The statement of HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg confirming that indeed ?negotiations? took place to have the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr happen is all water under the bridge now.
It certainly made liars out of somebody. No matter how the Mayweather camp and Golden Boy Promotions insist there were no negotiations, the fact is that the fight was there for them to take.
It was no secret that Manny and Top Rank?s Bob Arum made concessions (how and what, we may never know) to get Mayweather to agree to the fight.
But along the way, Mayweather may have found some fine print in the proposed deal not to his liking or the thought of losing may have weighed heavily on his shoulders.
Mayweather said he wants to take a vacation and forget boxing for the year after the deadline set by Arum came to pass.
Fine. But he should have said that immediately after he outpointed Shane Mosley early this year.
In denying negotiations took place, Mayweather looked more like a poker player who ?folded? his hands after Pacquiao placed his bet.
Floyd Jr bluffed his way out of the fight last year when he demanded Manny take the random Olympic drug test as a condition to the fight that never happened. Manny did not call his bluff and both ended up fighting separate fighters.
For lack of competition that will bring in the fans and the money that could be well his retirement pay, Manny called the Mayweather bluff and bet his chips in the second hand around the table.
Mayweather did not even show sign he will call or fold, preferring to have time do the folding for him. Now, he is saying there was no hand dealt at all in denying negotiations ever took place. Trouble is we have a dealer at the table who knew better.
Come on Floyd. If you cannot be man enough to face Manny atop the ring this year, the least you could do is say somebody negotiated on your behalf but you are indeed taking time off. Better still tell Manny that the fight will eventually happen next year.
The fans would love you for that.
