PACQUIAO GIVES MAYWEATHER A JANUARY 31 DEADLINE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 20 Jan 2015
?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao has given undefeated pound for pound No.1 Floyd Mayweather a January 31 deadline to sign a contract to fight him on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas otherwise Pacquiao is prepared to move on to Plan B and fight someone else.
Pacquiao's longtime adviser Michael Koncz confirmed in a text message to the Manila Standard/Viva Sports which said "you need to ask Floyd what the hold up is. Manny and I are looking at and discussing different opponents and venues."
WBC welterweight Silver champion Amir Khan who is coming off impressive victories over Luis Collazo and Devon Alexander has been egging Pacquiao to fight him in Dubai where a huge number of Filipinos and British expats live and work and are certain to support the bout although it creates problems for pay per view audiences in the US because of the time difference.
It would be the same if the fight is held in Britain.
Pacquiao made his position clear on the deadline in a conversation with Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times. The eight division world champion said ?My promoter and I, we?ve already agreed to the terms and conditions of whatever he wants. We?re just waiting on the signed contract from him. That?s the hard part ? if they will fight or not. We have to know soon, because if they will not fight, we can move on and choose another opponent.?
Pacquiao added, ?We have a deadline ? this month.?
In a visit to the Los Angeles Times to promote his new documentary film, ?Manny,? narrated by actor Liam Neeson, Pacquiao said ?I don?t have an idea? if the super-fight will happen. The fans deserve this fight. No more will people bother me, ?Can this fight happen?? It?s time to make it happen. We?re waiting on a signed contract from him.?
Pacquiao had earlier acceded to the demands for a 60-40 split in Mayweather?s favor, a May 2 fight date, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as the venue and random Olympic-style drug testing.
While former Pacquiao strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza who is now working with Mayweather claimed in an interview with the Manila Standard/Viva Sports that Mayweather wants the Pacquiao fight badly and Showtime executive vice president and general manager Stephen Espinoza said the same thing, he indicated the issue of who will televise the fight between Showtime which has a six-fight deal with Mayweather and have done four fights so far and HBO Sports which carries Pacquiao?s fights, is one of the issues holding up an agreement.
Espinoza told Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review Journal that while Showtime and HBO Sports have ?a congenial relationship. Each network has its own financial objectives.?
Amidst growing indications that the fight may not happen, Pacquiao said ?My job is a boxer ? to know how much I get and prepare for a fight. We just want to make that fight happen -- for the sake of the fans, for the sake of millions of people around the world who are excited to see that fight.?
Pacquiao added, ?The challenge is ? we know he?s undefeated and claiming he?s No. 1 pound-for-pound in the world. I just want to prove who?s really No. 1. If the fight is on and he beats me, I?m really convinced he is No. 1. If not, I?m No. 1.?
Should the fight not push through Pacquuiao said WBC Silver champion Amir Khan and ?a lot of boxers? are interesting possible opponents, but with their pay per view numbers decreasing, the consensus is only a big fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather can stem the downswing.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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