Boxing News 2014: Pacquiao vs Mayweather for ESPY’s Best Fighter Award

Manny Pacquiao Ruled The MGM Grand Arena — Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines hits undefeated WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley of the U.S. with a right during their title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada April 12, 2014 Reuters

The battle between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather is definitely on, but not the one that an Arab prince has promised. Rather it is for the Best Fighter Award to be given by ESPY.

It is not only the two pound-for-pound king contenders who are rivals for that award, but also Jon "Bones" John, MMA fighter Ronda Rousey and Andre Ward.

Money May is also nominated for Best Male Athlete, along with Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers, Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City Thunder and Peyton Manning of Denver Broncos.

Mayweather is the first boxer to be nominated for the Best Male Athlete Award. Commenting on his nomination, Mayweather said, quoted by Ringtv, "I know I wouldn't be here without the fans and I'm grateful for the support I've received from them over the years. I appreciate everyone that has already voted for me and those that haven't still have time."

Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe said that Floyd is at an incredible place in his career from both performance and recognition views, and being bestowed the Male Athlete Award would be another indicator of the unbeaten American boxer's stardom.

The two nominations came after Forbes named Mayweather in mid-June as the highest-paid athlete in the world, earning $105 million in just two fights the past 12 months for just 72 minutes of ring action.

Besides his anticipated dream match with Pacquiao, boxing fans are waiting who Mayweather will pick as his opponent for his Sept 13 fight in Las Vegas, Nevada, with British boxer Andre Khan and American boxer Miguel Cotto as his likely opponents.

However, speculations continue to swirl over the Pacquiao-Mayweather bout after UAE Prince Amir Shafipour promised Dubai residents that the dream match between the two boxers will take place in the UAE capital city in 2015 and a report by a Korean Web site that the match will happen in September 2014, but did not name its source of the information.