Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao (L) of the Philippines punches Chris Algieri of the U.S. during their World Boxing Organisation (WBO) 12-round welterweight title fight at the Venetian Macao hotel in Macau November 23, 2014. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Could this latest update be another sign that the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao fight is all but a done deal? According to MGM Resorts International Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Murren, the company has a reservation made for the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 2, 2015 and he’s hoping that it would indeed be the much talked about and much hyped super fight between Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao.

“I'm only just reacting to what's in the paper,” Murren stated via masslive.com. “We are going to have a fight. We hope it's a big, big fight. If it is the fight we hope it is, then it is the biggest fight.”

According to the report, Murren based his statement in the company’s conference call tackling reports on its 2014 financial results and its 2015 outlook. In his The Wall Street Journal profile, Jim, or James Murren joined the the company in 1998 when he became MGM Mirage’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. He became the chairman and CEO of the company in 2008.

Murren’s confirmation of a certain fight, though not specifically stating it as the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout, in the Cinco de Mayo weekend date has added fuel to the Mayweather-Pacquiao hype which has been growing exponentially since the pair met in the halftime of a basketball game last January. Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao were also reported to have met in a hotel room that same day and talked about making the super fight happen later in 2015.

In yet another basketball event, this time at the NBA All-Star Game last Sunday, Mayweather Jr. was asked by a reporter on live television about the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout but the undefeated American denied that any contract from either side has been signed. Mayweather admitted however that he wants the fight to happen. Pacquiao has confirmed that if the fight is going to happen, the announcement will come from Mayweather, who is considered the “A-side” in this match-up.

There were reports that the fight is already a done deal and the fight purse is at $250 million with 60 per cent going to Mayweather Jr. and the 40 per cent to Pacquiao— but as per Mayweather’s latest denial, there is nothing final and negotiations are still underway.

To contact author of this article, email j.quizon@IBTimes.com.au.

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