All Things Boxing

[DM72]

What's everyone's opinion of the Pac camp wanting to hold the bout in late May as opposed to May 5? Should Floyd bend or is this just Arum coming up with an excuse to not fight Floyd?

[Samuels]

MANILA, Philippines -- Manny Pacquiao's camp says there is no economic sense in setting up a bout with Floyd Mayweather on May 5 after the unbeaten American publicly challenged the Filipino champion via Twitter.

Pacquiao's financial adviser Michael Koncz told The Associated Press on Thursday that a 45,000-seat boxing arena being built in Las Vegas won't be finished before the end of May and staging the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight in a smaller venue is "foolish from an economic standpoint."

Mayweather challenged and taunted Pacquiao to a May 5 bout in a tweet on Tuesday.

"Manny Pacquiao I'm calling you out let's fight May 5th and give the world what they want to see," he tweeted.

Mayweather is available for a fight in May at the MGM Grand Garden after a judge agreed last week to postpone his jail sentence for domestic violence until June. Mayweather was sentenced to 87 days in jail, but likely will serve less time.

The MGM Grand seats about 17,000, which could fetch around $20 million in sales, but the larger arena could raise an additional $30 million, Koncz said.

"Why would I tell Manny to fight on the 5th and throw away a percentage of 30 million? That's crazy," he said.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has told the Philippines' GMA television the only reason the fight won't happen is if there is an "economic problem."

He said the fight "could happen very, very easily" at the end of May -- enough time to build the outdoor arena "the fight so badly needs."

"I will also guarantee Manny's purse," he said. "In other words, Manny doesn't want to go into the ring and just fight out a percentage."

He said Mayweather is looking for "outside parties to guarantee his end of the purse."

"So, until he finds the angel, there is no fight," Arum said.

In a separate interview with GMA, Pacquiao said that if Mayweather agrees to a "50-50 sharing, there will be no problem."

"The purse is not the issue right now, the date is," Koncz said. "But we don't have a problem splitting it 50-50."

This is ridiculus I hope they fight and its a double KO. So Manny is gonna make more money fighting someone else in june or whenever then just fighting Floyd on may 5th?

These 2 are like a damn soap opera full of BS.

[DM72]

This is ridiculus I hope they fight and its a double KO. So Manny is gonna make more money fighting someone else in june or whenever then just fighting Floyd on may 5th?

These 2 are like a damn soap opera full of BS.

I agree. It's always something with these two.

[StillUnknown]

What's everyone's opinion of the Pac camp wanting to hold the bout in late May as opposed to May 5? Should Floyd bend or is this just Arum coming up with an excuse to not fight Floyd?

I think its both. Floyd should bend, but I fully expect that "constructed arena" to hit a snag and not be finished until after its time for Mayweather to report to prison.


Quite honestly, I'm done with the whole situation. I just don't care much anymore. If Bob Arum weren't involved this fight and the rematch would've happened by now. I'm done with all parties concerned until they're actually in the ring across from the other.

[DM72]

I think its both. Floyd should bend, but I fully expect that "constructed arena" to hit a snag and not be finished until after its time for Mayweather to report to prison.


Quite honestly, I'm done with the whole situation. I just don't care much anymore. If Bob Arum weren't involved this fight and the rematch would've happened by now. I'm done with all parties concerned until they're actually in the ring across from the other.

I hear you. Why does this fight need a 40,000 seat stadium? If the MGM Grand was big enough for virtually every other big fight over the past 15 years, why isn't it big enough for this fight? As a Pac fan, I throw a lot of the blame on him. If he really want to give the fans what they want, he would have told Arum, "I don't care if we have to fight in Floyd's backyard, you just make the fight."

[I_Bleed_B&G]

First off don't always believe what you see on TV, typically a house (ANY HOUSE) is built QUICKLY in 3 months, longer pending on size, etc but if it's cookie cutter as those can be then 3 months is good speed.

If you have any sort of idea what rules/regulations/etc. that must be followed for any sort of public construction you would know that it is a far drastic difference in residential dwelling than a public "arena"

I'm not saying money doesn't fix problems or ensure someone can or can't do it, but, obviously if you pay more you have the ability to allow for more hiring, possibly quicker shipment of material, etc. Ultimately I think to build a "temporary facility" that seats 45,000 could be constructed in 4 to 5 months yeah that's probably doable and more likely doable by the end of May as Arum said since we're losing time as each day passes.

The accurate subject is do they want to make the fight not whether or not you can build a venue in the time especially if you don't know anything about a construction process.

I think you missed my sarcasm

[Unforgiven]

I hear you. Why does this fight need a 40,000 seat stadium? If the MGM Grand was big enough for virtually every other big fight over the past 15 years, why isn't it big enough for this fight? As a Pac fan, I throw a lot of the blame on him. If he really want to give the fans what they want, he would have told Arum, "I don't care if we have to fight in Floyd's backyard, you just make the fight."

It's a business.

I'm sure you noticed a while back that Manny stays out of the fight picking portion of his career for the most part, he lets his trainers and business managers line up people for him. No business manager in the world is going to suggest taking X Million on May 5th when you could get an additional possibly 20 million more than that just three weeks later.

I realize a lot of people are going to say he should step up and take charge and say it doesn't matter and he'll fight on the 5th, but keep in mind he trust the people that handle these things. You have a guy that was basically homeless at one point that is now one of the richest and most successful fighters of his generation, obviously the people around him have done their job well, no reason for him to second guess them now.

While I think he's annoyed at Mayweather and his people and the way they've accused him of cheating and being scared and all that, it doesn't rule his life.

[DM72]

It's a business.

I'm sure you noticed a while back that Manny stays out of the fight picking portion of his career for the most part, he lets his trainers and business managers line up people for him. No business manager in the world is going to suggest taking X Million on May 5th when you could get an additional possibly 20 million more than that just three weeks later.

I realize a lot of people are going to say he should step up and take charge and say it doesn't matter and he'll fight on the 5th, but keep in mind he trust the people that handle these things. You have a guy that was basically homeless at one point that is now one of the richest and most successful fighters of his generation, obviously the people around him have done their job well, no reason for him to second guess them now.

While I think he's annoyed at Mayweather and his people and the way they've accused him of cheating and being scared and all that, it doesn't rule his life.

Reports have both Pac/May making around $60 million each. Just how much more do you need? Besides, it was Manny who said he'd take a smaller purse and was gonna demand that Floyd be his next fight. He also said he was gonna give the fans what they want.

I'm a Pacquiao guy, but I have to throw as much blame at him as anybody else in this drama.

[Unforgiven]

I'm a Pacquiao guy, but I have to throw as much blame at him as anybody else in this drama.

Right, I'll wait and see what the next response is. If he offers to take the fight toward the end of May when both fighters can be available then he'll look fine to me, but if he tries to say not before June 9th or whatever then I'll drop the blame on him. The only thing so far is that they won't accept May 5th.

He can't be condemned for not fighting exactly on May 5th just because that's what Mayweather dictated and already had himself scheduled for.

---------- Post added January-12th-2012 at 04:02 PM ----------

Also, the world doesn't revolve around Mayweather's personal life and the fact he got himself in trouble and has to go to jail on June 1st. There is no reason he can't fight a week before he reports to serve his time, he doesn't need a 3+ week cushion there.

[DM72]

Right, I'll wait and see what the next response is. If he offers to take the fight toward the end of May when both fighters can be available then he'll look fine to me, but if he tries to say not before June 9th or whatever then I'll drop the blame on him. The only thing so far is that they won't accept May 5th.

He can't be condemned for not fighting exactly on May 5th just because that's what Mayweather dictated and already had himself scheduled for.

I agree with that. Manny shouldn't be obligated to May 5, but I still put the late May, 40,000 seat stadium deal in the same catogory that I put Floyd's random drug testing demand. Anything to put a snag in negotiations.

[SiCkSoULjA]

Would say that he should be obligated too fight May 5 for the sake of boxing!

The man was going too fight May 5 a day before Mayweather sentence changed now free all of a sudden a day after you have a cut that won't heal! Or mayweather won't be licensed in time, or this make believe arena needs another month too be built.

[ClemsSC7Skinfan]

If Extreme Makeover Home Edition can build a 5,000 sqft house in 7 days, these bastages can build a temporary facility for this fight lol

I dunno, I'm looking at it again and I don't really see what I'd call sarcasm, maybe I'm wrong but to me if you use sarcasm you make sense with your sharp/witty remark IMO

I think you missed my sarcasm

If I'm wrong then I stand corrected and apologize.


Other than that I'm done with the whole he said she said argument on this fight in general. As a huge boxing fan this thing is actually my losing interest as it continues to drag on...and on....and on
After the Ortiz fight I can honestly say that I've nearly lost all interest in watching Floyd fight anymore as well. I don't know exactly why but it's just gone.Tired of the same ol crap I guess.

[DM72]

Would say that he should be obligated too fight May 5 for the sake of boxing!

The man was going too fight May 5 a day before Mayweather sentence changed now free all of a sudden a day after you have a cut that won't heal! Or mayweather won't be licensed in time, or this make believe arena needs another month too be built.

Floyd is very calculating. Manny and Arum aren't stupid. Floyd announced a May 5 fight at the MGM Grand the same week Manny was fighting Marquez just to steal some of the spotlight. If he was really serious about negotiating a fight between Manny and himself, he sit down with Manny and his people and talk. May 5 is Floyd's date. Not Manny's. In this, I don't blame Manny and Arum. They're not gonna let Floyd dictate everything when Manny's just as big as he is.

Again, Manny and Arum share some blame in this, but so don't Floyd.

[Unforgiven]

Would say that he should be obligated too fight May 5 for the sake of boxing!

The man was going too fight May 5 a day before Mayweather sentence changed now free all of a sudden a day after you have a cut that won't heal! Or mayweather won't be licensed in time, or this make believe arena needs another month too be built.

He's said multiple times the cut is fine...multiple times. You and Stephen A. Smith must share the same ridiculous talking points.

The reason they want to push it back toward the end of May is to make 40+ million more at the gate.

I'm tired of pointing this out since you either ignore it or get mad that it's brought up, but the reason 3 weeks matters so much for Mayweather is that he is going to jail. If he were a normal responsible adult about his personal life this wouldn't be an issue. I'm not sure why you seem to think his failure to act right is now Manny's problem.

[Skin'emAlive]

^^^
You sound like you are in denial. Arum has made so many excuses for this fight not to happen its not even funny anymore. In fact, a day after this latest excuse about needing a bigger stadium that hasnt been built yet ( when most sales are from ppv anyways ) is that floyd is usic pac to sell a fight against guerrero. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/01...guerrero-fight

The 2 top pound for pound fighters in the world just so happen to be in the same class, and yet they have never because:

1. pac is afraid of needles
2. pac doesnt want to lose blood the day before the fight
3. olympic testing isnt mandated
4. cut hasnt healed
5. purse isnt fair
6. disrespected him
7. stadium isnt big enough
8. going to jail
7. false advertisement

which is it now?