Top Rank conference call: Bob Arum eyes Cotto and Margarito with hopes of Floyd Mayweather in 2011 -- Examiner

By Chris Robinson, Examiner.com

You got a sense that Bob Arum wasn’t playing around when he announced that Floyd Mayweather had until this Friday to decide whether or not to move forward with a November 13th clash with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas. The negotiating process, the second for these two talented fighters, was again long and drawn out but finally it seemed that both sides had come to an agreement on all matters pertaining to a possible clash.

Pacquiao was said to have given his go ahead but Mayweather wasn’t heard from at all and speculation ensued. Arum later issued Floyd his deadline and everyone waited on pins and needles. As the week progressed Arum later noted that if he didn’t hear from Mayweather that he would be holding a conference call at Midnight Pacific Time to address the future of Pacquiao, his prized pugilist under his Top Rank promotional outfit. Midnight came and went and Arum wasted little time taking matters into his own hand.

Minutes ago Arum hosted a conference call and let it be known that next week he will be talking to representatives of Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito in hopes of landing a meaningful fight with Pacquiao. Margarito is a former two-time Welterweight champion while Cotto is the reigning WBA Jr. Middleweight champion who lost to Pacquiao in November of last year via 12th round TKO.

Trying to sound as optimistic as possible, Arum let it be known that he still hopes he will be able to have a Pacquiao-Mayweather clash in 2011, likely in May. Arum also noted that by no means is Mayweather out of the running for the November date, but that his ‘exclusivity’ period has ended, leaving the door open for other fighters to fill his shoes. If Mayweather does break his silence the fight could still be made this winter.

Elaborating further, Arum noted that two months ago, following Mayweather’s impressive drubbing of Shane Mosley, that HBO president Ross Greenburg had asked him if he and Pacquiao were interested in a Mayweather clash. Arum assured him that they were and the negotiation process began.

Arum laid out terms that would be acceptable from Pacquiao’s side while also informing Greenburg about the concession Pacquiao had towards the drug testing process. Al Haymon represented Mayweather and despite not communicating with Arum himself, Haymon interacted with Greenburg in relaying the information to the Pacquiao side. Arum stated that Haymon came to him with an acceptable offer and that a ‘resolution seemed close’.

As the conference call rolled on Arum noted that Mayweather likely had a good reason for not committing to a fight with Manny Pacquiao, one of which very well may be his Uncle and trainer Roger’s upcoming trial in August for allegations of assault. Arum took no cheap shots or verbal quips at Mayweather and instead insisted that this was the move that had to be made because time was simply running out.

So where does this leave us? Pretty much where we thought we were all along, with Mayweather seeming to be in the shadows and Cotto and Margarito now entering the forefront. These aren’t the developments that anyone truly could have hoped for but it is what we have been dealt with.

Let’s wait and see how things play out from here. For now you can expect a lot of disgust in the wake of yet another fallout between Pacquiao and Mayweather with much blame heading Floyd’s way. Who knows what is going on behind closed doors but you get the feeling that there has to be something behind all of this.

Source: examiner.com