Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com
Floyd “Money” Mayweather vs. “Sugar” Shane Mosley at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 1, 2010.
Monday, July 19, 2010 | 1:56 p.m.
Floyd Mayweather's camp issued a statement Monday afternoon regarding recent comments made by Manny Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum.
At 11:59 p.m. on July 16, Arum held a conference call to inform media members that although both sides of the potential megafight had basically agreed on all points of a contract to meet Nov. 13, Mayweather's hesitancy to sign off on the deal had forced Top Rank to seek a new opponent for Pacquiao.
In a statement released Monday, Mayweather's advisor Leonard Ellerbe said that a deal between the two sides never was made as Arum had suggested.
"Here are the facts," the statement said. "(Mayweather's manager) Al Haymon, (Golden Boy Promotions CEO) Richard Schafer and myself speak to each other on a regular basis, and the truth is no negotiations have ever taken place, nor was there ever a deal agreed upon by Team Mayweather or Floyd Mayweather to fight Manny Pacquiao Nov. 13."
It was the first statement made by anyone on Mayweather's side since negotiations reportedly began following Mayweather's latest win over Shane Mosley on May 1. If it happens, the Pacquiao fight is expected to be the richest in boxing history with each fighter making as much as $60 million.
Both sides were put under a gag order by HBO during negotiations, a request that ended when Arum leaked to certain news sites that the deal was close in late June.
In his July 16 conference call, Arum admitted he hadn't been in direct contact with Mayweather's camp and that all negotiations were being relayed through HBO president Ross Greenburg.
Ellerbe's statement verified as much, saying that either Greenburg or Arum was lying about the negotiations. Not surprisingly, Ellerbe hinted that Arum, who once promoted Mayweather before the two had a falling out, was the culprit
"Either Ross Greenburg or Bob Arum is not telling the truth," Ellerbe said. "But history tells us who is lying."
Pacquiao is expected to now face either Miguel Cotto or Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13. According to Arum, a deal with either of those two could be made as quickly as next week.
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or [email protected].
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