Bob Arum Declares Pacquiao-Mayweather Mega-Fight Will Happen Spring 2015
A beaten to death topic, the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. mega-fight was on the shelf since 2012 and it is already accumulating dust. Pundits have disregarded the idea of having it happen in our lifetime, resorting to internet memes and fan-made videos of the fight. Arum is not letting go of the dream and is even declaring a date.
"With Showtime wanting the fight and HBO wanting it and Manny and Top Rank wanting the fight, there is one little step to take and that's to see where Floyd stands and we're optimistic that this time, Floyd will bite the bullet and do the fight on equitable terms", Arum told the San Francisco Chronicle.
While promoting his upcoming fight against Chries Algieri on Nov. 22, Pacquiao was avoiding the topic. He even went as to quipping a sarcastic remark of "Who?" when asked by several reporters during his leg of promotional tours in the United States. The former pound for pound boxer's latest reply on the possible fight is: "He doesn't have a choice but to accept".
This is a double edged remark that could again tick the ego of Mayweather. Saying that he has no choice and he will prove it otherwise. Knowing the ego of Mayweather, he will have another reply of how Pacman is at the tail end of his career and will be no challenge for him. This is where his new promotional outfit, Showtime, is being pressed to turn the tides and make the fight happen.
According to Arum, Showtime and HBO are pulling all the buttons to make the fight a reality. Mayweather's new outfit just spent a lot of money to get the best pound for pound boxer to jump ship. All of Money Mayweather's fights were subpar in receipts and pay-per-view sans the Canelo fight. The rematch with Marcos Maidana will be the measuring stick if their acquisition is worth the initial shell out. If not, they can always revisit and really push for the mega-fight.
If the fight pushes through, both outfits look at a total of $250 million payout including conservative estimates in pay-per-views.