By Kieran Mulvaney, ESPN.com
Some things that could be stated without hesitation about Floyd Mayweather, even before he allowed Bob Arum's deadline to pass at 3 a.m. ET Saturday, placing the possibility of a fight with Manny Pacquiao once more in serious doubt:
• He is a phenomenal boxer, a generational talent who displays artistry in the ring that almost demands admiration.
• However high someone else's opinion might be of his ability and his place in the historical firmament, it is unlikely to be quite as high as his own.
• He is, most assuredly, his own man.
If it is the first point that has gathered him legions of fans, and the second that has helped generate an approximately equal army of detractors, it is the third point that is almost certainly most relevant as we look anew on what appear to be, for the second time in eight months, the charred embers of what had promised to be the richest fight in boxing history.
Mayweather has earned millions upon millions of dollars, not solely through pugilistic brilliance, but by applying a single-minded focus to his career, in the ring and out of it. He speaks of the fact that he is his own boss almost as frequently as he mentions his undefeated record. To Mayweather, it is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that he marches to the beat of his own drum, that he takes orders from no one.
Floyd Mayweather, in other words, doesn't do deadlines. Not other people's deadlines, at least.
There was always the slight suspicion, when Top Rank declared some months back that Pacquiao would be fighting on Nov. 13, be it against Mayweather or some other foe, that the Pretty Boy's nose would slip a little out of joint. Once Arum began speaking publicly of deadlines, then the likelihood of Mayweather meeting a cut-off date that was presumably not of his choosing, seemed increasingly improbable.
Arum has handled this skillfully. He is, of course, within his rights to insist upon a deadline -- Pacquiao has an especially convoluted schedule, a major fight needs time to be developed and promoted, and the immediate futures of a good many other boxers in the welterweight and junior middleweight divisions are contingent on the Pacquiao-Mayweather situation reaching resolution.
Once he was convinced that Mayweather would not sign on time, Arum got out in front of the story, placing a countdown clock on the Top Rank website and hosting a conference call in the middle of the night to make it perfectly clear that it was Mayweather's side, not his, that was responsible for the fight falling through.
At the same time, Arum remained careful to leave the door open, either for a last-minute reversal of fortunes or for a third round of negotiations for 2011, treading carefully so as not to impugn Mayweather's reputation or question his motives.
If the fight is indeed about to fall by the wayside again, Mayweather will almost certainly take the great majority of the criticism for it, and -- if he has indeed been negotiating, and agreeing to, the finer points of the agreement, only to then step inside his cone of silence -- deservedly so.
The irony is that some of that criticism may be stunted by Arum's expressions of understanding, however heartfelt they may or may not be. While the proximate cause of negotiations collapsing last year was Mayweather's insistence on random drug-testing and Pacquiao's opposition to it, that was just the match that lit the fuel of the mutual loathing between the promoter and his erstwhile charge. The resultant explosion scattered shrapnel in the form of recriminations, accusations and even a lawsuit.
So far at least, that hasn't happened this time, cold-hearted business calculus replacing hot-headed animus. Who knows if any of the proposed reasons for Mayweather balking -- Uncle Roger's legal issues [Roger serves as Floyd Jr.'s trainer], the lack of desire for a second fight in 2010 following the massive windfall of the destruction of Shane Mosley in May, a deep-rooted fear that maybe he is not quite the fighter he used to be -- are the correct ones? Perhaps, contrary to the prevailing wisdom, Mayweather at heart simply wasn't entirely happy with the contract's provisions. Or maybe he just didn't want to be told what to sign and when to sign it. Until he decides to explain his side of the story, it is all just speculation. And right now, he isn't talking.
It's possible that Mayweather will emerge from seclusion next week and the fight will be back on. Or perhaps he'll keep his head down, or announce he doesn't want to fight again before next year. And then, at some point, the drum beats will start again and we'll build, for a third time, to the possibility of a showdown between the planet's two best fighters.
By the time it finally happens -- if indeed it ever does -- it is an open question whether fans' enthusiasm and excitement will be tempered by a skeptical weariness.
One thing seems certain: Whatever Floyd Mayweather ultimately does or does not agree to, it will be on his terms.
Source: espn.go.com
Saturday, 17 July 2010
ESPN blasts Floyd Mayweather a Shameful Coward -- Boxing Historian
By Cristian Palmer, Boxing Historian
The comments came as news filtered through that Mayweather had refused to sign a contract to fight Manny Pacquiao, emotions where running high after the deadline imposed by Top Rank Promoter Bob Aram passed yesterday on the stroke of twelve.
The fight is off said Bob Arum, “We laid our cards on the table, Pacquiao agreed to all of Mayweather ridiculous demands in a clear attempt to make the fight a reality, yet Mayweather still refused to sign.
“From my vantage point Pacquiao wants this fight and is doing everything to make it happen, Mayweather is making the fight impossible with ridicules demand after ridicules demand. It’s clear he does not want to fight, I cannot speculate on why that is, only he knows. But I have been in this business long enough to know when someone does not want to fight”.Arum said he would now look at a possible match up against Mexican Antonio Margarito. “We will need to obtain a licence to fight in the states, however, it’s not something I am overly concerned about as I have already spoken with Manny and he has no issues at all fighting in Mexico. The Mexican people have a great admiration and respect for Manny, they know he comes to fight and has been involved in many battles with great Mexican fighters over his career".
Its clear Margarito would be the first choice of opponent but Arum went on to talk about a possible rematch with Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao dominated Cotto when the two met last November, but Cotto has since went on to secure the WBA light middleweight title, making this bout a little more interesting considering Pacquiao would be challenging for a title in a historic eighth weight category.
Arum went on to explain the door would be left ajar for Mayweather should he change his mind, no time scale was given but Arum said if Pacquiao did sign to fight Margarito or Cotto they would be made aware of the fact Mayweather has the option to step in. So in a sense the circus continues.
Angry ESPN commentators blasted Mayweather calling him a shameful coward and the only reason they can find is that he is attempting to protect his undefeated record; all too aware Pacquiao represents a legitimate threat.
“Do you think that Michael Spinks was not afraid to get into the ring with Mike Tyson, he probably was, but he took the shot and got in there” said the ESPN host. The host went on to say five of Mayweathers last six fights he has one via decision, he is losing something and he knows it.
Source: theboxinghistorian.com
Top Rank conference call: Bob Arum eyes Cotto and Margarito with hopes of Floyd Mayweather in 2011 -- Examiner
By Chris Robinson, Examiner.comYou 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
Mayweather-Pacquiao fight off for now -- Examiner
By Edward Castro, Examiner.comIt’s a shame Bob Arum’s ‘Countdown’ didn’t pack the same kind of wallop as Lebron James’ ‘Decision.’
While James’ announcement changed the landscape of professional basketball, the result of Friday’s ‘Countdown’ did little to improve the way sports fans look at boxing.
The ‘Countdown’ media event, held at midnight on Friday, focused around the contract negotiations between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao and a proposed bout between the two superstars.
But, as revealed by Arum, negotiations between the two camps failed to produce an agreement. Pacquiao is now considering other opponents for his bout in November.“Next week we will be talking to the (Miguel) Cotto camp and the (Antonio) Margarito camp regarding a fight with Manny Pacquiao,” Arum said. “People have asked me, or people here at Top Rank, if the Mayweather fight is dead. Even though Mayweather has not responded, my answer is simple: It’s dead when we conclude a deal with an opponent for Manny’s fight in November.”
Arum added, “Then we are bound to that fight. We would then look for a Mayweather fight next year.”
Arum also made it clear that Desert fighter Timothy Bradley has yet to build a big enough following to be considered as a viable opponent for Pacquiao.
“Timothy Bradley is a tremendous fighter and a great young man,” Arum said of Bradley, who fights Carlos Abregu today at the Agua Caliente Casino near Palm Springs. “But the problem with a guy like Bradley is that, even though we know he is a super fighter, the public really doesn’t know him.”
Arum did let one strange bit news slip. During negotiations for the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, he never spoke with anyone from Golden Boy Promotions (Mayweather’s promoter) or with Mayweather directly.
Negotiations were held between Arum and HBO president of sports Ross Greenburg, who communicated with Mayweather manager Al Haymon.
“Ross was committed to making the fight happen,” Arum said. “As head of HBO sports, I felt the best chance to make the fight happen was to do it all through Ross – like he was the mediator. I still believe it was the right way to go.”
Arum added, “It obviously didn’t work out, not because Ross didn’t do a good job. I think he did. Obviously, the problem was Floyd, for whatever reason, and I am sure he has a valid reason, didn’t want to commit.”
Arum seemed to give Mayweather a pass despite not coming to terms for a fight. He mentioned the legal woes of Roger Mayweather, Floyd’s trainer and uncle, as a reason why the undefeated champion has not put his stamp of approval on the fight.
“I don’t think anyone should be too harsh with Floyd,” Arum said. “The real issue with the Uncle has an effect. I, putting myself in his shoes, would feel a lot of reluctance to take such a big fight without my trainer.”
Source: examiner.com
No deal for Pacquiao-Mayweather bout -- ESPN
By Dan Rafael, ESPN.comTop Rank promoter Bob Arum's deadline of 3 a.m. ET came and went Saturday morning with no response from Floyd Mayweather Jr. or his representatives about whether he would accept the terms of a deal for a Nov. 13 fight with Manny Pacquiao.
So there is no deal, Arum said, and he will begin negotiating another fight for the pound-for-pound king.
The two candidates are other fighters Arum promotes, disgraced former welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito, who remains unlicensed in the United States because of the scandal over his hand wraps before his knockout loss to Shane Mosley last year, or a rematch with Miguel Cotto, whom Pacquiao knocked out to win a welterweight title in November 2009.He would either fight Cotto for the 154-pound belt he won from Yuri Foreman on June 5 or face Margarito for the belt vacated by Sergio Martinez after he moved up and won the middleweight championship in April.
But Arum did give Mayweather some wiggle room to still accept the deal. He said the deadline he imposed was only as it related to negotiating exclusively with the Mayweather camp.
"People have asked me does [the deadline] mean the Mayweather fight is dead," Arum said on a media conference call that began moments after the countdown clock on Top Rank's website struck zero. "Even though Mayweather hasn't responded by the deadline my answer is a simple one -- it's dead when we conclude a deal with an opponent for Manny to fight. ... And then we would look to do a fight with Floyd next year. In the interim, while this is going on, if Floyd suddenly emerged we would not be opposed to doing the fight. While these negotiations are going on [with Cotto and Margarito], if Floyd came to the table, that's the fight we want more than all others."
Not only did Arum leave the door open to Mayweather to still accept the fight in the next 10 days or so -- the length of time Arum figured it would take him to make a deal with Cotto or Margarito -- but he was also conciliatory toward a fighter he has had raging public feuds with since their promotional agreement ended on a sour note several years ago.
Rather than bash Mayweather for his silence and lack of response to the deadline and for not accepting the fight, Arum was soothing toward his nemesis.
"I am sure that there is a very, very good reason that Floyd Mayweather has for not committing to a fight at this time," Arum said. "I really, truly believe that. Now I am speculating, but one of the reasons could be the uncertainly regarding [uncle and trainer] Roger Mayweather. Roger Mayweather is scheduled before a court in Nevada regarding criminal charges. I know how Manny would feel if he had to go into a fight like this without the services of Freddie Roach."
Roger Mayweather is scheduled to go on trial early next month on a year-old battery charge that alleges he beat a female boxer he once trained. Mayweather has already served time for a previous assault charge -- during which time he missed one of his nephew's fights -- and faces a maximum 10-year sentence.
Arum said for weeks before the deadline that Mayweather's camp had a contract for the fight and that Pacquiao has accepted the terms, including provisions for drug testing (blood and urine) leading to the bout. An inability to come to terms on the drug-testing issue caused the fight to fall apart in early January and sent both fighters into other bouts.
Pacquiao easily outpointed Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on March 13 and Mayweather dominated Shane Mosley in a May 1 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
"I think that issue [drug testing] was resolved," Arum said. "I believe it was resolved and I don't want to go into the details."
Another factor that Arum didn't address was the status of the defamation suit Pacquiao filed against Mayweather, members of his team and Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer and Oscar De La Hoya, over comments that linked Pacquiao to performance-enhancing drugs, which he denies ever using.
Arum said he never spoke directly to the Mayweather camp during negotiations, but said he believed he and Mayweather adviser Al Haymon settled on an agreement during the talks that went entirely through Ross Greenburg, the president of HBO Sports, which would have produced and distributed the fight on pay-per-view.
Arum took the deal to Pacquiao and got his OK. Haymon, he said, was supposed to take the deal to Mayweather for his OK. On June 30, Arum said he believed there were no remaining issues.
"That's based on my conversations with Ross Greenburg," Arum said. "I have never talked to anybody on the Mayweather side. Ross represented to me certain things that he had discussed with Al Haymon on behalf of Floyd Mayweather."
Haymon does not speak to the media and Leonard Ellerbe, another Mayweather adviser, has not returned messages and e-mails from ESPN.com.
Although Arum wouldn't go into the details in the proposed deal, he did talk about the way the secretive talks unfolded.
"About two months ago, a few days after the Mayweather-Mosley fight, I got a call from Ross Greenburg, who asked me frankly whether myself and Manny Pacquiao wanted to do the fight against Floyd Mayweather," Arum said. "I assured him that, yes, I had talked to Manny and that was the case, and from there I had a couple of conversations with Ross and I laid out all the terms that would be acceptable to our side.
"And I also informed him about the concessions that Manny had made regarding drug testing. He got back to me in a couple of weeks and told me he had discussed it with Al Haymon, and everything looked good and we were nearing a resolution.
"They kept assuring Greenburg, at least based on what Greenburg told me, that Haymon told him he was working on it [and] expecting [a commitment from Mayweather] shortly and it never materialized. I don't blame Haymon. I think Haymon really tried, at least based on what I hear from Greenburg."
Arum said that Schaefer, the Golden Boy CEO who has promoted Mayweather's last several fights and was heavily involved in the first negotiations for the Pacquiao fight, wasn't directly involved this time.
"Nowhere was the name Richard Schaefer or Golden Boy mentioned, although I read, as you all did, De La Hoya's statement [to a Spanish-language network] that a deal was close. So I assumed from that that Haymon was keeping Schaefer and Golden Boy abreast of the situation.
"Ross has for the last month been telling me Haymon was working very, very hard to get the agreement done with Floyd. A couple of weeks ago I told [Greenburg] I wanted to do this fight very badly and so did Manny, but that at a particular point in time we'd have to move on."
Asked why he only negotiated the bout with Greenburg acting as a go-between rather than directly with Haymon, with whom he has had a rancorous relationship in recent years, Arum said: "Ross was committed to make the fight happen and as the head of HBO Sports I felt the best chance to make the fight happen was to do everything through Ross, almost like he was the mediator. And I still believe it was the right way to go. It obviously didn't work out [but] not because Ross didn't do a good job. But obviously Floyd, for whatever reason, and I'm sure he had some valid reason, didn't want to commit."
So now it's on to talking with the representatives for Margarito and Cotto, which Arum said needs to be done quickly so Pacquiao, a recently elected congressman in the Philippines, can work out his tricky schedule.
"First I have to get Manny's views," Arum said. "I have to discuss with Manny who he prefers [Cotto or Margarito] and then get everything put together. Whoever he selects is who we will go after."
Arum said if Pacquiao fights Cotto it would take place either at the MGM Grand or Cowboys Stadium. If it's Margarito, he said the fight would take place at a new arena in Monterrey, Mexico, or at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, if Margarito can secure a provisional license in Nevada. The Nevada State Athletic Commission tabled his application earlier this month, but it is still possible he could secure a license for the fight.
Neither of those fights is nearly as big as a bout with Mayweather, which many believe would break all revenue records in boxing history.
"It would be a shame if it didn't happen," Arum said. "I don't think any of you [media] guys should be too harsh on Floyd. I would have liked for him to communicate but I really believe this issue with his uncle has an effect.
"Right now, I understand Floyd's position regarding Roger. We know the seriousness regarding Roger and I can understand him delaying plans for a future fight until there's a resolution. Boxing fans are going to be disappointed but they have to realize and cut Floyd Mayweather some slack. People should be understanding. Floyd Mayweather is not saying he will never fight Manny Pacquiao and Manny Pacquiao is not saying he's not going to fight.
"There's always next year."
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
Arum will begin talks for Pacquiao vs. Margarito, Cotto -- The Ring
By Michael Rosenthal, The RingBob Arum left the door open a crack for a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight on Nov. 13 but it seems very unlikely that Mayweather will walk through.
Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, announced on a midnight conference call that he will now begin talks with another potential opponent –- Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto -– because Mayweather missed what he called an “exclusivity deadline.”
Mayweather still has time to accept the fight against Pacquiao but the door would be closed the minute Arum reaches a deal with another opponent. Arum said he wants to have an agreement for a Nov. 13 fight in place within 10 days.Arum didn’t lash out at Mayweather or anyone in his camp, as he did when negotiations for a fight in March fell apart. He speculated that Mayweather has thus far refused to accept the fight because his uncle and longtime trainer, Roger Mayweather, is due in court on assault charges on Aug. 2. Thus, the younger Mayweather would face the prospect of preparing for the biggest fight of his life without his trainer if his uncle is convicted and spends time in jail.
Arum, who negotiated with Mayweather through HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg, doesn’t understand why Mayweather hasn’t been heard from in several weeks but doesn’t place blame on him.
“Obviously people want the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight,” Arum said. “I think the fans are going to be disappointed. They have to realize .. they have to cut Floyd Mayweather some slack. We know his uncle is facing some difficulties in the courts in Nevada. And I can see his reluctance to commit to a big fight with Pacquiao without the services of his uncle.
“If boxing fans begrudge him that, that’s really sad. I really believe people should be understanding.”
Arum said last month that he believed, based on his conversations with Greenburg, that the sides had resolved the sticky issues that stood in the way of the biggest-possible fight in the sport. That included blood testing, the disagreement that scuttled negotiations for the proposed fight in March.
The promoter was asked on the conference call whether he was given any hint as to why Mayweather has thus far failed to commit.
“The answer is no,” he said. “They kept assuring Greenburg, based on what he told me, that Al Haymon [Mayweather’s advisor] told him he was working on it. … It just never materialized. I don’t blame Haymon. I think he really tried based on what I got from Greenburg.”
Arum said he set the deadline four months before the fight because he needs time to prepare the promotion and to cope with the unusual complications presented by Pacquiao’s congressional duties in the Philippines.
“The deadline was the end of the exclusivity period,” said Arum, who had promised Greenburg that he would not negotiate with anyone except Mayweather until the deadline passed. “Now I have to go out and secure an opponent for Manny Pacquiao, assuming he won’t fight Floyd. Then we have to mount a campaign, to get in touch with the [satellite TV companies] and get everything in order. Time is going by. Also, we have to start scheduling press conferences.
“… I’m dealing with a very unusual situation,” Arum added later in the call. “I’m representing a fighter who is also a congressman. He has legislative duties; he has commitments in the Philippines. We have really short windows to do various aspects of the promotion.”
Arum said he would talk to Pacquiao shortly to determine which of the two primary alternatives to Mayweather he prefers. All three fighters are promoted by Arum.
Margarito is presumed to be the first choice at least in part because Pacquiao has already knocked out Cotto. However, Margarito has issues related to the revocation of his license in California after he was caught with illegal knuckle pads before his fight against Shane Mosley last year.
The Mexican fighter applied for a license in Nevada, apparently with the Pacquiao fight in mind, but the commissioners there tabled his request and told him to apply for reinstatement in California first. However, it looks as if California cannot hear Margarito’s case for several months.
Thus, Arum said that he will ask Nevada to grant Margarito a one-time conditional license for the Pacquiao fight if the Filipino wants to fight Margarito. If Margarito is turned down, Arum said, the fight would be held in Monterrey, Mexico, which apparently has erected a new arena.
The Cotto fight would take place either in Las Vegas or Cowboys Stadium, the site of Pacquiao’s victory over Joshua Clottey in March.
The appeal of a rematch with Cotto, a junior middleweight titleholder, is the opportunity for Pacquiao to win a belt in a record eighth weight division.
“And Miguel will have in his corner Emanuel Steward, one of the great cornermen of our time,” Arum said. “That certainly would give Cotto more ammunition than he had going into the fight the last time.”
Meanwhile, those who want to see Pacquaio-Mayweather will hope that it still somehow happens. Arum is among them.
"[Pacquiao-Mayweather] is dead when we conclude a deal with an opponent for Manny’s fight in November," he said. "Then we’re contractually bound to do that fight. And we would look hopefully do a fight with Floyd next year. In the interim ... if Floyd suddenly emerged and said yes, he wants to do fight, there would be nothing opposed to getting together and doing a fight."
Floyd?
Source: ringtv.com
Mayweather Jr. counted out? -- Las Vegas Review-Journal
By STEVE CARP, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
While time may have technically run out Friday for Floyd Mayweather Jr., to fight Manny Pacquiao in November, the reality is Mayweather may have received an extension — if he wants it.
Bob Arum, the Top Rank chairman who promotes Pacquiao, said if Mayweather decides he wants to fight before a deal gets made for Pacquiao to meet Antonio Margarito or give Miguel Cotto a rematch, a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight would become a reality for Nov. 13.
“We hope to have a deal in the next 10 days,” Arum said in a late-night teleconference Friday. “Does that mean the Mayweather fight is dead? It’s dead when we conclude a deal for Manny’s fight in November. But in the interim, if Floyd said yes, he wants to do the fight, then we’ll do the fight.”Arum said there was a Friday deadline because there was an exclusivity clause for Pacquiao to negotiate a deal with Mayweather for a Nov. 13 fight.
"We haven’t talked to anyone other than Mayweather,” said Arum, who had been talking to Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports, as a go-between for Team Mayweather. Arum said he has not spoken directly to anyone in the Mayweather camp throughout the entire negotiating period.
According to Arum, Greenburg has been dealing with Al Haymon, Mayweather’s co-manager.
“I talked to Ross two weeks ago and told him that Manny wanted this fight badly. At the same time, we had to move on at some point.”
That time has come. Arum said he will move expeditiously to get a deal done with Margarito or Cotto.
“We’re going to proceed with all deliberate speed,” Arum said of negotiations.
A Nov. 13 Pacquiao-Margarito fight would take place either in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden or in Monterrey, Mexico. However, for a Pacquiao-Margarito fight to take place in Las Vegas, Margarito will have to first be licensed in Nevada.
Margarito appeared before the Nevada Athletic Commission July 9 to request a license. However, the commission voted 4-1 to table his request. Instead, the NAC directed Margarito to return to California, where his license was initially revoked and he was suspended for one year after illegal hard inserts were found inside his hand wraps prior to his entering the ring against Shane Mosley Jan. 24, 2009.
Mosley won that fight, stopping Margarito in the ninth round.
Margarito last fought on May 8 in Mexico. A Pacquiao-Margarito fight would do extremely well there given Pacquiao’s world class status and Margarito being of Mexican heritage and a former world champion himself.
A Pacquiao-Cotto rematch would probably only happen if Margarito is unable to get licensed. Arum said that fight would take place in Las Vegas or in Dallas at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Pacquiao destroyed Cotto when the two met last Nov. 14 at the Grand Garden.
Cotto has since bounced back, beating Yuri Foreman on June 5 at Yankee Stadium and winning Foreman’s WBA light middleweight title.
“I haven’t talked to Margarito or Cotto yet,” Arum said, when asked how much either fighter would make to get in the ring with Pacquiao.
Arum also said he didn’t know what kind of money pacquiao would command against either Margarito or Cotto. Rest assured, however, it would be far less than what he would earn against Mayweather. There have been estimates that Pacquiao and Mayweather could make around $50 million each were they to meet.
Arum said he hopes Pacquiao and Mayweather will meet in the ring at some point.
“Obviously, this is the fight fans want to see,” he said. “It’s a fight that Manny wants.
“Will it happen? Who knows?”
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.
Source: lvrj.com
Promoter: Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao Not 'Dead' -- FanHouse
By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
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"Time is going by and we have to start scheduling press conferences," said Arum. "Because in Manny Pacquiao, I'm not dealing with the normal kind of fighter. He's over in the Philippines, first of all, and, second of all, he has his duties -- which he takes very seriously -- as a congressman in the Philippines."
Arum had said that if the 33-year-old Mayweather (41-0, 25 knockouts) had not signed by midnight on July 16, then the 31-year-old Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), holder of the WBO's welterweight (147 pounds) title, would seek a deal to go after his eighth crown in as many different weight classes against either WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champion, Miguel Cotto, or ex-titlist, Antonio Margarito.
Margarito and Pacquia would meet for the WBC junior middlweight crown vacated by Sergio Martinez, said Arum.
Arum said that he will now begin negotiating with Cotto and Margarito, adding that he hopes to have a deal wrapped up within the next 10 days.
Still, Arum would consider ending negotiations with Cotto and Margarito -- providing that a deal had not been reached in principle with either -- if Mayweather "came to the table" and decided to face Pacquiao based on the already agreed upon terms.
"People have asked me if this means that the negotiations for a Floyd Mayweather fight are dead. And even though Mayweather hasn't responded by the deadline, my answer is a simple one. It's dead when we conclude a deal with an opponent for Manny's fight in November," said Arum, who would then try to make a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight for perhaps May of 2011.
"And then, we're contractually bound to do that fight, and we would look hopefully to do a fight with Floyd next year," said Arum. "But if, in the interim, while this was going on, Floyd suddenly emerged and said 'Yes,' he wanted to do the fight, then there would be nothing opposed to getting together and doing the fight."
During the call, Arum indicated that all negotiations were handled through Greenburg, who then forwarded all information -- including contracts signed by Pacquiao -- to Haymon.
Arum said that he never actually spoke to Haymon, nor, members of Golden Boy Promotions, whose president, Oscar De La Hoya, and, CEO, Richard Schaefer, had been promoting Mayweather's fights.
"About two months ago, a few days after the Mayweather-Shane Mosley fight, I got a call from Ross Greenburg, the president of HBO sports, who asked me frankly whether myself or Manny Pacquiao wanted to do the fight against Floyd Mayweather. I assured him that yes, I had talked to Manny, and that was the case," said Arum.
"And, from there, I had a couple of conversations with Ross, and I laid out all of the terms that would be acceptable to our side and I also informed him about the concession that Manny had made about the drug-testing," said Arum. "He got back to me in a couple of weeks, and told me that he had had discussions with Al Haymon, representing Floyd Mayweather, and that everything looked good, and we were nearing a resolution."
Arum said that he assumed Haymon had been informing Schaefer and De La Hoya of the process from public statements De La Hoya made that the deal was "close" to being completed.
It was through Greenburg that Arum was being informed that the negotiations were "going well" with Haymon, and that the potential for Mayweather-Pacquiao was real. At no time has Arum spoken to Mayweather or his other adviser, Leonard Ellerbe.
"Ross, for the past two months, has said that Haymon had been working very, very hard to the agreement of Floyd Mayweather. A couple of weeks ago, I told him that, 'Look, I wanted to do this fight very badly, and so did Manny, but at a particular point in time, we'd have to move on,'" said Arum. "I told Ross that this Friday was our deadline for the end of the exclusivity period, and I tell you that next week, we will talk to the Cotto camp and the Margarito camp regarding a fight with Manny Pacquiao."
Arum and Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz, believe, however, that Mayweather had "valid reasons" for not signing.
"Ross was committed to make the fight happen, and, as head of HBO sports, I figured that the best chance to make the fight happen was to do everything through Ross -- almost like he was the mediator. And I still believe that it was the right way to go," said Arum.
"It obviously didn't work out, not because Ross didn't do a good job. He did, in talking to myself and to Al Haymon," said Arum. "But obviously, the problem was that Floyd, for whatever reason -- and I'm sure that he had some valid reasons -- didn't want to committ."
Arum speculated that those reasons had to do with legal troubles involving his uncle and long-time trainer, Roger Mayweather.
Roger Mayweather goes on trial in Clark County District Court in Nevada on Aug. 2 on an assault charge stemming from his allegedly choking and assaulting female boxer Melissa St. Vil last year, and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted -- meaning that he might not be available for a November fight.
Although Arum said that Mexico and Abu Dhabi were being considered as potential bouts for the fight, he indicated that Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates -- despite the "cooperative" efforts of that country's officials -- would not be advantageous, "logistically."
For that reason, Arum said that either The Dallas Cowboys' Stadium or the MGM Grand in Las Vegas would be more suitable for a bout between Pacquiao and Cotto, while the MGM and Monterrey, Mexico, would be more appropriate for a Margarito fight.
"The attraction for the Cotto rematch would be that Manny's going for a title, fighting at a higher weight, and that Miguel would have Emanuel Steward in his corner, one of the great corner men of our time. That certainly would give Cotto more ammuntion going into the fight than he had last time," said Arum, referring to the fact that Pacquiao dethroned Cotto as WBO welterweight champ by 12th-round knockout in November.
Margarito still is not licensed in America, stemming from a year-long suspension by the California State Athletic Commission involving an illegal hand-wrapping scandal following his January, 2009, ninth-round knockout loss to Mosley.
Margarito unsuccessfully attempted to become licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission recently, but the NSAC tabled its decision and requested that Margarito first attempt to be re-licensed in California. That could be difficult, however, because Margarito has filed a lawsuit against that state.
To that end, Arum has said that he has applied through the NSAC for a "Conditional," or, temporary license that would allow Margarito to fight on Nov. 13 in Las Vegas, and that he is hopeful of leniency by that commission.
"Well, number one, we've ask for the Nevada Commission, based on California putting it off, to give [Margarito] a conditional license to fight in Nevada on the 13th of November. Hopefully, from Margarito's standpoint, they will agree to that. If not, then if Manny decides that he wants Margarito, we would do the fight in Monterrey, Mexico. Manny would do the fight outside of the United States," said Arum.
"We wouldn't need a signed contract [from Cotto or Margarito.] If Manny committed and I committed to either Cotto or Margarito, and they committed to me, then it would be a deal. A signed contract would be later," said Arum. "But while these negotiations are going on, and while I was talking to Manny, if Floyd came to the table, that's the fight that we want more than all others -- no question about it."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum said that he believed the issue of random drug-testing, specifically, the 14-day cutofff agreed to by Manny Pacquiao, to have been "resolved," adding that all negotiations for a potential bout with Floyd Mayweather were handled "strictly through" HBO's president of Sports, Ross Greenburg
, as a mediator to Arum and Mayweather's manager and adviser, Al Haymon.
, as a mediator to Arum and Mayweather's manager and adviser, Al Haymon.Those two items were among the subjects Arum discussed with the international media during a midnight, Pacific time, conference call on Friday -- 3 a.m. East Coast Time on Saturday.
The time frame and the date -- July 16 -- were established as the deadline for the unbeaten Mayweather to sign a deal to make a November 13 mega bout between he and Pacquiao, who are regarded as boxing's pound-for-pound best.
That deadline has come and gone with no signature -- and not even a word, publicly -- from Mayweather.
"The deadline is the end of the exclusivity period, because, we now have to go out and secure an opponent for Manny Pacquiao, assuming that it won't be Floyd. We have to go out and mount a campaign. We have to deal with the television networks, and get everything in order," said Arum.
"Time is going by and we have to start scheduling press conferences," said Arum. "Because in Manny Pacquiao, I'm not dealing with the normal kind of fighter. He's over in the Philippines, first of all, and, second of all, he has his duties -- which he takes very seriously -- as a congressman in the Philippines."Arum had said that if the 33-year-old Mayweather (41-0, 25 knockouts) had not signed by midnight on July 16, then the 31-year-old Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), holder of the WBO's welterweight (147 pounds) title, would seek a deal to go after his eighth crown in as many different weight classes against either WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champion, Miguel Cotto, or ex-titlist, Antonio Margarito.
Margarito and Pacquia would meet for the WBC junior middlweight crown vacated by Sergio Martinez, said Arum.
Arum said that he will now begin negotiating with Cotto and Margarito, adding that he hopes to have a deal wrapped up within the next 10 days.
Still, Arum would consider ending negotiations with Cotto and Margarito -- providing that a deal had not been reached in principle with either -- if Mayweather "came to the table" and decided to face Pacquiao based on the already agreed upon terms.
"People have asked me if this means that the negotiations for a Floyd Mayweather fight are dead. And even though Mayweather hasn't responded by the deadline, my answer is a simple one. It's dead when we conclude a deal with an opponent for Manny's fight in November," said Arum, who would then try to make a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight for perhaps May of 2011.
"And then, we're contractually bound to do that fight, and we would look hopefully to do a fight with Floyd next year," said Arum. "But if, in the interim, while this was going on, Floyd suddenly emerged and said 'Yes,' he wanted to do the fight, then there would be nothing opposed to getting together and doing the fight."
During the call, Arum indicated that all negotiations were handled through Greenburg, who then forwarded all information -- including contracts signed by Pacquiao -- to Haymon.
Arum said that he never actually spoke to Haymon, nor, members of Golden Boy Promotions, whose president, Oscar De La Hoya, and, CEO, Richard Schaefer, had been promoting Mayweather's fights.
"About two months ago, a few days after the Mayweather-Shane Mosley fight, I got a call from Ross Greenburg, the president of HBO sports, who asked me frankly whether myself or Manny Pacquiao wanted to do the fight against Floyd Mayweather. I assured him that yes, I had talked to Manny, and that was the case," said Arum.
"And, from there, I had a couple of conversations with Ross, and I laid out all of the terms that would be acceptable to our side and I also informed him about the concession that Manny had made about the drug-testing," said Arum. "He got back to me in a couple of weeks, and told me that he had had discussions with Al Haymon, representing Floyd Mayweather, and that everything looked good, and we were nearing a resolution."
Arum said that he assumed Haymon had been informing Schaefer and De La Hoya of the process from public statements De La Hoya made that the deal was "close" to being completed.
It was through Greenburg that Arum was being informed that the negotiations were "going well" with Haymon, and that the potential for Mayweather-Pacquiao was real. At no time has Arum spoken to Mayweather or his other adviser, Leonard Ellerbe.
"Ross, for the past two months, has said that Haymon had been working very, very hard to the agreement of Floyd Mayweather. A couple of weeks ago, I told him that, 'Look, I wanted to do this fight very badly, and so did Manny, but at a particular point in time, we'd have to move on,'" said Arum. "I told Ross that this Friday was our deadline for the end of the exclusivity period, and I tell you that next week, we will talk to the Cotto camp and the Margarito camp regarding a fight with Manny Pacquiao."
Arum and Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz, believe, however, that Mayweather had "valid reasons" for not signing.
"Ross was committed to make the fight happen, and, as head of HBO sports, I figured that the best chance to make the fight happen was to do everything through Ross -- almost like he was the mediator. And I still believe that it was the right way to go," said Arum.
"It obviously didn't work out, not because Ross didn't do a good job. He did, in talking to myself and to Al Haymon," said Arum. "But obviously, the problem was that Floyd, for whatever reason -- and I'm sure that he had some valid reasons -- didn't want to committ."
Arum speculated that those reasons had to do with legal troubles involving his uncle and long-time trainer, Roger Mayweather.
Roger Mayweather goes on trial in Clark County District Court in Nevada on Aug. 2 on an assault charge stemming from his allegedly choking and assaulting female boxer Melissa St. Vil last year, and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted -- meaning that he might not be available for a November fight.
Although Arum said that Mexico and Abu Dhabi were being considered as potential bouts for the fight, he indicated that Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates -- despite the "cooperative" efforts of that country's officials -- would not be advantageous, "logistically."
For that reason, Arum said that either The Dallas Cowboys' Stadium or the MGM Grand in Las Vegas would be more suitable for a bout between Pacquiao and Cotto, while the MGM and Monterrey, Mexico, would be more appropriate for a Margarito fight.
"The attraction for the Cotto rematch would be that Manny's going for a title, fighting at a higher weight, and that Miguel would have Emanuel Steward in his corner, one of the great corner men of our time. That certainly would give Cotto more ammuntion going into the fight than he had last time," said Arum, referring to the fact that Pacquiao dethroned Cotto as WBO welterweight champ by 12th-round knockout in November.
Margarito still is not licensed in America, stemming from a year-long suspension by the California State Athletic Commission involving an illegal hand-wrapping scandal following his January, 2009, ninth-round knockout loss to Mosley.
Margarito unsuccessfully attempted to become licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission recently, but the NSAC tabled its decision and requested that Margarito first attempt to be re-licensed in California. That could be difficult, however, because Margarito has filed a lawsuit against that state.
To that end, Arum has said that he has applied through the NSAC for a "Conditional," or, temporary license that would allow Margarito to fight on Nov. 13 in Las Vegas, and that he is hopeful of leniency by that commission.
"Well, number one, we've ask for the Nevada Commission, based on California putting it off, to give [Margarito] a conditional license to fight in Nevada on the 13th of November. Hopefully, from Margarito's standpoint, they will agree to that. If not, then if Manny decides that he wants Margarito, we would do the fight in Monterrey, Mexico. Manny would do the fight outside of the United States," said Arum.
"We wouldn't need a signed contract [from Cotto or Margarito.] If Manny committed and I committed to either Cotto or Margarito, and they committed to me, then it would be a deal. A signed contract would be later," said Arum. "But while these negotiations are going on, and while I was talking to Manny, if Floyd came to the table, that's the fight that we want more than all others -- no question about it."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Deadline passes with no word from Mayweather -- 15Rounds
By Norm Frauenheim, 15Rounds.com
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said early Saturday that he had not heard from Floyd Mayweather, Jr., by a midnight deadline about whether he would fight Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 13, but Arum said the fight could still happen on the proposed date.
Arum said the deadline – midnight Friday in Las Vegas – was only the end of a period of exclusive negotiations for Mayweather-Pacquiao. Arum said he will now embark on talks with Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto.“The fight we want to do is Mayweather,’’ Arum said. “We haven’t said anything different. We haven’t acted any different. …Absolutely, that’s the fight we want.’’
Mayweather-Pacquiao could still happen if Mayweather says he wants it during talks for an alternate bout, also on Nov. 13, with either Margarito or Cotto. Arum said he expects those talks to last 10 days.
“Floyd, for whatever reason and I’m sure he has a valid reason, did not want to commit,’’ Arum said after minutes after the midnight deadline passed without a decision from Mayweather
Arum said he was told by Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports, that Mayweather had agreed to terms, including a timetable for random drug testing. A deal for Pacquiao-Mayweather last March fell apart late last year when Pacquiao balked at Mayweather’s demand for Olympic-style blood-testing.
Arum said he heard from Greenburg a few days after Mayweather’s victory over Shane Mosley in early May. Arum said Greenburg then spoke to Mayweather advisor Al Haymon. It’s no secret that that Mayweather-Pacquiao could set pay-per-view records for HBO. It’s estimated that each fighter could earn between $40 million to $50 million each.
Arum continued to speculate that Mayweather might not want to fight this year because his uncle and trainer, Roger Mayweather, is facing a trial on an assault charge. If Mayweather decides not to fight in November, Arum has said he hopes the bout will happen in May.
Margarito has yet to regain a license in the United States since his California license was revoked for altered hand wraps discovered before a loss to Mosley in January, 2009 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Nevada State Athletic Commission tabled a Margarito application last week. Arum said he will again try to get Margarito licensed in Nevada. If successful and there is still no word from Mayweather, Margarito-Pacquiao could happen in Las Vegas. If unsuccessful, the fight could happen in Monterrey, Mexico.
If Cotto gets the nod and there still is no decision from Mayweather, possible sites are Las Vegas, Cowboys Stadium in Dallas and Dubai.
Source: 15rounds.com
Bob Arum: Floyd Mayweather mum at deadline, Manny Pacquiao will look for another opponent -- Grand Rapids Press
By David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press Fans awaiting a Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight probably will have to wait until 2011 -- if it happens at all.
Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, confirmed in a 3 a.m. EST conference call today that Mayweather did not respond to Pacquiao’s offer for a bout arrangement this year, so the period of exclusive negotiations had closed and he would move on to other potential opponents for Nov. 13.Arum kept some narrow window of opportunity open for a Mayweather-Pacquiao bout on that date, saying that until a fight commitment from Pacquiao and another opponent was in place, Mayweather still could accept terms and the fight could be made.
That period will not exceed 10 days, Arum said, although the lack of response from the Mayweather side throughout the negotiation renders a complete about-face unlikely.
The unusual timing of the conference call was based on a midnight Friday deadline in the Pacific Time Zone, set by the Pacquiao camp, for Mayweather to respond to its proposal during a period of negotiating exclusivity.
Pacquiao will move forward with plans for a Nov. 13 fight anyway, Arum said, most likely against Miguel Cotto or Antonio Margarito.
Arum said he never negotiated with anyone from the Mayweather camp and that Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports, was the sole intermediary through whom he relayed terms to the Mayweather side.
"The problem is that Floyd, for whatever reason -- and I’m sure he had some valid reasons -- didn’t want to commit," Arum said.
Arum, after several weeks of saying that Pacquiao had agreed to Mayweather’s demands -- including those related to random Olympic-style drug testing -- declined to disclose exactly what those agreements were.
Last winter, when talks for a proposed March bout failed, Mayweather agreed to a 14-day pre-fight cutoff during which there would be no blood testing, while Pacquiao would not agree to less than a 24-day window.
After the first talks failed, Mayweather repeatedly said he had withdrawn the 14-day cutoff and would accept only random blood testing right up until the bout.
Arum said Greenburg, after talking with Mayweather’s adviser, Al Haymon, indicated to him that the drug-testing issue "was resolved."
These were the second Mayweather-Pacquiao talks to break down in a bit more than a six-month span, although the nature of this negotiation was far sketchier than the first proposal, scrapped in January, for a March fight.
For one, the Mayweather side never commented on these negotiations and never even acknowledged they occurred.
The only public statements about the talks came from Arum and Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s adviser, both of whom said Pacquiao had agreed to all Mayweather’s terms.
The lack of direct talks between the two sides, using HBO as exclusive intermediary, also was an extremely unusual twist.
There also may have been some dispute over financial considerations. Since their first talks failed, Pacquiao went on to defeat Joshua Clottey and Mayweather defeated Shane Mosley. But Mayweather-Mosley did substantially better pay-per-view television numbers, prompting Mayweather to say he wanted a financial split in his favor before agreeing to fight Pacquiao.
Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather’s adviser, did not return a message seeking comment.
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
Manny Pacquiao will 'move on' past Mayweather to other fight negotiations, promoter says -- Los Angeles Times
By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles TimesManny Pacquiao's promoter announced just after midnight Pacific time that the Filipino superstar boxer will pursue other opponents after hearing no indication whether Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants to fight him in a bout that has the potential to be the most lucrative event in the sport's history.
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum, in a conference call with reporters that began minutes after Arum imposed a Friday midnight deadline for Mayweather to express interest, said staging a Pacquiao-Mayweather super-fight on Nov. 13 in Las Vegas is in grave danger as he works to "secure another opponent." "Floyd, for whatever reason, didn't want to commit," Arum said.
Arum said he's previously laid out plans detailing Pacquiao's terms to HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg, who Arum said he believed forwarded the information to Mayweather manager Al Haymon. Arum said Greenburg performed as a type of "mediator" in the deal.
"I've had no negotiations or discussions with any other fighter," Arum said. "This Friday was the end of the exclusivity agreement."
Arum said the deadline was installed because of Pacquiao's hectic schedule as a congressman in the Philippines, and he needs to begin firmly planning promotional events such as news conferences.
Arum said he'll turn his attention to Pacquiao fights against either Miguel Cotto, who Pacquiao defeated in November, or former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito.
"It's dead when we conclude a deal with an opponent for Manny's fight in November, and then he'lll look to do a fight with Floyd next year," Arum said.
Talks to stage Mayweather-Pacquiao first emerged late last year when Pacquiao defeated former welterweight champion Cotto by 12th-round knockout. The negotiations crashed, however, after some in the Mayweather camp implied Pacquiao had used performance-enhancing drugs, and Pacquiao declined to accept Mayweather's push for a drug-testing protocol supervised by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
Pacquiao didn't want to submit to blood tests too close to a fight, his camp said. Pacquiao budged on the issue during these talks, moving from a 24-day cutoff of blood testing to 14 days.
But all along the Mayweather camp has been silent. Mayweather's uncle and trainer, Roger Mayweather, faces an Aug. 2 trial date for allegedly assaulting a female boxer. Arum said he "speculates" that uncertainty may have contributed to Mayweather's silence.
Arum added he believes a deal with Cotto or Margarito for a Nov. 13 bout would get made within 10 days. A bout with Margarito would likely be destined for Monterrey, Mexico, because the Tijuana fighter is not licensed to fight in the U.S. after being disciplined by the California State Athletic Commission last year.
Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com
Pacquiao-Mayweather deadline passes without deal -- USA Today
By Greg Beacham, AP Sports WriterManny Pacquiao reluctantly will look for another opponent for his next bout after promoter Bob Arum's deadline for a deal with Floyd Mayweather Jr. passed Saturday without a word from Mayweather.
In the latest improbable twist in the torturous negotiations for the most tantalizing prospective fight in boxing, Arum said Mayweather's camp simply hasn't responded to a contract proposal with no obvious points of contention.
Pacquiao already has agreed to extensive drug testing and an equitable split of the earnings from what's likely to be the richest fight in boxing history."Floyd, for whatever reason and I'm sure he has some valid reason didn't want to commit," Arum said.
Although Arum was careful not to criticize Mayweather, saying the fighter who calls himself Money could take the incredibly lucrative offer at any point in the next week or so, Arum plans to open discussions with Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto for a fight with Pacquiao in November.
"(Pacquiao-Mayweather) is dead when we conclude a deal for Manny's fight in November," Arum said. "Then we're contractually bound to that fight, and we would look to do a deal with Floyd for next year. If Floyd emerged and said he wanted to do the fight (in November), then there would be nothing opposed to doing the fight."
Arum claims he couldn't wait any longer to start the time-consuming process of putting together a fight for Pacquiao, whose personal schedule has tightened up with his election to congress in his native Philippines this year. Arum said Top Rank needs several months to put together television deals and publicity tours for the bout.
Pacquiao and Mayweather are their sport's top two stars, and a meeting likely would be worth more than $40 million to each fighter. They've discussed a bout for several months since Mayweather's return from a brief retirement, but haven't made a deal.
Although he hasn't spoken directly to Mayweather, Arum believes the former pound-for-pound champion might be reluctant because of the legal woes of Roger Mayweather, his uncle and longtime trainer. Roger Mayweather will go on trial in Las Vegas next month on assault charges stemming from an altercation with a female boxer last year.
"It would be a shame if it didn't happen, but I don't think (anybody) should be too harsh on Floyd in this situation," Arum said. "I would have liked him to communicate, but I really believe that this issue with the uncle has an effect. Putting myself in their shoes, I would feel a lot of reluctance going into this big fight without my trainer, and we're not going to know what the outcome of this criminal situation is for quite some time."
Arum also gave a little insight into the murky negotiations, which were conducted with much less public grandstanding than in the rancorous talks during the 2009 holidays, which ended with no deal
Arum said he never spoke directly to Mayweather, his representatives at Golden Boy Promotions or even Al Haymon, Mayweather's chief adviser. Instead, Arum spoke solely to HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg, who served as a mediator between Top Rank and Mayweather's camp.
Mayweather's camp has been silent throughout the negotiations, with Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer even refusing to acknowledge talks were occurring. Haymon never grants interviews or makes public statements about his varied boxing interests.
Mayweather's official Twitter feed, which usually is overflowing with plugs for his iPhone application, music ventures and charity endeavors, hasn't been updated since Thursday afternoon.
Although Top Rank informed Greenburg of its deadline
"The fight that we want to do is Mayweather," Arum said. "We haven't said anything different, we haven't acted differently, but Manny has to fight in November. We're going to proceed with all deliberate speed, but if in the interim Floyd decides that, despite the Roger situation, that he wants to fight Manny, absolutely, that's the fight we want."
Pacquiao is unlikely to have much trouble reaching a deal with either of the replacement opponents identified by Arum. since Cotto and Margarito both are fellow Top Rank fighters.
Pacquiao stopped Cotto last November to win the WBO welterweight title in a fairly one-sided fight, but Arum said the rematch would be at super welterweight, where Cotto rejuvenated his career by claiming the WBA title at Yankee Stadium last month. The match also is enticing because Pacquiao could go after a title in his eighth weight class.
While Pacquiao and Cotto would meet either at Cowboys Stadium or in Las Vegas, Arum said Pacquiao might have to fight Margarito in Monterrey, Mexico
Arum scoffed at the notion of matching Pacquiao against Paul Williams, Timothy Bradley or other lesser-known fighters who might be even more deserving of a shot at the world's best boxers, calling them "free riders" on Pacquiao's financial muscle.
"Paul Williams is a tremendous fighter, really a great fighter, but he's never been promoted correctly," Arum said. "He doesn't have any following. He can't sell a ticket. ... I'm not going to let anybody have a free ride."
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Source: usatoday.com
Deadline comes and goes Mayweather a now show. Margarito or Cotto next -- 8CountNews
By Brad Cooney, 8CountNews.com
8CountNews was on the Bob Arum press conference at 2 AM Central time and listened to Bob Arum as he broke the news that Floyd Mayweather Jr will not be fighting Manny Pacquiao on November 13th. The deadline has come and gone, and Mayweather Jr was a no show. Arum told the press that the fight will not be dead until they secure a different opponent for Pacquiao. It's still possible that this fight can push through if Floyd steps up before a different opponent for Pacquiao is contractually locked in.
Arum quotes from the press conference below Arum – "I wanted to do this fight badly, and so did Manny. At a point in time we have to move on.”
“I told Ross that Friday was the deadline. Next week I will be talking to the Cotto camp and the Margarito camp regarding a fight with Manny Pacquiao”
Arum answered the big question. Is this fight dead? “It's dead when we conclude an opponent for Manny's fight in November."
Source: 8countnews.com
Arum Says Floyd Didn't Accept Manny Fight, He Will Go With Plan B -- The Sweet Science
By Michael Woods, The Sweet Science
Manny Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum announced on a late night conference call that Floyd Mayweather didn’t accept the offer to fight the Filipino on Nov. 13, and settle who the top pound for pound fighter is in the sport today.
Arum, the Las Vegas based dealmaker who has tried since last year to get Congressman Pacquiao and Mayweather to square off in what would be the richest boxing match in history, with both men certain to earn over $40 million apiece, sounded resigned, and not bitter, that Mayweather decided not to accept a Pacquiao fight at this time.
Instead, Arum said during the call that kicked off at 3 AM Eastern, he will next week pursue Plan B for Pacquiao, in the form of a date with Mexican hitter Antonio Margarito (in Mexico or Vegas) or Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto (in Texas or Vegas).
Weigh in, fans. You bummed? Not surprised? Who should Manny pick for Plan B
?
Source: thesweetscience.com
Manny Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum announced on a late night conference call that Floyd Mayweather didn’t accept the offer to fight the Filipino on Nov. 13, and settle who the top pound for pound fighter is in the sport today.
Arum, the Las Vegas based dealmaker who has tried since last year to get Congressman Pacquiao and Mayweather to square off in what would be the richest boxing match in history, with both men certain to earn over $40 million apiece, sounded resigned, and not bitter, that Mayweather decided not to accept a Pacquiao fight at this time.
Instead, Arum said during the call that kicked off at 3 AM Eastern, he will next week pursue Plan B for Pacquiao, in the form of a date with Mexican hitter Antonio Margarito (in Mexico or Vegas) or Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto (in Texas or Vegas). Arum said that he negotiated thru HBO’s Ross Greenburg, who brought info to Floyd’s advisor, Al Haymon. He didn’t deal with Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer, but he presumed Haymon was informing Golden Boy of the progression of negotiations, because Oscar De La Hoya last month said a deal was near. Arum said that the door to fight Mayweather isn’t closed, either for November, or for next year. He had promised all concerned that he would negotiate exclusively with Team Mayweather til this cutoff date, but that exclusivity window is closed. To his knowledge, Arum said that he didn't think Mayweather responded to this drop-dead date. However, if Mayweather suddently decides he wants Manny in November, he could still get back in the picture. Arum said he'd like to close a deal with either Margarito or Cotto in 10 days or so.
Arum said it seemed to him, in his conversations with Greenburg, that the drug testing issue which loomed so large was squashed, but he wasn't certain, because he only received information second hand.
Arum said a Pacquiao rematch with Cotto has some merit, because Cotto, beaten down badly in their first meeting, now has Manny Steward in his corner. The promoter didn't wish to enter into discussion about Margarito's deservedness, or lack thereof, of a Pacquiao fight, considering his stained rep, and inactivity. Arum refused to tip his hand on who'd he like to see Manny fight next, but one presume, since he promotes all three men, that he'd be pleased either way.
Arum was asked if he thinks Manny-Money will ever happen. "It will be a shame if it doesn't happen. But I don't think you guys should be too hard on Floyd," he said, citing the Uncle Roger uncertainty.
"I think the boxing fans are going to be disappointed but they have to cut Floyd some slack." If fans don't understand that Floyd might be hesitant to fight without Uncle Roger in the mix, Arum said, that would be disappointing.
?Source: thesweetscience.com
Manny Pacquiao's Adviser: 'Not Hopeful Floyd Mayweather Will Sign' -- FanHouse
By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum is holding an international media conference call at midnight, Pacific time, on Friday -- 3 a.m. East Coast Time on Saturday -- which is what he and seven-division champion, Manny Pacquiao, have established as the deadline for unbeaten Floyd Mayweather to sign a deal to make a November 13 mega bout between the two fighters regarded as boxing's pound-for-pound best.
If the 33-year-old Mayweather (41-0, 25 knockouts) does not sign, the 31-year-old Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), holder of the WBO's welterweight (147 pounds) title, has indicated that he will go after his eighth crown in as many different weight classes against either WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champion, Miguel Cotto, or ex-titlist, Antonio Margarito, either in Mexico or Abu Dhabi.
Margarito and Pacquia would meet for the WBC junior middlweight crown vacated by Sergio Martinez, said Arum.
Mayweather's camp has not commented publicly nor acknowledged that the negotiations are going on, although Arum, Pacquiao, and the fighter's adviser, Michael Koncz, have repeatedly stated publicly that they are. Mayweather is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.
"Again, we've done everything that we can to make the fight happen, and we thought that it was going to happen, and Floyd's got a couple of more hours, but I'm not hopeful and we're not expecting him to sign the documents, and we're not going to sit around and wait. As a matter of fact, I just got off of the phone with Manny, and he had just called me, saying that he wants to keep that Nov. 13 date," said Koncz.
"I explained it to him that the main reason for us fighting outside of the United States is for taxation purposes. There's no taxation in Abu Dhabi, and there's no taxation in Mexico. So that mean additional millions in Manny's pocket that would have gone to the U.S. taxes in America," said Koncz. "Manny has no preferences as to which one, he just told me to see which one that I can get the better deal out of. We have to look at the economics of it and what's the best option for him from a financial aspect. The bottom line is that it's a business."
Pacquiao has reportedly agreed to a 50-50 split of the purse and random drug-testing as close to 14 days out from the fight -- two of the major sticking points.
Arum and Koncz have speculated that the legal troubles of Roger Mayweather, Floyd's uncle and longtime trainer, may have caused the fighter to be leery of making the fight.
Roger Mayweather goes on trial in Clark County District Court in Nevada on Aug. 2 on an assault charge stemming from his allegedly choking and assaulting female boxer Melissa St. Vil last year, and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted meaning that he might not be available for a November fight.
"Well, it's upsetting, yes. But we would prefer to fight at this time before there is any further damage to Mayweather's abilities, whether it be physical or psychological or whatever. We don't want to be criticized down the road saying that we had fought Mayweather when he wasn't in his so-called prime. But even though the fight is not going to happen now, we want to leave the door open for next year," said Koncz.
"But right now, we're thinking about our other options, and the way Manny feels right now is that Mexico is a great country and he's been there before and he's heard a lot of good things about Abu Dhabi," said Koncz. "You know, the Royal Family there has been helpful and now it's just a matter of who has the better deal for us. We wanted to make the fight, we were looking forward to the fight with Mayweather for the fans, but we can only do so much."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum is holding an international media conference call at midnight, Pacific time, on Friday -- 3 a.m. East Coast Time on Saturday -- which is what he and seven-division champion, Manny Pacquiao, have established as the deadline for unbeaten Floyd Mayweather to sign a deal to make a November 13 mega bout between the two fighters regarded as boxing's pound-for-pound best. If the 33-year-old Mayweather (41-0, 25 knockouts) does not sign, the 31-year-old Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), holder of the WBO's welterweight (147 pounds) title, has indicated that he will go after his eighth crown in as many different weight classes against either WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champion, Miguel Cotto, or ex-titlist, Antonio Margarito, either in Mexico or Abu Dhabi.Margarito and Pacquia would meet for the WBC junior middlweight crown vacated by Sergio Martinez, said Arum.
Mayweather's camp has not commented publicly nor acknowledged that the negotiations are going on, although Arum, Pacquiao, and the fighter's adviser, Michael Koncz, have repeatedly stated publicly that they are. Mayweather is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.
"Again, we've done everything that we can to make the fight happen, and we thought that it was going to happen, and Floyd's got a couple of more hours, but I'm not hopeful and we're not expecting him to sign the documents, and we're not going to sit around and wait. As a matter of fact, I just got off of the phone with Manny, and he had just called me, saying that he wants to keep that Nov. 13 date," said Koncz.
"I explained it to him that the main reason for us fighting outside of the United States is for taxation purposes. There's no taxation in Abu Dhabi, and there's no taxation in Mexico. So that mean additional millions in Manny's pocket that would have gone to the U.S. taxes in America," said Koncz. "Manny has no preferences as to which one, he just told me to see which one that I can get the better deal out of. We have to look at the economics of it and what's the best option for him from a financial aspect. The bottom line is that it's a business."
Pacquiao has reportedly agreed to a 50-50 split of the purse and random drug-testing as close to 14 days out from the fight -- two of the major sticking points.
Arum and Koncz have speculated that the legal troubles of Roger Mayweather, Floyd's uncle and longtime trainer, may have caused the fighter to be leery of making the fight.
Roger Mayweather goes on trial in Clark County District Court in Nevada on Aug. 2 on an assault charge stemming from his allegedly choking and assaulting female boxer Melissa St. Vil last year, and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted meaning that he might not be available for a November fight.
"Well, it's upsetting, yes. But we would prefer to fight at this time before there is any further damage to Mayweather's abilities, whether it be physical or psychological or whatever. We don't want to be criticized down the road saying that we had fought Mayweather when he wasn't in his so-called prime. But even though the fight is not going to happen now, we want to leave the door open for next year," said Koncz.
"But right now, we're thinking about our other options, and the way Manny feels right now is that Mexico is a great country and he's been there before and he's heard a lot of good things about Abu Dhabi," said Koncz. "You know, the Royal Family there has been helpful and now it's just a matter of who has the better deal for us. We wanted to make the fight, we were looking forward to the fight with Mayweather for the fans, but we can only do so much."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is correct to remain silent while promoter Bob Arum, Manny Pacquiao camp talk -- New York Daily News
By Tim Smith, New York Daily NewsThere are few occasions in boxing when you witness something that you think is completely ridiculous, because most of the over-the-top things in the sport have been tried or have happened in the past.
But Bob Arum may have topped himself. The promoter called a telephone press conference for midnight Pacific time Friday night (3 a.m. Saturday morning EDT) to inform reporters about whether Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao had reached an agreement to fight each other in November.
Arum was using the stunt to gain some kind of public-relations advantage over Mayweather in a one-sided war of words. That's because Mayweather and his representatives have maintained their silence throughout the touchy negotiations for what is the biggest boxing match looming for the sport in the near future.It was the same vow that both sides took when they decided to try to pick up the talks again after they fell apart last December. They first tried to negotiate a fight for this past March, but the negotiations fell apart because of the constant back-and-forth in the press over whether it was proper for Mayweather to ask Pacquiao to take random blood and urine tests for performance-enhancing drugs before the fight.
Ultimately, Pacquiao refused the testing protocols and the fight fell apart. Soon after Mayweather beat Shane Mosley in May, the two sides decided to try to make the fight again. But this time they thought it was best not to negotiate through the press. So far only Mayweather's side has steadfastly kept to that agreement.
Arum and Michael Koncz, Pacquiao's adviser, have been chirping throughout the "private" negotiations about Pacquiao agreeing to the stipulation of random drug tests and a 50-50 split. Even Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, has gotten in on the act, saying that Pacquiao would take any test that Mayweather wanted him to take as long as Mayweather got into the ring.
Here is what you've heard from Mayweather's side, which includes advisers Al Haymon and Leonard Ellerbe, and Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions: nothing.
Every time Schaefer has been asked about the negotiations, he has said "no comment" and has even refused to acknowledge when or if the talks have started. But we know they have started because two weeks ago Arum and Koncz announced they were giving Mayweather a deadline of this weekend to accept Pacquiao's deal or they would move on. Thus the 3 a.m. EDT telephone press conference.
Mayweather and his team have played this the right way. They have allowed Arum and Koncz to do all the talking and haven't even publicly stated what their terms are. There is no public-relations battle for them to win. This is all on Arum and Pacquiao, who is intent on fighting on Nov. 13 with or without Mayweather.
The last thing we heard from Mayweather was that he was taking a long vacation after his dominant performance against Mosley.
Arum and Koncz offered speculation to Lem Satterfield of AOL's Fanhouse that the legal troubles of Roger Mayweather, Floyd's uncle and trainer, may have caused him to back away from making the fight. Roger Mayweather goes on trial in Clark County District Court in Nevada on Aug. 2 on an assault charge stemming from his allegedly choking and assaulting female boxer Melissa St. Vil last year.
"We understand that there are problems as far as Roger is concerned. So they will have until midnight on Friday. If we don't hear favorably from him at the time, which I don't think that we will, then we move to somebody else," Arum told Fanhouse. "That's all. It's not adversarial. In other words, in my opinion, there are reasonable grounds for him not to want to fight this year. And those grounds essentially relate to Roger."
No word from Floyd Mayweather as to whether this is true or not, because his side isn't talking. Good for them. Deadline or no deadline, the fight still looms for boxing fans, but I wouldn't expect it to happen until May of 2011.
timsmith@nydailynews.com
Source: nydailynews.com
Shawn Porter Rises to 16-0 With Unanimous Decision -- FanHouse
By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
Unbeaten junior middleweight (154 pounds) prospect Shawn Porter scored a sixth-round knockdown on the way to a 10-round unanimous decision for his 16th victory without a loss, even as he failed to earn his 13th stoppage against twice-beaten southpaw Ray Robinson in Friday night's Showtime-televised bout from The DeSoto Civic Center in Southhaven, Miss.
Porter won by scores of 99-89, 98-91, and, 97-92, over the course of the three judges' cards.
With about a minute left in the sixth round, Porter pounded Robinson (11-2 four knockouts) along the ropes, this, on the way to causing his sinking him to the canvas with a right, left, right, left, right combination.
Robinson arose at the count of seven on unsteady legs and was punished for much of the round's remainder, even holding on to the ropes at one point to prevent himself from going down again.
In the seventh, Robinson maintained a safe distance, even as Porter pressed, unsuccessfuly, for the knockout.
But with about 22 seconds left in the ninth round, however, Porter rocked Robinson with a left uppercut that had him on unsteady legs and holding on, yet again, to escape into the 10th.
The 22-year-old Porter, of Akron, Ohio, was coming off of April's first-round stoppage of Raul Pinzon in a Showtime-televised bout. A former sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao, Porter dropped Pinzon to 17-5, with 16 knockouts.
The 24-year-old Robinson, who stood at 5-foot-10 to Porter's 5-7, was coming off of the first loss of his career -- December's unanimous decision setback against Brad Solomon.
In a third featured bout between unbeaten welterweights, 23-year-old Mike Dallas (15-0-1, five KOs) of Bakersfield, Calif., earned an eight-round, unanimous decision over 27-year-old Lanard Lane (12-1, seven KOs) of Philadelphia.
Dallas won, 78-74, on all three judges' cards.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Unbeaten junior middleweight (154 pounds) prospect Shawn Porter scored a sixth-round knockdown on the way to a 10-round unanimous decision for his 16th victory without a loss, even as he failed to earn his 13th stoppage against twice-beaten southpaw Ray Robinson in Friday night's Showtime-televised bout from The DeSoto Civic Center in Southhaven, Miss.
Porter won by scores of 99-89, 98-91, and, 97-92, over the course of the three judges' cards.
With about a minute left in the sixth round, Porter pounded Robinson (11-2 four knockouts) along the ropes, this, on the way to causing his sinking him to the canvas with a right, left, right, left, right combination.
Robinson arose at the count of seven on unsteady legs and was punished for much of the round's remainder, even holding on to the ropes at one point to prevent himself from going down again.
In the seventh, Robinson maintained a safe distance, even as Porter pressed, unsuccessfuly, for the knockout.
But with about 22 seconds left in the ninth round, however, Porter rocked Robinson with a left uppercut that had him on unsteady legs and holding on, yet again, to escape into the 10th.
The 22-year-old Porter, of Akron, Ohio, was coming off of April's first-round stoppage of Raul Pinzon in a Showtime-televised bout. A former sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao, Porter dropped Pinzon to 17-5, with 16 knockouts.
The 24-year-old Robinson, who stood at 5-foot-10 to Porter's 5-7, was coming off of the first loss of his career -- December's unanimous decision setback against Brad Solomon.
In a third featured bout between unbeaten welterweights, 23-year-old Mike Dallas (15-0-1, five KOs) of Bakersfield, Calif., earned an eight-round, unanimous decision over 27-year-old Lanard Lane (12-1, seven KOs) of Philadelphia.
Dallas won, 78-74, on all three judges' cards.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
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