By STEVE CARP, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
It’s off — at least for now.
The megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., will not take place on March 13 as tentatively scheduled after Mayweather refused to accept a compromise agreement struck during Tuesday’s marathon negotiating session with a mediator.
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said he is still under a gag order from mediator and retired judge Daniel Weinstein not to discuss the situation. However, Arum plans to announce today plans for a March fight in Las Vegas between Pacquiao and WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman.
When asked if the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is indeed off, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said: ‘‘I’m not going to confirm or deny anything. At this point, we have no comment.’’
The two sides met with Weinstein for nine hours Tuesday, but did not meet with Weinstein Wednesday.
Instead, the two fighters were given the revised proposal, the contents of which remain unknown. Pacquiao reportedly agreed to the deal while Mayweather apparently did not.
At that point, Arum moved on.
If Pacquiao fights Foreman, he would be going for an unprecedented eighth title in eight different weight classes. Pacquiao fought at 147 pounds, the heaviest of his career, when he stopped Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 in his most recent fight.
The loss of the March 13 date does not necessarily mean the fight is dead forever. Pacquiao and Mayweather could face each other in the fall, perhaps in September. In the meantime, Mayweather could get another tuneup for an eventual meeting with Pacquiao. It has been rumored Mayweather might keep the March 13 date at the MGM and fight Paulie Malignaggi.
But Schaefer would not comment about that possibility either.
Attempts to reach Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather’s co-manager, were unsuccessful Wednesday.
One possible reason the fight was scuttled was Pacquiao’s pending lawsuit against Mayweather. Last week, Pacquiao filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas for defamation against Mayweather, his father, Floyd Sr., his uncle, Roger Mayweather, Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya and Schaefer. According to Arum, Pacquio’s suit remains intact.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.
Source: lvrj.com
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