ESPN Analyst Says Floyd Mayweather Jr. Will Agree To Fight Manny Pacquiao Before June 2015, Filipino Will Be Knocked Out By Undefeated American

Stephen A. Smith, the controversial analyst for ESPN has declared that he believes Floyd Mayweather Jr. will finally agree to the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao super fight in 2015. In one of the episodes of their popular sports show, ESPN’s First Take, Smith revealed that he had a source that’s connected to one of the members of Mayweather’s camp, The Money Team that told him that indeed the undefeated American is amenable to the huge bout to happen but not without conditions.

“I had somebody that’s connected to Floyd Mayweather’s people tell me that Floyd offered Bob Arum ten million dollars to essentially step out of the way,” Smith said in the sports show. “So clearly this is about Arum and not about Manny Pacquiao.”

This is a fresh take from the outspoken sports analyst who, along with the millions of boxing fans hoping for the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao clash to happen, in previous First Take's episode criticised Mayweather for not wanting to agree to the super fight and for running away from what could very well be the biggest boxing event in the history of the sport.

However, Smith added that the pressure is mounting on Mayweather and for him to finally agree to a fight with Pacquiao. The American analyst confirmed the recent news that the bigwigs of the giant TV networks HBO Sports, which handles Pacquiao bouts and CBS/Showtime are in serious negotiations about the probable super fight in 2015.

Smith did not just predict that the fight will happen, he also had a strong opinion on who he believes will win the fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao.

“I believe Floyd Mayweather will sign to fight Manny Pacquiao, and I believe it will happen before June of 2015, and I believe Floyd Mayweather will take him out.”

Watch the full segment below:

(YouTube/ESPN First Take)

Earlier this week, during the Pacquiao vs. Chris Algieri fight in Macau, Bob Arum, the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Top Rank Promotions admitted that he’s in deep talks with CBS Corporation CEO Leslie Moonves and stated that the fight may finally be becoming a reality. Recently, the Pacquiao camp has been active in talking about the fight with the Filipino’s business manager, Eric Pineda declaring that they are willing to get the lesser share of the fight purse just to make the fight happen.