MAYWEATHER VS. PACQUIAO: THE RING EVENT OF THE YEAR 2010 (FIRST OF A SERIES)
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 20 Jan 2014
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao is a dream boxing superfight between undefeated, five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather-Pacquiao megafight would have been the highest grossing encounter in world boxing history because of the popularity of the two top pound-for-pound fighters. The total revenues are expected to reach $300 million and that it would sell between 2.5 million to 3 million pay-per-view buys in the United States.
But misunderstanding between the two camps on the terms and conditions of the fight led to the failure of the bout to come into being since negotiations commenced in 2009. The failure of the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight to happen was named Ring Magazine event of the year for 2010.
It started when Mayweather defeated Juan Manuel Marquez by lopsided unanimous decision in their encounter on September 19, 2009. After the fight, Mayweather's manager Leonard Ellerby stated that a fight with Manny Pacquiao was the "next obvious choice from a marketing standpoint." Vice President of HBO Sports Operations Mark Taffet added "they are obviously the two most marketable fighters in the world."
On November 14, 2009, Pacquiao scored a knockout victory over Miguel Cotto and his win ignited a media blitz, and the fans all over the world demanded a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. Even if the megafight was yet to take place, Pacquiao was an early 8-5 favorite in Station Casinos in Las Vegas.
"I've thought about Mayweather for a long time now," Freddie Roach told ESPN.com. "He's the ultimate opponent. His style does pose some problems because he's very good at what he does. But after seeing Manny with Cotto, Manny showed he takes a punch well. We'll definitely knock Mayweather out. He'll break down. He can't stand up to Manny's pressure. He won't last as long as Cotto."
"The thing is with Pacquiao I don't see any versatility as a fighter," Mayweather said to England's Sky Sports. "He's a good puncher but just one-dimensional."
Yahoo! Sports was able to obtain a copy of a contract sent on December 11, 2009, by Golden Boy Promotions for Mayweather to Top Rank for Pacquiao which proposed a 50-50 sharing between the sides for a fight scheduled on March 13, 2010. According to Kevin Iole: "The eight-page agreement is so detailed that it indicates which of the two fighters would step onto the scale first at the weigh-in (Pacquiao), who would walk to the ring first (Pacquiao), who would be introduced first (Mayweather) and who had first choice of the locker room (Mayweather). It indicated that the bout would have been covered on HBO Pay-Per-View at a cost of $59.95, to be billed - Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, presented by Top Rank, Golden Boy Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and M-P Promotions in association with [approved sponsors and the site]."
Mayweather demanded that an Olympic-style drug testing would be conducted by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, including random blood and urine testing through the day of the fight. This provision started the disagreement between the two camps. Pacquiao did not agree of any blood testing within 30 days from the fight, for the reason that it would weaken him. Pacquiao instead was willing to have blood taken from him before the 30-day gap and immediately after the fight.
Roach would not allow blood to be taken from Pacquiao one week before the fight. In an attempt to resolve their differences, the two camps went through a process of mediation before retired federal judge Daniel Weinstein in Los Angeles. After the mediation process Mayweather agreed to a 14-day no blood testing window. However, Pacquiao refused and instead only agreed to a 24-day no blood testing window. Consequently, on January 7, 2010, Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum declared that the fight was officially off.
"The fight's off not because of us, not even because of (Mayweather's) people ?he was represented by Golden Boy Promotions ? it's because of (Floyd) personally," Arum was quoted by USA Today. "It's not surprising. I always felt that he wasn't going to do the fight. He knows Manny will beat him. Mayweather's never stepped into the ring with a guy he had any question but that he was going to beat. Floyd Mayweather is a coward. He will never fight anyone that will remotely give him a tough fight."
Mayweather, as expected, had a different view of the cancellation of the fight. "In my opinion it is Manny Pacquiao and his team who are denying the people a chance to see the biggest fight ever," Mayweather said. "I know the people will see through their smokescreens and lies. I am ready to fight and sign the contract. Manny needs to stop making his excuses, step up and fight."
Pacquiao went on to fight Joshua Clottey on the March 13, 2010 fight date, while Mayweather fought Shane Mosley in May 1, 2010. Both boxers easily won by unanimous decision.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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