Mayweather vs Pacquiao is off!

By Rappy
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Grand Master

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The proposed super-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather is getting closer.

Mayweather agreed to terms for the welterweight title bout on Tuesday, multiple sources with knowledge of the negotiations told ESPN.com.

The proposed date is March 13, although there is a chance it could move to May 1, sources said. Mayweather, according to a source close to him, is OK with either date.

Pacquiao and Mayweather have fought recent bouts at catch weights. However if they complete their deal, the bout would be contested at 147 pounds, the maximum for a welterweight fight, a source said.

Top Rank's Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), was flying to the Philippines on Tuesday night to meet with Pacquiao and try to close his side of the deal.

Arum spent much of Tuesday getting open issues resolved in his negotiations with Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who represents Mayweather, sources said. Once Arum was able to do that, he left for the Philippines and is expected back on Monday.

If the HBO PPV fight happens on March 13, it would force the tentative HBO PPV fight between light heavyweights Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins to move to another date. Hopkins and Jones both fight Wednesday and must win for their fight to go through.

The site for Pacquiao-Mayweather remains up in the air. There is interest from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to bring the fight to his new stadium. There is also interest from venues in Las Vegas, including the MGM Grand (which has hosted several Pacquiao and Mayweather fights), and the Superdome in New Orleans in hosting a fight many believe will break the all-time record for pay-per-view buys, which is the 2.44 million units sold for Mayweather's 2007 split decision victory against Oscar De La Hoya.

The fight moved front and center with heavy public demand for it following Pacquiao's dominant 12th-round knockout of Miguel Cotto to win a welterweight title on Nov. 14. The victory gave Pacquiao a title in a record-breaking seventh weight division and 1.25 million pay-per-view units.

Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs), who has won titles in five divisions, came out of a brief retirement in September to dominate Juan Manuel Marquez in a fight that generated 1.05 million buys.

Just a few days after Pacquiao's win over Cotto, Arum and Schaefer began negotiations.

One wrench in the talks was the date. Arum, Schaefer and HBO wanted to slot the fight on May 1. However, Pacquiao announced his candidacy for a congressional seat in the Philippines on Tuesday. With the election scheduled for May 10, it rules out a May 1 fight unless Pacquiao runs unopposed. Pacquiao lost the election for a congressional seat in 2007.

If Pacquiao-Mayweather isn't finalized, Arum has talked about matching Pacquiao with junior middleweight titlist Yuri Foreman, which would give Pacquiao an opportunity to win a title in an eighth division. Foreman defeated Daniel Santos to win a 154-pound belt on the Pacquiao-Cotto undercard.

Schaefer has talked about bringing Mayweather to England to match him with Matthew Hatton in the event Pacquiao-Mayweather isn't made. Hatton is the brother of Ricky Hatton, the former junior welterweight and welterweight titlist whom Mayweather knocked out in 2007.

ESPN

Mayweather-Pacquiao bout 'is off'

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ArKeYa

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The tenacity. He'll just keep cutting the ring off.

That's right. Pacquiao's tenacity amazes me. Great fights can be won just by skills. But epic fights are won by heart. And the Pac has lots of it.

I can see a rematch and a decision after this first meeting. Big bucks for both of them.

Grand Master

Rappy Veteran

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That's right. Pacquiao's tenacity amazes me. Great fights can be won just by skills. But epic fights are won by heart. And the Pac has lots of it.

I can see a rematch and a decision after this first meeting. Big bucks for both of them.

Yeah this fight will create some serious moolah!

Grand Master

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Manny Pacquiao set to meet Floyd Mayweather in March

Five-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao and unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather are set to meet on 13 March, according to the Filipino's promoter.

Michael Koncz, who is in charge of Pacquaio's promotional company, says the 30-year-old has agreed to a March proposal from promoter Bob Arum.

"We all believe that it will be done," Koncz told GMA television.

If the 'super fight' goes ahead, it will match the two men regarded as the world's best pound-for-pound fighters.

"Arum presented what he thought was the best proposal he can bring during a two-hour breakfast meeting with Pacquiao in Manila," added Koncz.

"Manny has some additional requirements, requests, which Arum didn't think was a problem.

"The requests of Manny were so realistic that Arum doesn't feel it's a problem and it's pretty much a done deal."

Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach, who is preparing Britain's Amir Khan for his first WBA light-welterweight defence on Saturday, also confirmed the date.

"I talked to Arum and Manny is happy with that date and I can't wait to get started," Roach told Sky Sports.

"It will be the biggest fight of all time and Amir Khan will help us get ready for the fight with his speed a lot like Mayweather's."

But Roach confirmed that the fight was not a done deal but was closer to being finalised.

"There will always be negotiation and there are issues such as weight, but they can always be solved," added Roach.

"It is would be a tough fight and we will need to set some traps and work on some strategies. But it is a fight Manny wants, he is very confident he can beat Floyd."

Pacquiao last fought in November beating Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas. The Filipino stopped his Puerto Rican opponent in the 12th round of their WBO welterweight clash at the MGM Grand with a stunning display.

Mayweather, 32, returned to the ring for the first time in 21 months with a unanimous points victory over Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas with a classy performance.

Pacquiao is running for a congressional seat in the May 2010 elections and official campaigning will not start before April, making the March date convenient for the Filipino.

No venue has been decided for the mega fight but representatives of the Superdome in New Orleans and the new Dallas Cowboys' stadium have expressed interest in hosting the fight, as has the MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas, where the pair have fought their biggest fights.

There is also a proposal for a 30,000-seater temporary stadium on the Las Vegas Strip across from the Wynn resort.

  • 3 weeks later...
Grand Master

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Floyd Mayweather's fight with Manny Pacquiao in doubt

Floyd Mayweather Jr's camp claim the American's planned super-fight with Manny Pacquiao is now "in jeopardy".

Mayweather and the Philippine star were close to agreeing a 13 March meeting.

But the American's camp say they have been told by Pacquiao's promoters that he will not agree to blood-testing in the 30 days prior to the fight.

"He, Pacquiao, would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference and after the fight," said Mayweather associate Richard Schaefer.

"It is unfortunate to hear this from Manny Pacquiao's representatives, particularly since, as of today, both parties had worked out all other issues related to this fight."

Unbeaten Mayweather's management want both men - regarded as the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world - to submit to blood-testing prior to the bout, to ensure both men are clean.

Schaefer, who is chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions, added: "Todd [DuBoef, president of Pacquiao's promoters Top Rank] told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight."

Mayweather, 32, urged 31-year-old Pacquiao to agree to the blood testing.

"I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," said Mayweather.

"But in a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level."

The welterweight fight, which would be the richest of all time, had widely been expected to be formalised this week, with an official announcement on 6 January.

It was expected to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Staples Center in Los Angeles, home of the NBA's Lakers was also touted as a possible venue and representatives of Cowboys Stadium in Dallas were also said to be interested in hosting arguably the biggest fight since the turn of the century.

Pacquiao became a five-weight world champion following his WBO welterweight title win over Miguel Cotto in November, while Las Vegas-based Mayweather returned from a 21-month retirement to beat Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in September.

Grand Master

DirtyLarry Veteran

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Oh man you have to be kidding me. get your blood drawn and be done with it. It is 2 minutes of discomfort for possibly one of the bigger fights ever, so just get it done with and make the fight happen already!!

Grand Master

timster

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Last night, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told the Grand Rapids Press that the much-anticipated bout between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao is off. In turn, sending fight fans the world over into a worried frenzy.

At question here is Mayweather's insistence that Pacquiao complies to an Olympic-style drug test that would call for random urinalysis and blood tests to be conducted in days before and after the fight. This method of testing is more rigorous and scrutinizing than the procedures already used by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Since Pacquiao's dismantling of Miguel Cotto last month, a small contingent of fight fans have begun speculating that the Fillipino may be using performance enhancers to bulk up and make the move across divisions. (Sidenote: Many readers of this column have also used this as a forum to air their thoughts on this topic of debate.)

To Pacquiao's credit, he has agreed to random urine analyses at any time, as well as blood tests prior to the press conference and any time after the fight. However, the Pound-for-Pound King is said to be rather superstitious when it comes to having blood drawn so close to a bout, saying that it tends to take away from his physical strength and power.

Pacquiao, who at age 16 began his career at 106 lb., has won titles at seven weight classes and last fought at 144 lb. It should come as no shock to see such a transformation raising eyebrows - but, it's important to remember that this growth has occurred over a decade-and-a-half, not overnight. Moreover, it's more than within the realm of possibility that Pacquiao has managed to bulk up through proper diet and conditioning, as mapped out by coach Alex Ariza.

As for Mayweather, who could blame him for making such a request? If Pacquiao's reluctance to needles and blood-drawing prior to a fight is real, then Mayweather is simply playing a mind game with his prospective opponent. Hopefully, Arum sees Mayweather's request as just that and is calling the undefeated fighter's bluff.

In other Mayweather-Pacquiao related news, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer recently told ESPN.com that both camps have agreed to a "$10 million per pound" fine if either fighter comes in north of the agreed upon 147-pound limit. In other words, if either Manny or Floyd come in at 149 lbs., that fighter will have to fork over a whopping $20 million from his purse.

And so goes the endless tale of Mayweather-Pacquiao - the ongoing on-again, off-again tease-thing that continues to mulitply the gray hairs on fight fans everywhere. It remains too soon to tell how detrimental this latest chapter may be to the overall story that is unfolding. But, whatever the case or outcome may be - and whether these two superstars ever actually enter the ring to square off - Mayweather-Pacquiao has already managed to cram a decade's worth of drama into a month-long period of negotiations.

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Grand Master

Rappy Veteran

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Pacquiao plans to sue Mayweather

Manny Pacquiao has said he will take Floyd Mayweather to court following a blood-testing dispute.

The Filipino pulled out of a lucrative fight to face Mayweather on 13 March after the American demanded Olympic-style drugs tests ahead of the bout.

Pacquaio also plans to sue Mayweather's father and Golden Boy Promotions.

"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible," read a statement on Pacquaio's website.

"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr, Jr and Golden Boy Promotions think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.

"I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard."

WBO welterweight champion Pacquaio withdrew from what was expected to be the richest fight in boxing history on Wednesday following a disagreement about blood tests 30 days prior to the fight.

The Filipino said he would only give blood before the initial media conference and immediately after the fight.

Although Pacquaio said he would agree to testing by the same agencies that conduct pro American Football and baseball players, he would not sign up to random tests by the US Anti-Doping Agency.

Promoter Arum accused Mayweather's camp of raising the issue not because they were worried about Pacquiao taking performance-enhancing substances, but because Mayweather never wanted to fight in the first place.

And Pacquaio now intends to settle matters in court.

"I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the number one boxer in the world," said the 31-year-old, who has never tested positive for performance-enhancing substances.

"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it.

"I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years.

"Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr, don't be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring."

Unbeaten Mayweather and five-weight champion Pacquaio - considered to be the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world - were set to meet at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in one of the biggest fight since the turn of the century.

Pacquiao became a five-weight world champion following his WBO welterweight title win over Miguel Cotto in November, while Nevada-based Mayweather returned from a 21-month retirement to beat Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in September.

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ArKeYa

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Not sure where I stand on this one. Is Mayweather been canny, knowing that pacquiao uses?, or is pacquiao bottling it becauses he uses?

Or Gayweather, as some boxing fans accused him, afraid to fight someone who can beat him. He has a reputation of dodging fights in case you didn't know.

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