Will mega-fight push through?
DAVAO CITY—Just like in Manila these days, the hot topic of discussion during the luncheon hosted by ALA patriarch Tony Aldeguer after the Pinoy Pride 29 weigh-in at SM Davao last Friday, was the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. “Fight of the Century” tentatively scheduled this May.
“What’s your gut feel? Do you think it will finally happen?” Mr. Aldeguer asked one of the boxing scribes in our table, which was also occupied by other media colleagues and GAB commissioner Doming Guanzon.
“Considering that the two supernovas have met personally and have talked at length on two occasions, first at American Airlines Arena and second at Pacquiao’s hotel, perhaps there is a better chance for this much-awaited fight to push through, don’t you think?”
But before the scribe, who had direct access to Pacquiao and his inner circle, could reply, another media personality butted in.
“Before you answer that, I suggest you first give us an authentic report on what was exchanged at halftime of the game between the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks,” the columnist requested.
Our colleague hesitated at first, but with two dozen eyes and ears focused on him, he was left with no choice but to reveal what he knew.
“Well to start with, it is true that Mayweather had reprimanded the Pambansang Kamao about him and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum ‘lying’ regarding the existence of a contract for the $300 million mega-fight.
“There is really no contract.
“Why the discussion at the arena had to be shrouded in secrecy is because Floyd had given Manny some invaluable pieces of advise meant only for his ears.
Floyd told the Pacman that the important people working with and for him were cheating him out of money and he probably wasn’t aware of it. Mayweather said he knows this because he has worked with some of the people with whom Pacquiao is dealing with now.
Floyd gave himself as an example, challenging Pacquiao to compare financial assets.
He is by far richer than the Filipino pug because he is now in complete control of his finances, the American champ said.
Of course they also talked business, most importantly how to work it out with both their television partners: HBO for Pacquiao and Showtime for Mayweather.
While both supernovas clearly want the fight to push through, it wasn’t very clear if Floyd demanded that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum be taken out of the equation.
Yesterday morning I got a call from my colleague informing me that the two networks have reached a compromise and are willing to work together just so the fight would happen.
More importantly, he said that CNN had also announced yesterday morning that the mega-fight will happen at long last—this May. To make it official, the announcement should come directly from Mayweather according to CNN.
