The careers of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have obviously gone in completely different directions over the past few months. A look at the developments with each man today alone speaks volumes about where they are not just in the boxing game but in their personal lives as well.
Pacquiao arrived in Dallas, Texas last night in advance of his clash this Saturday night against Antonio Margarito at Cowboys Stadium. The Filipino star is gunning for a world title in an eighth weight division as he will attempt to win the vacant WBC junior middleweight belt against the Tijuana fighter and could be spotted running in preparation for the bout earlier today. Margarito arrived in the area on Saturday night as was greeted to a swarm of supporters the following Sunday afternoon.
<--- Slideshow: Images of Manny Pacquiao?s training and arrival in Dallas, Texas
As for Mayweather, it has been reported by TMZ.com that he has been issued a restraining order by the Clark County Court district to stay away from his ex-girlfriend Josie Harris and their two children. This comes on the heels of a September altercation between the Las Vegas-based fighter and Harris, as she claimed that he assaulted her in front of her two children after entering her house. Mayweather is set to return to court in January.
For over a year Pacquiao and Mayweather captivated the boxing world with the possibility of them facing off with one another. Two separate rounds of negotiations came and went to no avail and Pacquiao instead set his sights on Margarito, the former welterweight champion whose career was scathed after being suspended for the hand wrap scandal that rocked him in early 2009. It has turned out to be an interesting fight chalked full of subplots but at the end of the day it isn?t nearly as intriguing as a possible encounter with Floyd.
As the days pass by it seems less and less likely that we will ever see Pacquiao and Mayweather in the ring together, as Manny has taken a vested interested in his role as a congressman in the province of Sarangani in the Philippines while Mayweather?s actions over the past few months have been checkered, to say the least. While their have been whispers of Pacquiao?s retirement, he shed some light into his ambitions in a recent piece by AOL Fanhouse?s Lem Satterfield.
?For the fans I hope that [the Mayweather fight] happens. I?ve said everything I can say about it, but Floyd has to agree to fight me. I?m still waiting for the signature on the contract. It?s Bob Arum?s decision who I?m going to fight. I hope Floyd will fight me, but if not, we have other options that I?m sure Bob can find.?
