Mayweather vs Pacquiao negotiations gain ground

THE VENUE has been chosen, the drug-testing protocol poses no problem and the proposed date and revenue split won’t be a hindrance.

Definitely, there’s progress in the sensitive, secretive negotiations going on for the projected blockbuster bout between pound-for-pound rivals Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.

That’s according to two reports that appeared separately this week.

In an interview with Michael Woods of The Sweet Science, Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach said he talked with Bob Arum about the fight Wednesday and based from what he heard is “I’m getting close to saying it’s (fight) very close. I think we’re very close.”

This was corroborated by an LA Times report by Lance Pugmire yesterday that quoted somebody involved in the negotiations as saying “We’re making progress.”

In the same article, MGM Grand Garden was mentioned as venue of Mayweather-Pacquiao, late May or June as probable dates, and a 60 to 40 split in favor of the unbeaten American as the likely distribution of earnings that could go as high as $1 billion overall.

In his desire to forge a fight with Mayweather, Pacquiao has agreed to have the lower share of the package deal.