Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao had a chance to talk Tuesday night, with an NBA crowd as their witness. But the two fighters also chatted privately after the game in a hotel suite, according to ESPN.com.
Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s adviser, told ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael that Mayweather and Pacquiao met privately for more than an hour, attempting to iron out issues for a May 2 fight. “That’s the first time they ever sat eye to eye. I’ve met Floyd many times, but he and Manny had never had a chance to meet,” Koncz told ESPN.com. “They talked at halftime, but this was a longer, more serious meeting. You could tell by their body language that this was very positive. It was for a good hour or more.
“It was a business meeting, but it wasn’t a tense business meeting. I think that’s because they both have mutual respect for each other. We’ll determine what will happen over the next couple of days.”
Mayweather and Pacquiao both were seated courtside at the Miami Heat’s game Tuesday night, when Mayweather walked over and engaged in conversation during halftime.
Afterward, Pacquiao told reporters that Mayweather had given him his cell phone number and said it was time for them to work out the fight themselves.
Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations have failed numerous times in the past, but the fight seemingly is as close as it’s been to fruition in five years. Pacquiao reportedly has agreed to terms on things like purse split and random drug testing, although no actual contract has been drafted.
HBO and Showtime have been meeting to sort out a potential pay-per-view, as each has a stake in one of the fighters. Mayweather has two more fights left on his Showtime deal, and Pacquiao is with HBO.
Koncz told ESPN.com that Mayweather voiced two specific broadcasting issues during the meeting with Pacquiao, and Koncz assured him he’d call Top Rank’s Bob Arum and get them resolved.
Pacquaio’s camp previously placed a Jan. 31 deadline on Mayweather. Both camps have explored other options, with Mayweather possibly opting for a Miguel Cotto rematch on May 2 and Pacquiao fighting May 30, possibly against Amir Khan.
