Floyd Mayweather Jr. denies a deal is in place to fight Manny Pacquiao as he watches the NBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. denies a deal is in place to fight Manny Pacquiao as he watches the NBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. Floyd Mayweather Jr. doused water on the idea he might announce a deal has been finalized with Manny Pacquiao to meet on May 2 at the NBA All-Star Game.
During a lull in the action in the third quarter, Mayweather told TNT’s David Aldridge that neither he nor Pacquiao have signed a deal yet.
“It’s all just speculation,” Mayweather told Aldridge toward the end of the third quarter of Sunday’s game.
Mayweather’s presence provoked a round of boos from the Garden crowd when his image was flashed on the video board in the first half.
That was the biggest commotion associated with Mayweather on Sunday, however.
There was no big fight announcement, as had been rumored might be the case with Mayweather in town for the All-Star festivities.
But he put that rumor to rest during the in-game interview.
“I haven’t signed a contract yet and he hasn’t signed either,” Mayweather said.
After walking slowly through a dark corridor of Barclays Center on Saturday night and stopping near an elevator bank, Mayweather was asked by a reporter if any progress had been made on talks between himself and Pacquiao for a proposed super fight that will likely shatter every previous financial record associated with boxing.
Mayweather grew strangely agitated.
“Can I ask you a question?” Mayweather said to a reporter. “Please, can I ask you a question? Is this a boxing match? Are we at a boxing match? No, this is the All-Star game. I’m at an All-Star event. Please respect my privacy. I don’t want to answer any questions.”
Mayweather shouldn’t have been surprised by the attention.
He and Pacquiao are nearing the final leg of intense and delicate negotiations for a fight that would take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
An announcement could be made this week if the fight is on, a source told the Daily News on Sunday.
According to the source, Pacquiao and his promoter, Top Rank, have already signed the contract and on Monday HBO and Showtime are expected to resolve “two little issues” associated with a joint broadcast.
“Now it’s up to (Mayweather),” the source said. “If he’s boxed into a corner and feels like there’s no other choice, he’ll agree to the fight.”
Mayweather seems to be enjoying his time in the Big Apple. He reportedly dropped close to $700,000 at “Pristine Jewelers” in the Diamond District, according to TMZ.
And Mayweather was courtside for the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday, privy to the aerial wizardly of Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Zach LaVine, who won the event.
When Mayweather’s image was flashed on the big board high above the court at one point during the evening, the crowd booed. But Mayweather didn’t seem to care. He was in his element, hanging with NBA stars, just a seat away from the pop singer Rihanna as rumors circulated about his future.
The UK paper, The Telegraph, reported a deal is in place for the fight with Pacquiao to happen.
But Showtime Boxing head Stephen Espinoza discredited the report, taking to social media on Saturday night and writing on Twitter, “Not sure what anyone is signing since no agreement has been finalized yet. An imaginary contract, maybe. Real one not finished yet. Sorry for telling the truth.”
And Mayweather debunked it himself at the All-Star Game.
