Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Closer to Happening?
Floyd Mayweather and his team are making their intentions public and direct. They want a fight with Manny Pacquiao, and they want it for May 5th, 2012. The fight would take place in Las Vegas, most likely at the MGM Grand. All of this comes out according to a report from Dan Rafael on ESPN, who quoted Leonard Ellerbe and Richard Schaefer for the story. So is Pacquiao vs. Mayweather really in our future, after years of waiting and anticipation?
This report comes at an interesting time, because it was just days ago that Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told the world that Mayweather vs. Pacquiao would never happen. (He also went on a hypocritical rant about sportsmanship, a slap to the face of sports fans everywhere with a drop of intelligence, as he promotes Manos de Plaster Antonio Margarito).
Therefore, this could be some well-timed publicity of sorts for Team Mayweather, telling the world not to believe Arum, and that this is what we really think, and what we really want to do. Or it can be a simple and bold-faced statement of intent. By doing so, it puts the pressure back on Arum and Pacquiao to get the deal done.
Here are some choice words from Ellerbe from the ESPN.com article:
“We’re looking to make the biggest fight possible and everyone knows what that fight is, the little fella.”
“Floyd made it very clear that he wants to give the fans the biggest fights that are out there. He wants to stay active. We’re going to do everything in our power to make the biggest fight out there for the fans and we all know what the fight is.”
“We had a discussion, Floyd, me and Al. Floyd made it very clear to us what he wanted to do. He told us he is looking to make the biggest fight that is out there and to make it in May.”
Of course, there are plenty of obstacles still to overcome before we get to see Mayweather and Pacquiao settle their differences in the squared circle. Pacquiao has to defeat Juan Manuel Marquez in their rubber match. Mayweather has to avert jail time from his impending trials. And perhaps most daunting of all, Team Mayweather and Team Pacquiao have to come to terms on the fight. Everything from the money split, to the fine print of the drug testing to smaller issues such as the gloves used and more all have to be ironed out.
Nonetheless, this is an encouraging piece of news, and boxing fans have to cross their fingers that all of the above takes place, and we get to see Pacquiao vs. Mayweather next May. We deserve it, and at this point, both fighters need it.
