Arum and De La Hoya with Mayweather Sr. in 2002
Floyd Mayweather Sr. (R) points to WBC champion Oscar De La Hoya as he makes a fight prediction in rhyme during a press conference at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas September 10, 2002. At center is boxing promoter Bob Arum. De La Hoya (34-2) of Los Angeles, California faces WBA champion Fernando Vargas ( 22-1) of Oxnard, California in a 154 lb. unification fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on September 14, 2002. Reuters

Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced on Friday that he wants to take up the Manny Pacquiao fight on May 2, 2015 in a recent interview. However, it appears the other boxing bigwigs won’t allow the undefeated American to take the Cinco de Mayo weekend date saying that the said date should be dedicated to a Mexican because of it’s significance for the country of Mexico and the Mexicans.

Bob Arum, founder and president of Top Rank Promotions, and Oscar De La Hoya, founder of Golden Boy Promotions both said via ringtv.craveonline.com that they feel strongly about Mayweather’s recent statement that he wants to fight specifically on that weekend.

“Let me tell you something, and this, I really feel very, very strongly about,” Arum said via ringtv.craveonline.com “That weekend celebrates Cinco De Mayo, which is a Mexican Holiday, which commemorates the outstanding, courageous stand of a lot of Mexican civilians who turned back the French Imperial army, and it’s a significant holiday in Mexico and among Mexican Americans who live in the United States. That being said, neither Mr. Mayweather, nor Mr. Pacquiao, nor Mr. Cotto, who is Hispanic, but not Mexican.”

“The only Mexican in the group is Canelo Alvarez, who is a big attraction among the Mexican people. And to poach on that date, which is a Mexican holiday by non-Mexicans, shows a terrible disrespect for the Mexican people, both those living in Mexico and those living in the United States,” De La Hoya added sharing Arum’s opinion on the matter. “And anybody who does the poaching ought to be ashamed of themselves. That goes for hotels and that goes for fighters and that goes for any of us. I’m willing to make that statement.”

Canelo Alvarez, who is handled by De La Hoya will face Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, who finds under Top Rank in 2015 and the most likely date is May 2, 2015— a date Mayweather now calls “Cinco de Mayweather”.

Arum and De La Hoya both agreed that they understand the importance and tradition of the Cinco de Mayo to Mexico and Mexicans that out of respect there should be a big money fight involving a Mexican on that date.

The latest pronouncements is seen as another big hurdle to the probable Mayweather vs. Pacquiao super fight— a pairing that has been in-demand for the past years. After Pacquiao beat Chris Algieri in Macau in November, there were talks that Arum has been involved in deep negotiations with Leslie Moonves, CBS Corporation president and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Mayweather’s most interview has been the first public admittance by the undefeated American that he’s willing to fight Pacquiao. It remains to be seen if Mayweather is willing to budge to the Arum’s and De La Hoya’s wishes.

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