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 decide 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 or Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto.
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. 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 less than two weeks.
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 rematch with Cotto has some merit, because Cotto 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.
