The posturing over negotiations for possibly the most lucrative fight of all time has begun.
Promoter Bob Arum told the Daily News Thursday that he recently tried to start discussions for the potential mega-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. and walked into a roadblock. The dialogue was cut short when Arum said that Richard Schaefer, who promotes Mayweather, told him that the boxer is currently a promotional free agent - which Mayweather's camp denies.
Now, Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, said he isn't sure who to deal with in regards to making the fight, which would probably take place in the spring.
"I'm waiting for a clear direction for who I'm supposed to negotiate with," Arum said yesterday during a luncheon to celebrate Brooklyn's Yuri Foreman, the first orthodox Jew to win a world championship in nearly 70 years. Foreman won a decision against Daniel Santos on Saturday to capture the WBA junior middleweight title on the undercard of Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto.
"Floyd can choose anyone he wishes to negotiate for him," Arum went on. "I assume that if Floyd wants to do the fight then that person will emerge. But Floyd doing it himself will be a catastrophe."
When told of Arum's comments, Leonard Ellerbe, an adviser to Mayweather, chuckled and provided a window into the discord that exists between the two camps. Arum is Mayweather's former promoter.
"Mayweather Promotions is discussing Floyd's options right now," Ellerbe said. "When it comes time to express those options, Richard (Schaefer) will be the one to express our position to Top Rank.
"This is typical Arum, to be playing games like this. It's no secret, the whole world knows that both camps don't see eye to eye. But Floyd has made it perfectly clear that he wants the fight."
Source: nydailynews.com
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