Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum is giving himself “a few more weeks” to get a deal in place for Manny Pacquiao to meet Floyd Mayweather next year.
Speaking from Los Angeles yesterday, the 83-year-old Arum told the Bulletin that he remains in close contact with CBS owner Les Moonves as he hopes to make the dream fight a reality for June 2015.
“I just received an email from Les and we’d be talking more about this in the coming days,” Arum said, noting that Moonves is currently outside the US.
Moonves is the president and CEO of CBS, the network that also has Showtime under its wings. Showtime has two more fights remaining in its high-income six-fight contract with Mayweather.
Arum said a May date for Pacquiao versus Mayweather is not ideal since it has been eyed for a collision course between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez of Mexico and Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico to commemorate Cinco de Mayo, a matchup that also has all the trappings of a super blockbuster.
There are a lot of obstacles to be cleared for a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown to happen even if both fighters have exchanged words that they are willing to face each other the soonest.
Mayweather said he is raring to face Pacquiao in a welterweight unification war on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas provided that he calls the shots in the negotiations.
Boasting that he is the A-side and Pacquiao is the B-side, Mayweather said that the Filipino doesn’t have the right to impose his own terms, adding that when he fought Oscar Dela Hoya in 2007, he obliged to everything the Golden Boy wanted.
The undefeated Mayweather, 37, also made about half of what Dela Hoya earned ($55 million) and Pacquiao has to understand his being inferior before Mayweather.
If a Mayweather fight doesn’t happen, Arum said Pacquiao, who turned 36 last week, will return to the ring in April against an opponent to be determined later although Jessie Vargas, a Mexican-American banger, has been considered.
This early, oddsmakers in Sin City, have installed Mayweather as the 3-1 favorite.
Don’t waste time on the Cowardly Duck.
Just go to 140 and clean the division.
Why not agree to a May 2 fight. De La Hoya said (through Twitter) that he is willing to agree to move the Canelo fight if that will make the Mayweather-Pacquiao happens? Arum don’t make the date an alibi for Mayweather not to fight Pacquiao….give May 2 the date for Mayweather-Pacquiao fight if that will force Mayweather to fight….
Arum is playing BS. He don’t want this fight for Pacquaio. People are waiting for this fight to happen for years and Arum won’t agree on the date? Now we know whose ducking.
I think he is not, he is just being a promoter, telling floyd that he cannot be disregarded on the negotiation.
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What if Arum agree on May 2 fight will it really happen? What is the next condition, the next to the next condition. Staging fight fight like this cannot be done in short period of time. Mayweather knows that that’s why he choose the date which is not really possible. Then he will blame Arum again. Niloloko lang kayo ni Rich Coward Wife Beater
May 2 date is for Cotto Canelo. Pacquiao vs. Floyd will sell on any day of the week of any month, even at 6 am. Floyd demanding May 2 be the date is yet another duck move. Floyd vs. Pac works in April or June. http://www.ringobserver.com
Arum is being smart he knows Floyd has no other option but to fight Pac and they also know that they don’t have to fight May 2. If Cotto and Canelo is really happening on this day Floyd really has no option and I doubt CBS will risk losing alot of money. Floyd is cornered unless he fights GGG there is no other fight for him where he can generate enough PPV for CBS. Floyd and Pac in April or June. Doesn’t mean your the A side you get what you want not with Uncle Bob.
I know Floyd has fought on Cinco De Mayo in the past. He usually fought a Mexican fighter and it was very good for business. I am not sure why he is so intent on fighting Pacquiao on that day. No matter when he fights Pacquiao the PPV number will be huge. I’ll bet fighting Pacquiao on May 2 won’t add an additional 1% to the gate or PPV,so why is he so firm on that date?