By John F. McKenna (McJack): World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO’s) has called the bluff of WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0, 26 KO’s). Mayweather earlier this week called Pacquiao out on twitter saying “step up punk”.
Floyd had reserved the MGM Grand Arena months ago for May 5. At that time it was unknown who Mayweather’s intended opponent would be. The Mayweather camp would only say at the time that Floyd wanted to fight “the little fella” on that date. Of course everyone assumed that “the little fella” the Mayweather camp was referring to was Manny Pacquiao.
Google quoted Pacquiao at a Thursday news conference with Top Rank CEO Bob Arum present in the Philippines saying:
“I want to fight him. This is the fight the world wants. Mayweather wants a guaranteed purse so what he has to do is get a promoter who can give him the guarantee. I don’t have problems getting a guarantee because I have a promoter who will give me my guaranteed purse.
“If he gets the guarantee, then we are going to share the revenue on a 50-50 basis.
Arum added: “There is no problem on out 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 Golden Boy Promotions is not going to guarantee his purse.”
Arum said he prefers a fight in late May which would give Manny the additional time for the cut he suffered in the Marquez fight to heal before sparring begins.
Arum wants to have a temporary venue constructed which would significantly increase the revenue for everyone involved in the fight.
Arum went on to say that if Mayweather chooses not to fight in late May Pacquiao will move on to face another opponent on June 9. Arum originally questioned the sincerity of Mayweather reserving the MGM Grand for May 5 without even contacting the Pacquiao camp. The date and selection of a venue is always part of the negotiating process in a high profile fight.
Mayweather will begin serving a 90 day jail term at the Clark County Detention Center on June 1 for domestic violence. His sentence was delayed from the original date of January 6 to allow him to fight since he had already secured the MGM Grand for May 5.
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