Boxing: Mayweather dampens hopes for Pacquiao fight

Boxer Floyd Mayweather poses with friends outside his jet in this photo he posted on social media in December 2014. Mayweather dampened hopes that a fight between him and Manny Pacquiao was a done deal. Instead, he said he would be touring the world in his jet. INSTAGRAM SCREENGRAB

LAS VEGAS, United States – Unbeaten fighter Floyd Mayweather dampened talk of a possible mega-fight agreement with Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, a day after the Asian star’s promoter said a deal was near.

Mayweather posted a message on his Shots account that said in part “While they continue to lie about making the fight… I’m just going to continue to travel and explore the world on my private jet. #FightNotMadeYet #Jamaica.”

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told the New York Post on Friday that he was optimistic a Pacquiao-Mayweather deal for a May 2 fight in Las Vegas would be completed in the next couple of days, with only a few final details to be settled between rival telecasters HBO and Showtime, the rights holders for Pacquiao and Mayweather respectively.

Mayweather, who turns 38 on February 24, left England’s Amir Khan hanging for months until announcing on his birthday last year that he would fight Argentina’s Marcos Maidana instead.

Mayweather wound up beating the South American twice in 2014, but has yet to test himself against Pacquiao or Khan.

Filipino southpaw Pacquiao is 57-5 with two drawn and 38 knockouts while Mayweather is 47-0 with 26 knockouts. Fans have sought a showdown between the two for five years, thus far in vain.

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