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twitterFloyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao: The only fight fans want to see
HBO president of sports says actions already taking place to make fight happen
Steve Marcus
Manny Pacquiao reacts following his WBO welterweight title fight against Miguel Cotto Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009 | 3 a.m.
Pacquiao vs Cotto
Manny Pacquiao captured his unprecedented seventh title in a seventh weight division with a twelfth-round TKO of Miguel Cotto Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
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Manny Pacquiao makes boxing history
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Las Vegas Sun boxing/MMA writer Brett Okamoto sits down with fellow sports writer Ryan Greene and videographer Christine Killimayer to discuss what they all thought about the history making night for Manny Pacquiao.
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Pacquiao v. Cotto
- Complete Coverage: Pacquiao v. Cotto
- Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao: The only fight fans want to see
- Fightcasters: Manny Pacquiao makes history
- Bruised and battered, Cotto says he will fight again
- Live Results: Manny Pacquiao wins by TKO in 12th round
- Video: Pacquiao v. Cotto weigh-in
- Weigh-in blog: Trainers scuffle as both fighters make weight
- Video: Ending with firepower
- Freddie Roach says Miguel Cotto not the same since knockout
- Slideshow: Pacquiao, Cotto grand arrivals
- Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto make grand arrivals
- Video: Pacquiao prepares for Cotto
- Video: Cotto prepares for Pacquiao
As of Saturday night, can anyone think of a single reason why Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao shouldn’t fight?
It kind of seems silly at first. Of course, there has to be some minor, highly insignificant, but ultimately negative thing about the two fighting one another.
But then really think about it. Is there?
Floyd Mayweather Sr. says there is. But he’s not telling anybody.
“Lil Floyd would whoop (him), but to tell you the truth, I don’t think he should fight him,” Mayweather Sr. said. “That would be my advice to him.”
If he’d have no problem beating him though, then why not take the fight?
“I have my own reasons,” he said. “I’ll let you think about it for a second.”
Whatever Mayweather Sr.’s reasons are, chances are they’d have a hard time stacking up against the reasons for why the two should meet in the ring in early 2010.
As Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, described it, it’s a fight the world wants to see. Moments after Pacquiao’s historic win over Miguel Cotto for his world title in a seventh weight class, fans from inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena started chanting, "We want Floyd."
Roach says that he’ll take whatever fight is the best deal for Pacquiao, but his pick is Mayweather.
“We’ll fight whoever we negotiate with the best. If Floyd wants a 65/35 split, he’s not going to get that,” Roach said. “We’ll take the best deal that Bob negotiates for, but personally, I want Mayweather.”
Back in September, following Mayweather’s unanimous decision win over Juan Manuel Marquez, his manager and close friend Leonard Ellerbe said that Pacquiao was the next obvious choice from a marketing standpoint.
That much is especially obvious, as the Mayweather and Pacquiao fights — although Saturday’s numbers aren't official, it’s certainly a reasonable assumption — marked the first time since 1999 that a single calendar year sold two pay-per-view fights that reached more than 1 million viewers each.
As Vice President of HBO Sports Operations Mark Taffet will enthusiastically attest, they are obviously the two most marketable fighters in the world.
“The two fighters’ persona and performance in the ring separates them from the pack,” Taffet said. “From a media aspect, they compliment each other. Pacquiao receives a tremendous following from the West and Southwest markets, whereas in Mayweather we see a lot of Midwest and East Coast activity.
“They are two megastars but to very different target audiences, which is what makes it almost a perfect storm from a marketing perspective.”
Even their styles are tailor-made for one another.
Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KO) is the aggressor, who has shown a willingness to take a punch to give one, as well as a constant desire to finish fights even when he’s well ahead on a scorecard.
Mayweather (40-0, 25 KO) is the tactical defender, whose elusive ability is often referred to as poetry in motion; always the type of fighter that looks to score points and attend a post-fight press conference free of damage.
The trainer in Roach says he has the blueprint to defeat Mayweather — something the undefeated boxer is constantly asserting doesn’t exist.
“We’d break him down and beat him up,” Roach said. “Floyd can’t break an egg; he’s fragile. He hurts his hands all the time. He has speed, but if he lays on the ropes and rolls his shoulders, we’ll take everything he gives us.
“I have a great game plan for Mayweather, and I know how to beat the guy.”
Mayweather Sr., on the other hand, remains unimpressed by the Filipino and the wins he has over opponents that aren’t on the same level as his son.
“We ain’t worried about that fight. Tell me where you see a 5-foot-5 (expletive) hitting someone who’s just standing right in front of him,” said Mayweather Sr., referring to the Cotto fight. “That’s what we saw tonight.
“He hasn’t fought the greatest fighter yet. That might be his next task, but I don’t know.”
One person who doesn’t care about Mayweather Sr.’s withheld reasons for the two not to fight is HBO President of Sports Ross Greenburg, who was already in the media center arguing with Mayweather Sr. on the subject immediately following Saturday’s fight.
Before any of the fighters had arrived for questioning, Greenburg was heard saying to Mayweather Sr. that he knew the fight should happen and that it was time to make it happen.
“I don’t want to say it’s just a question of money,” Grennburg said. “When you have a situation where you’ve created two big events in the last three months, basically to set up a semifinals in the 147-pound weight class, and the American public demands to see the fight it has to happen.
“And the way it happens is to induce all sides by getting everyone to check their egos at the door, sit down at a table and hash out the terms. Each side has to look at the big picture, which is there is a boat-load of money and a fight too important for this sport not to happen.”
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, who promoted Mayweather until the fighter bought out his contract in 2006 because of a falling out, confessed that even he was more than willing to put their differences aside to make the fight.
“I’m not going to put up with any kind of nonsense — no trash talk, I’m not going to negotiate a fight in newspapers,” Arum said. “If Floyd Mayweather wants to fight Manny Pacquiao, he knows who to call. Period.
“There will be none of this, ‘I hate him, he hates me,’ — that doesn’t matter. If he wants to fight, let him call me.”
According to Greenburg, that was news Mayweather didn’t need to hear.
Right before Pacquiao emerged from his final medical checks in his locker room, Greenburg walked to the microphone to deliver news.
“I just got off the phone with (Golden Boys Promotions CEO) Richard Schaeffer,” Greenburg said. “He told me point-blank that Bob Arum would be getting that call on Monday and plans to come in and meet with Bob next to week to make the Mayweather fight.
“I think we can all hope and pray that a fight of that magnitude and importance to the sport of boxing can truly be made, because it is time to capitalize on all the hard work that was done over the last three months. We can look forward to one of the biggest events in boxing history. Let’s see what happens, stay tuned.”
Monday can’t come soon enough.
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com.
Discussion: 22 comments so far…
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People, calm down and let the excitement from last night settle. I too am a Pacqiao fan, but most of all I am a boxing fan.
Think about it...if Pacqiao fought Marquez again, the result would be much the same, it would have to go to the scorecards. If Mayweather fought Marquez again, it would be the same, an embarrassment for Marquez. Do you seriously think a 5'5 Pacqiao could be successful fighting a 5'11 phenom with the fastest hands on the planet? I know everyone is still passionate about Manny's performance last night. I was impressed as well as surprised as well. Cotto is too slow for either Pacquiao or Mayweather. Everone is too slow for Mayweather.
I hope this fight happens because it must happen for the fans! I suggest a winner take all pot! or perhaps a 50/50 split. Each stands to make $50-$100M.
a lot of boxing fans like you had doubts when pacquiao fought those seasoned fighters. and he proved us all wrong. mayweather has not fought a guy like the pacman. mayweather is 5'8 http://www.hbo.com/boxing/fighters/maywe...
Comment removed by staff. Violates reader agreement.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME I THINK MANNY PACQUIAO WOULD BEAT MAYWEATHER WITH NO PROBLEM OK THEN DID YOU SEE THE FIGHT WITH MAYWEATHER AND OSCAR DELA HOYA MAYWEATHER WON BUT NOT BY MUCH.. AND THEN DID YOU SEE WHAT MANNY DID TO THE GOLDEN BOY OSCAR DELA HOYA??[ENDED HIS CAREER]SO IF THE GOLDEN BOY WAS GOING TOE TO TOE AND BLOW FOR BLOW WITH MAYWEATHER AND PUT UP A GOOD FIGHT MAYWEATHER IS 5'11 INCHES GOLDEN BOY IS 5'10 INCHES .. WHAT MAKES YOU THINK MAYWEATHER COULD HANDLE MANNY PACQUIAOS SPEED AND AGILITY IF GOLDEN BOY COULDNT.. MAYWEATHER JUST DANCES AROUND THE RING..MAYWEATHER WANTS MORE MONEY BECAUSE HE KNOWS HE WILL LOSE WHO DOES MAYWEATHER THINK HE IS 65/35 split MANNY PACQUIAO IS THE NUMBER ONE POUND FOR POUND FIGHTER IN THE BOXING TODAY
It would be better maybe like 40/40 and the winner will be the one to take the remaining 20. So this will prevent mayweather from running because you can't win the fight if you don't punch. tsk tsk tsk. I am for Manny Pacquiao our National Fist! this is the better arrangement I think. Regards to you. Thank you.
Floyd is 5'8" (http://www.boxinggurus.com/mayweatherf.h...)
Floyd is the consumate counterpuncher and he is as quick as Pacquiao so the matchup will ne interesting. What helps Floyd with his counterpunching strategy is incredible ability to cover-up his head and his body when his guard is up. His long arms and I suppose a short torso is the reason for this. This will make it difficult for Pacquiao to connect. His quick combinations and counterpunching agsinst Cotto will not work with Floyd. Conversely, I don't think that Floyd has the punching power of Pacquiao so it will not cost Pacquiao to maintain his attack style. In the Cotto fight Pacquiao found openings when Cotto attempted to counterpunch. I don't think he will find those openings with Floyd given his ability to cover-up and I believe his counterpunching will be more effective because of his wuickness. However, I still give Pacquiao the edge although a very slight one. It will be a good fight.
I AGREE 40/40 AND THE WINNER TAKE THE REMAINING 20 that sounds fair
mayweather jr. vs pacquiao?
that would be such a cool fight.
i can't wait!
Mayweather beat up the Big Show so he shouldn't have a problem with Pacquiao (ahem) right?
Mayweather sr is full of hot air. Nothing he says makes any sense, I think he is slow in the head. The mayweather camp is scared of Manny. But, I think Mayweather-Pac would be a tough assignment for Manny.
Despite Mayweather's public persona of being arrogant and a loudmouth, I understand he is a great father and generous with his friends and family...everytime I have doubted Mayweather, he has won, begining with his fight against Diego Corrales (RIP) who everyone thought was going to beat him.
After seeing Pacquio I don't think Mayweather will win unless he changes his usually strategy and goes toe to toe with the Filipino until one of them goes down. Mayweather prides himself on his defense and doesn't like to get hit, because of his speed he has been successful with this strategy; however now he faces an adversary who is as fast, or faster than him and he must win by truly fighting. Win or lose Mayweather must now face the reality that he will be hit often, and hard in a ight against Pacquio...in the end Pacquio has more power and should "walk thru" Mayweather as Freddie Roach stated...however, I would never bet against Mayweather.
mayweather would kill pacman you think marquez kicked his ass wait to see what floyd does to him
Manny Paquiao deserves to be the number one pound for pound fighter given his recent resume.
There will always be excuses for every fight (Oscar was dehydrated, Hatton was washed up, Cotto was spent after the Margarito beating/scandal).
The lightning fast and deceptively strong filippino phenom is number one.
Is he better than Mayweater is an entirely different topic.
Some will say Manny destroyed Oscar while Floyd won by decision. This is true, but did everyone forget that Oscar refused to fight Floyd at 147 and instead they fought at Oscars advantageous weight of 154? Did everyone forget that it was Floyd who knocked out Hatton while Hatton was undefeated?
Could that have left a blueprint for a way to fight Hatton and also that it could have made Hatton more susceptible to being knocked out again?
If you answer no, than you should also answer no to the Marquez fight.
We know how Manny looked and we know how Floyd looked.
Truth is, this one should be a pick em.
i give Manny the number one spot ONLY because he has a more impressive recent resume and not because I think he will walk over Mayweather like most people seem to think.
It also has to be pointed out that Floyd Mayweather, for all the reasons he gives to dislike him and how cautious he seems to fight when the outcome is determined, is an undefeated fighter.
He has no losses, carried his belt for over ten years, retired for a long spell and still came back to dominate Marquez.
I am not saying Floyd is better, rather what I am saying is, all that the stats and comparisons do is this... ADD up to the fight of the decade.
In my opinion, the fight of the last 30 years.
I hope it happens, I will pay the PPV price unless I win some free tickets.
What I wont be doing is BETTING on this fight.
This is one I am just going to sit back with a cold beer, turn off my phone and enjoy..
Aloha
Marquez is a warrior but he was too small for floyd. Manny's style, for whatever reason, fits better with a jump up in weight than JMM.
Manny is tougher than floyd.
but it will be a hard fight.
Don't hold your breath. Mayweather won't fight unless the taxman comes knocking on his door again.
A quick look at the clark county assesor's website shows some of his properties are way behind on propety taxes. Maybe there's hope....
FACT: Mayweather is scared of the Pacman!
We wont see this fight ever!, becouse Mayweather is scared to fight Manny period. Mayweather said "Hatton was the hardest fight he ever had and best boxer he ever faced". then Mayweather saw what Manny did to Hatton, destroyed Hatton, bullied Hatton around the ring like Hatton was a school girl then knocks him completly out cold in the 2nd round sending doctors rushing to the ring to resusatate Hatten and basicly bring him back to life. publicly ebarresed him.
He knows this will be a loss for him and he will take a brutal and embarrassing beating, he is scared of being knocked out cold in an early round and being completly embarrased just like Hatton.
FACT: Mayweather is scared of the Pacman!
60/40 split. Winner gets 60%
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ???
Here world lets face the truth, mayweather is a black man with a big mouth. So its very easy to see why so many dislike him. But at the end do you really matter, cause it seems as if las vegas loves him. In all honesty your probaly the same fools that dog him before every fight and have your feelings hurt every time because the man is GREAT. With manny beating cotto...... what was that cotto never have or has he the potential to be a number one fighter. He didn't honestly beat shane. Manny did not beat floyd for any belt that he has. Shane is gonna have his own problems with berto so he should stay off to the side. An people always say that mayweather can only win by desicion...... at the end of the fight is there really one to be made?? So my money is on floyd. But when he does come away with this fight he should retire cause no one else has a chance. He has fought big name wether they were over rated or not an is still carrying a flawless record so a good fight this will be, an a fairly easy one for floyd.
there is always someone trying to take it to black and white, Please no one is worried about black people anymore get over it, this is boxing and the truth of the matter is that the reason why this fight has to happen and its big is not because Mayweather is a great fighter but simply because he talks so much garbage and takes so much advantage of his set up fight with mini great fighters and old great fighters (which still amounts to less than 5 if that), that someone has to show him that he is really not a fighter but simply a used car salesman who knows how to make money, Cotto is too slow yet he wouldnt fight him, Mosley (also black) called him out on PPV and still he wont fight him, Lets face the real truth Mayweather will not fight anyone who is a real threat unless they force him and they will have to in order for him to fight a true champion, with real fights under his belt like pacman, he isn't and has never deserved to be called the best pound for pound having 4 or 5 fighters out there he always avoided, apparently a lot of people out there fall for his garbage talk about him being the best, but if we simply look at the facts we'll conclude Mayweather is the biggest chicken pound for pound in boxing, not to mention dirty as hell probably come weighing over 150 pounds just like he did in the fight with Marquez refusing to get weighed on fight night, if you are so big why did you have to do that to beat a little man, simply because he was scared and needed reassurance, imagine how he's pooping his pants and what he will do to try and guarantee a win against pacman.
LMFAO...May is scared of Pacman??? Have you asked Floyd if he is afraid to fight Pac? I pose the question, since you (rabidrob) stated this to be fact. This is not Michael Spinks vs. Mike Tyson. Even if he was scared, he would fight for the 45+million he is going to receive after PPV #'s are tallied.
Spy7722...All fighters have a mandatory weight-in date. Matter of fact they have several weight-ins before the fight. However, there is only one official weigh-in. You do not have to weight in of fight night. Having said that, 90% of "so called" boxing fans know little about the sweet science. Go watch MMA!!!
First off as a Filipino, I'm going to back up Pacquiao regardless who he is fighting. But I am a fan of boxing first, and watch fights without bias. And with Cotto, I knew Manny was in for a tough battle. Probably the biggest test of his career. No disrespect to Cotto, he is a warrior and is still one of my favorite fighters to watch. I thought the fight would go to the scorecards and split in favor of Manny. When Saturday night came... I must say I was surprised. The way Pacquiao gradually dismantled Cotto was impressive.
It gave me some confidence about who Manny could fight successfully. I'm not comparing Cotto to Mayweather. I'm just saying the fight last Saturday night gave me reason to believe that Manny would give PBF a run for his money, pun intended. Whoever you're cheering for, this fight should be one you can't miss. I have much respect for Money May and what he's accomplished, but I think he'll be caught off guard (just as I was) whenever this fight comes to fruition.