2014 Boxing News: Larry Merchant Says Mayweather Jr. vs. Pacquiao Fight Will Happen

Veteran Boxing Analyst Larry Merchant admitted he's still craving for a showdown between pound-for-pound greats Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. during an interview with Boxing Scene.

Merchant, a well respected boxing pundit, said he's not losing hope that one day he would witness Pacquiao and Mayweather toe-to-toe inside the boxing ring, although the megafight will feature two great fighters past their prime.

"I've been telling people for three or four years that I thought it would happen, and I've been consistently wrong," Merchant told Boxing Scene. "So I don't claim to be an expert on that."

"Obviously, there are other considerations for both of them. They've made a lot of fights. They've made a lot of money," he added. "It's not going to happen any time real soon."

Not So Prime Fighters

Merchant said Pacquiao's latest dare challenging Money May to a charity fight won't help speed up the arrangement for their mega-showdown. But he believed the fight will eventually take place in the future and this will still generate tremendous buzz in the boxing community despite it will showcase two legendary fighters in the twilight of their boxing days.

"Listen, Tyson and Lewis didn't happen in their primes, and yet it was a huge event when it happened," he said. "So, is it conceivable? Yes. But I think there's a question about Manny, and whether he's the Manny of story and song, whether he's really going to be an elite fighter for very long."

Tyson and Lewis met each other for the undisputed heavyweight title in 2002. The fight set gate receipts and pay-per-view buys revenue at that time - only to be broken by Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya slugfest in 2007.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao and Mayweather should have taken each other earlier but both camps have failed to come up with an agreement due to disputes on blood testing, money sharing and the ongoing cold war between Bob Arum's Top Rank and De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.

Pacquiao will reportedly fight Timothy Bradley in a rematch on April 12 while Mayweather has yet to announce his next foe. But his next appearance is already set on May 3 at MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Fore more 2014 Boxing News update, read more at IBT Sports.