Boxing’s biggest-ever money fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao could finally take place according to Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, who of course promotes the Filipino superstar. Arum admitted that there is genuine will on his part to make the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight happen should Pacquiao overcome the relentless Brandon Rios in Macau, China this weekend.
The matchup between boxing’s two superstar names has long been discussed, of course. However, failure on the part of both camps to get round the negotiating table, following back-and-forth mudslinging, issues with drug testing, and more, prevented what would have been the biggest fight of the generation from happening.
The fight certainly has lost some luster from what it once was, but make no mistake, it will be a huge event nonetheless.
But Arum has now revealed that it is a fight he is determined to make happen and is prepared to sit down with Mayweather’s team to put together what will be the biggest prize-fight in history.
Here’s what Arum had to say about the possibility of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao:
“On our side the answer is yes [the fight can be made in 2014], we’re very open to it.
“There are ways it can get done, they have to dumb down the rhetoric, we are prepared to dumb down the rhetoric and get it done. There is no real impediment to having that fight happen whether it will or not depends completely on the Mayweather side. I can see it happening but I can’t predict that it will happen because it takes two to tango.”
One potential stumbling block to the bout being made is the TV issue, with Top Rank fighters appearing on HBO and Mayweather, who signed a multi-million six-fight deal last year, fighting exclusively on Showtime.
Arum, though, believes the blueprint on how to overcome the issue has been laid out from previous superfights.
“You’ve got to go back in history when Lennox Lewis, who fought for HBO, fought against Mike Tyson who was a Showtime fighter. Both networks participated in the promotion so that’s a road map of how we get this thing done,” stated Arum.
So, will we see Pacquiao vs. Mayweather after all? Don’t hold your breath, but don’t be surprised if it comes to fruition either.
