Pacquiao says Mayweather has ‘nowhere to run’

Manny Pacquiao. AFP FILE PHOTO

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines — Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao vowed to chase Floyd Mayweather into ring submission after his US rival offered to fight him next year in a blockbuster world title face-off.

“He (Mayweather) has reached a dead end. He has nowhere to run but to fight me,” Pacquiao told AFP late Saturday, hours after the undefeated Mayweather issued the May 2 challenge on US television.

The two were long-time rivals as the “best pound-for-pound” boxers of their generation, but the dream fight has never materialized to the disappointment of the boxing world.

“I will try my best to (make) this a thrilling and entertaining fight. But I doubt if he’s gonna engage me in a slugfest,” said the Filipino, winner of an unprecedented eight world titles in different weight classes.

“You all know his fighting style. Most of his previous fights, if not all, induced us to sleep,” said Pacquiao from his hometown General Santos.

Should the fight happen, Pacquiao, who turns 36 on Wednesday, said he will do to Mayweather what he did to another previously undefeated American, Chris Algieri, who lost to the World Boxing Organization welterweight champion in Macau last month.

“I know what I have to do. I will chase him wherever he goes just in case he decides to run around the ring. We will devise a good fight plan against him,” Pacquiao added.

Speaking to Showtime Sports in the US on Friday night, Mayweather, 37, said he wants his next fight to be against the Filipino star.

However, the American nicknamed “Money” said — without giving details — that the expected richest fight in boxing history will only happen if he receives a much bigger share of the purse than his opponent.

In 2012 there was speculation that a fight between the two could lead to the first $200 million purse in boxing history with much of that money coming from pay-per-view sales.

At one point Pacquiao says Mayweather offered him a $40 million purse on the condition Mayweather would keep the pay-per-view money, which would have amounted to more than double what Pacquiao received.

Previous talks were also scuttled because Mayweather says Pacquiao refused to submit to random blood testing.

“Mayweather can get the amount he wants. As early as January this year, I challenged him to a charity fight. Until now, he has not agreed to it. So, money is not the issue in our fight,” Pacquiao said Saturday.

“This fight is about legacy, this is about making the fans happy and, above all, this is for the good of boxing.”

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