Will he or will he not fight Manny?
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 21 Jan 2019
LOS ANGELES: After the referee raised Filipino World Boxing Association Manny Pacquiao's hand in victory over Adrien Broner to keep the 47-pound belt tucked in his waist, the boxing world's attention turned to the projected rematch between him and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The first time, however, it took more than five years to get it realized. When it did, Pacquiao injured his right shoulder that required surgery. Mayweather took a wide unanimous decision in a fight that to many was a farce.
And after that 2015 defeat, Pacquiaot thirsts for a rematch not alone for financial reasons but because fans want it.
?The fans are waiting for that fight,? Pacquiao said during the post-fight press on Saturday at the MGM Grand media room ?When we met in Japan, he came to my table and he said he would come back to challenge me. I told him, ?I?m a champion. Challenge me and if you want to come back, we?ll get in the ring.?
After that meeting in Tokyo, the two bumped at each other at the Filipino Heritage NBA game of the Los Angele Clippers at the Staples Center.
?That (Staple Center meeting) was coincidental. But in Japan, he came to my table and said he wanted to fight me,? the Filipino lawmaker-fighter reminisced.
Mayweather was at the ringside watching the fight but left without attending the post-fight news conference. He remains non-committal though after virtually hurling his challenge to Pacquiao.
Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe on the same day contrasted Pacquiao?s recollection.
?He?s retired,? Ellerbe said of Mayweather. ?He has no interest in doing that. It?s not always about the money, believe it or not. What more can the man do? He doesn?t have the motivation, the desire. He?s living his best life, traveling, running his multiple businesses, spending his hard-earned winnings.?
?He?ll be 42 come Feb. 24 and enough is enough. What good does it do to earn all that money if you can?t hang around long enough to spend it??
No means no, unless we?re talking Pacquiao-Mayweather. Then no could mean no, it could mean yes or it could mean maybe. This is one of the most complicated relationships one could ever imagine.
Pacquiao?s training consultant Freddie Roach, in a separate interview, said he thought Pacquiao had done enough to get a rematch with Mayweather, but added that from his experience during the long negotiations for the first that this doesn?t mean a thing.
If the mood strikes Mayweather, he?ll come back and do the fight. If it doesn?t, he?ll keep flying the world and posting pictures of his cars, jewelry and money on social media.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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