So confident is Floyd Mayweather of beating Manny Pacquiao on May 2 that the unbeaten US fighter didn’t even bother to insert a rematch clause in the contract.
The move could backfire heavily against Mayweather, who has been installed a 3-1 favorite to keep his record intact in the scheduled 12-round welterweight war at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
During the negotiations that took months to finish, it was Mayweather who dictated the terms, saying he is the A-side and that Pacquiao doesn’t have the authority to make any demands.
But Yahoo Sports said a clause that calls for a rematch was added in the contract although the New York Daily News disputes this, adding that there is no provision for such, making the agreement a one-fight deal and a must-win for Mayweather, who turns 38 on Tuesday.
In the event Pacquiao wins on May 2, Mayweather will be put in a difficult spot especially if he asks for a rematch.
A win by Pacquiao will give him the leverage in the negotiations and the tables will be turned in the discussions, making Pacquiao the A-side this time, and Mayweather the B-side, if and when Mayweather decides to pursue a rematch.
Still, if Pacquiao scores an upset, Mayweather is expected to ask for a chance at redemption and part of the deal would be a rubber match in case Mayweather gets back at Pacquiao, turning the trilogy into an epic from a financial standpoint.
Efforts to bring Mayweather and Pacquiao together have failed the past several years owing to issues related to drug testing and revenue-sharing, sensitive points that have been ironed out by the two parties.
At one point, Mayweather came out and insisted that for a fight with Pacquiao to happen, the eight-division Filipino champion will have to settle for a fixed fee of just $40 million.
Mayweather likewise said that a Pacquiao fight will only happen if Top Rank chief Bob Arum, who remains part of the promotional equation, won’t get involved.
But Arum’s promotional company will play a vital role in the May 2 event not only because it has Pacquiao under its care.