Gareth A Davies, sports journalist for The Daily Telegraph, after discussions with Alex Ariza, has written a piece in which Manny Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach says that he believes that the Mayweather-Pacquiao axis could be irretrievably split.
Ariza puts this down to the schism which now divides the two sets of promoters after negotiations broke down regarding drug testing.
Pacquiao is promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. based in Las Vegas, while Mayweather is in the care of Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions from Los Angeles.
Ariza advised Davies this week “that he has genuine, serious doubts that the Pacquiao-Mayweather bout, which was expected to generate in the region of $200 million, will ever come to fruition.”
In support thereof Ariza submits the following :
Firstly it’s not going to be a problem relating to the fighters but rather the promoters which causes the breakdown. Here Arum is supposedly highly fed up after negotiations broke down last time.
Secondly it would require Mayweather humbling himself and going along with whatever is in the contract put in front of him.
Thirdly, which is associated with Ariza’s second point, after seeing what Manny does to Joshua Clottey the last thing he is going to do is sign any old contract, if he signs at all.
Fourthly Pacquiao, who has entered politics, won’t have time to worry about all the nonsense with an election campaign looming large in The Philippines.
In respect of the first concern de la Hoya has made it abundantly clear, in public, that this fight is going to happen. His fellow promoter Bob Arum who has handled some of the biggest fights in history didn’t get where he is today by not serving up what the punters want. Accordingly the promoters will be the last obstacle to stand in the way of the fight.
In terms of humbling himself by signing whatever contract is presented to him by Golden Boy this is just so much nonsense. Presently Mayweather is losing credibility by not getting into the ring with Manny. Regardless of the hiding which Pacquiao gives Clottey, Mayweather knows that if he doesn’t get into that ring he will be considered second best. That is regardless of whether he retires undefeated or not.
If he signs the contract he will not only have re-established his credibility but also earned the respect of the fight fraternity for having the courage to put it all on the line. If he wants to find out about humbling experiences let him retire without fighting Manny and then try telling people he could have won that fight.
Then he’ll find out what we can tell him right now – Manny Pacquiao is considered to be pound for pound the greatest fighter of the decade and possibly, depends who you speak to, of all time. If Mayweather wants to overcome that there is only one place he can do it.
As far as the politics go Manny does appear serious but nothing will stop him climbing in with Mayweather particularly with the amount of money involved.
