In early July people simply wanted to hear from Floyd Mayweather one way or another. Then in reported negotiations for a November 13th fight with Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather was strikingly silent towards the press and people didn?t know what to make of his actions. Top Rank Promoter Bob Arum would later issue a deadline on the 16th of the month for Floyd to respond with some kind of answer as to his desires of a fight with the Filipino icon but time passed without a peep from the 33-year old.
Arum set his sights on former champion Antonio Margarito instead while Mayweather began touring various parts of the globe and enjoying the fruits of his labor. As a Pacquiao-Margarito clash inched closer to becoming a reality Floyd could be spotted hanging with good friend Dwayne Wade, mingling with bombastic promoter Don King, chilling ringside on HBO and doing work from his personal gym in Las Vegas.
Mayweather?s rekindled friendship with King lead many to believe that the two would begin working together on a much more professional level and rumors even leaked of a reported 4-fight, $100 million contract that was in play. People were hopeful that King could help make a Pacquiao-Mayweather clash come to life and while Floyd did recently address his future in the ring he seems set on other opponents for the moment.
Over the weekend Mayweather paid a visit to the Del Mar Racetrack in California and linked up with Las Vegas Weekly?s Robin Leach. Also know for his role on the series Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Leach was able to get some inside information from the fighter about some of the particulars regarding his next fight.
?We?ll announce it all very soon,? Mayweather said of his next ring endeavor. ?But this time it won?t be in Vegas. It will be in another desert kingdom; Dubai.?
While it is good to see that Floyd has the itch to fight again, it looks at though we may not be seeing him against the type of opponent who would satisfy our needs. While it was gut-wrenching enough for some to see the Pacquiao fight fall apart, what would be even more disappointing would be to see Mayweather up against someone far less worthy at this point.
Floyd visited Puerto Rico last month and was rumored to have been meeting up with WBA Jr. Middleweight champion Miguel Cotto but the Caugus fighter looks to have a December 4th battle with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. booked up. There are talented Jr. Welterweights in the fray but they seem to be aligning themselves with one another as a January Timothy Bradley-Devon Alexander clash is in the works while WBA champion Amir Khan looks to be eyeing either Juan Manuel Marquez or interim champion Marcos Maidana for his upcoming December date.
Andre Berto would be a suitable choice for some but the 26-year old WBC champion currently looks to be in a tug of war between his mandatory Selcuk Aydin and Philadelphia’s Mike Jones. Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez and enigmatic Paul Williams would also present ideal tests but the latest rumor had the two men possibly facing one another this November in a rematch of their excellent brawl from last year.
No matter how things play out there is still going to be some backlash coming Mayweather?s way as the bout with Pacquiao seems to be the one and only fight that people want to see. Instead it looks like we may be having Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito in Cowboys Stadium and Floyd Mayweather working his magic in the United Arab Emirates against a slightly obscure foe.
Anti-climatic to say the least but let?s wait and see how everything plays out. If all roads lead to a Pacquiao-Mayweather clash in May of 2011 then, and only then, will it have possibly been worth the wait.
