ARIZA SUGGESTS MANNY TALKS DIRECTLY WITH FLOYD
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 21 Jan 2015
Manny Pacquiao?s former strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza who now works with Floyd Mayweather Jr has suggested that for negotiations on a planned May 2 fight to move forward, the two fighters should talk to each other and not through the media.
Ariza reiterated Mayweather?s remarks during a radio interview that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum calls the shots, not Pacquiao, and that ?it?s the actions that count, not the talk.?
He suggested that the best way to resolve the issue would be for Pacquiao ?to call Floyd, agree to meet in a restaurant or some place and discuss the terms? of a possible fight.
However, Pacquiao?s longtime adviser Michael Koncz shot down the suggestion saying ?it won?t work.? He recalled that some years ago when he put Pacquiao on the phone with Mayweather, ?Floyd insulted him by offering Manny $40 million, take it or leave it.?
Koncz also questioned Mayweather?s claims that he is his own boss unlike Pacquiao, stating that Mayweather?s boss is Al Haymon,? even as he made it clear that Arun was only Pacquiao?s promoter.
Ariza posed the question, ?what did Manny agree to?? citing the issue of what size gloves they would wear, which corner would they take, who would be the ring announcer ? Jimmy Lennon or Michael Buffer and several other issues.
Ariza said ?how could there be an agreement when the networks - Showtime which has a six-fight deal with Mayweather of which four have already taken place and Pacquiao who is tied up with HBO Sports ?haven?t agreed.?
He also asked who are the Pacquiao people negotiating with on the Mayweather side which is something that Pacquiao?s longtime adviser Michael Koncz has declined to reveal claiming that it was confidential.
When we posed the question again to Koncz reiterated that the people they spoke to were able to negotiate on behalf of Mayweather but they had agreed from the beginning not to reveal who was involved in the talks from both sides.
Koncz said the bottom line is ?Floyd is not going to fight Manny and his claims that he wants the fight badly are not true.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
76ers star Paul George has been suspended for 25 NBA games by doping
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles
Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles
Sun, 01 Feb 2026Trazo beats Jabagat in Talisay
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Into fights Sanchez on Feb. 9 at Villa Kristen
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson: Styles Make Fights Fitting Cliche
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Bryan Flores Wins Majority Decision Over Starling Castillo in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland
Sat, 31 Jan 2026KinetixSports Legacy Run on March 1
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 31 Jan 2026THE RING 6: OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER FOR TEOFIMO LOPEZ VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON
Sat, 31 Jan 2026Legendary Soccer Player Sergio Ramos to make professional boxing debut
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Weigh-In Results: Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou
Sat, 31 Jan 2026Teofimo vs Shakur Fight Analysis
By Ralph Rimpell, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Rohan Polanco-Christian Gomez Welterweight Showdown Canceled
Sat, 31 Jan 2026NEWCASTLE WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED AS MURTAZALIEV AND KELLY CLASH FOR WORLD TITLE
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Boxers Make Weight for Brico Santig’s Exciting 21-Bout Promotion in Thailand (PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 30 Jan 2026