MANILA, Philippines — World Boxing Organization (WBO) president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel is certainly not among those who believe that the long-awaited Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight will happen.
Though he wants to see the two boxers clash like everyone else, Valcarcel believes there are too many issues that are needed to be resolved between the two camps before the fight becomes a reality.
“I want to see Mayweather and Pacquiao, but again, like I tell you before, I got my doubts that that fight is going to happen. You got too much stuff there to come to terms and agree to and it’s not easy when you’re dealing with two, three, four, five, six and seven parts. Not easy,” said Valcarel in an interview with fighthype.com.
“You have too much stuff all around the board that have to be agreed too; Showtime, HBO, promoters and all kinds of things. I have my doubts that the fight will take place.”
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told the Associated Press several days ago that Showtime and HBO have already agreed on how the two networks would broadcast the megafight. But Arum’s comments were later downplayed by Showtime executive vice president Stephen Espinoza, who reportedly said that “it’s a bit premature to say that the networks are in total agreement.”
And those types of contradicting statements from the networks, promoters and both camps have further thrown into doubt the future of the megafight.
“I don’t even like to mention the fight because I’m not directly dealing with that, but reading the comments from the press, one time they say they’re gonna fight and the next day they say they won’t fight. And then another day they say somebody is lying and then they say the fight was already signed. I don’t know what really happened.”
Talks of a possible showdown between the top two pound-for-pound fighters have been going on-and-off since 2009, though this is the farthest the negotiations have ever come with Pacquiao and Mayweather even having a private meeting.
But until both fighters have signed on the dotted line and promoted the fight, Varcarcel will continue to remain in doubt.
“I’m not sure the fight will happen. I’ll believe that fight will happen the day they sign a contract and show the contract to the press and everybody at a press conference. But I got my doubts.”