MANILA, Philippines – Bob Arum is still pushing for Miguel Cotto or Shane Mosley as Manny Pacquiao’s opponent on Oct. 17.
Arum said he doesn’t believe that Floyd Mayweather Jr., the comebacking ex-pound-for-pound king, will be available by then.
“I think Mayweather would not really be available this year,” Arum told boxingscene.com, referring to the undefeated American who will climb the ring on July 17 against Juan Manuel Marquez, the counter-puncher from Mexico.
Assuming that he wins that fight, as fight fans see him doing, it may be too difficult for Mayweather to fight Pacquiao three months after, even if he rests for a month and trains for two months.
It may be possible, but Arum doesn’t think Mayweather would do it.
“Because he’s Mayweather,” the Top Rank chief told Robert Morales of boxingscene.com in a recent interview.
“And obviously we’re not going to wait until after the Marquez fight. There have been no discussions whatsoever with the Mayweather people at this particular point and as far as I know nobody is pushing the Mayweather fight,” said Arum.
Arum went on to say that the final decision comes from Pacquiao, and his trainer, Freddie Roach, regarding the next fight.
Mayweather saying there’s no way Pacquiao can get a 50/50 split if they fight isn’t going to help as well in putting up the fight because Arum, like most people, believe that the Filipino southpaw is now the sport’s biggest draw, and not a fighter coming out of retirement.
Arum even said a while back that whoever Pacquiao faces next should be treated like someone Oscar dela Hoya faced when the Olympic champion from the US, who is now retired, was still the pay-per-view king.
Roach said 60/40 for Pacquiao against Mayweather can make the fight, and not 50/50.
“It will be a cold day in hell before that happens,” said Mayweather of an even purse split with Pacquiao.
Some boxing minds say Pacquiao is dodging Mayweather because he is afraid of African-American fighters, but in the same breath they should think that Mayweather is dodging Pacquiao by asking for the moon.
That’s why Arum is still looking at Cotto or Mosley who are both bigger and heavier but beatable as well.
Source: philstar.com
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