Speaking from New York City yesterday to promote his bio flick, Manny Pacquiao resumed his challenge to Floyd Mayweather to stop dilly-dallying and “sign the contract” so they could finally settle the issue of who among them is the better man in the ring.
Negotiations have apparently stalled as Pacquiao made it clear that he is already on board for a May 2 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and that the ball is now in Mayweather’s court.
Now that Pacquiao has bowed down to every Mayweather demand, Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum is now even more convinced that the undefeated US fighter doesn’t have anything to do with the Filipino eight-division champion.
“He is running like a thief,” said Arum after receiving Pacquiao in his Beverly Hills residence just before his No. 1 attraction flew to the Big Apple.
Arum said and he and Pacquiao spoke for “about an hour” and the 36-year-old fighting congressman knows the Mayweather situation and is likewise aware of the details for a Plan B if negotiations go down the drain.
“When push comes to shove, he (Mayweather) backs down,” said Arum.
Arum laments that the other side (Mayweather) is telling everyone that while there is progress in the negotiations, a favorable outcome is still far from sight.
“They are tricky,” added Arum.
In the event everything collapses, Arum said he has no choice but to proceed with a back-up plan—a fight by Pacquiao in late-April or May after Mayweather’s Cinco de Mayo headliner.
Pacquiao said he doesn’t see any reason why Mayweather will not agree now since he has made many sacrifices just to please him, foremost is the acceptance of a smaller percentage in the revenue.
This early, oddsmakers have installed Mayweather as the clear favorite in the proposed welterweight title match that is expected to surpass all existing box-office and PPV records.