting the smaller percentage of the money and that he would also be taking the full, not partial, random blood tests.
If you want to fight the best fighter in the world, you got to be willing to take the tests and take the lower money. Obviously, it’s looking like they blew it this time. Hopefully, they learn from this and know how to approach Mayweather next time.
Arum is talking about wanting to try and arrange a fight with Mayweather and Pacquiao in May of 2011. Let’s hope he comes into that negotiation realizing that Pacquiao is going to have to take the smaller money compared to Mayweather. I hope he doesn’t price himself out of another fight with Mayweather.
I suppose Pacquiao can keep fighting Miguel Cotto in the meantime, but he would be so much better off to give Mayweather want he wants so he can get the fight and boxing fans can be happy.
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