After two separate incidents where eight-division world champ Manny Pacquiao has publicly talked about ongoing negotiations for a Mayweather-Pacquiao return bout, Floyd Mayweather has decided to speak his mind regarding the situation.
“It’s all [expletive]. What they’re doing is this, once again, piggybacking off my name to sell pay-per-view numbers when he do go out there and fight again,” Mayweather recently told Fighthype.com.
This isn?t the first time that the ever-ungracious Mayweather has made the claim that Pacquiao is piggybacking off his name to sell PPVs. Of course, none of these claims take into account the fact that, during the five plus years where the mega-fight was in dispute, Mayweather also dangled the possibility of a Pacquiao bout several times while signed to face someone else.
So, to be absolutely fair, maybe both used the other fighter to help sell their other bouts. The mega-fight was an awfully big carrot to NOT dangle in front of the public as a promotional tool. Maybe, also, one side or the other (or both) used the other fighter?s name because they legitimately wanted the mega-fight to happen.
Whatever the case, Mayweather?s recent claims of Pacquiao trying to piggyback off his name are absolute nonsense.
First and foremost, Mayweather is retired?or that?s what he?s been telling everyone. Of what use would it be to piggyback off of nothingness, off of a fighter no longer in the business?
Plus, if Mayweather easily ?dissected? Pacquiao as he claimed in the same phone interview, then one would assume that the Filipino icon would want to distance himself from the fight as much as possible.
But Mayweather would have people think that Pacquiao is beating a dead horse, trying desperately to make someone, anyone believe that a second Mayweather bout is possible, just for the sake of a few sales for his own final bout on April 9.
To me, it sounds like Mayweather is the one obsessed with Pacquiao and not the other way around.
The fact is that trying to stir the pot and mislead fans into thinking a second Mayweather-Pacquiao fight is possible would only make sense if there was something to be promoted after April 9. But if Mayweather is retired and Pacquiao is one last fight away from retirement, then, while Manny may want a rematch, it would serve no purpose to piggyback, even if he wanted to.
If Pacquiao and his team are to be believed, April 9 is their farewell fight. There shouldn?t be any problem selling a goodbye tribute to an outgoing legend, regardless of whether it?s Amir Khan or Terence Crawford getting the final nod as opponent.
Or maybe everyone is lying about everything and Mayweather isn?t really retired, Pacquiao won?t be retiring, and these latest shots fired in the media are just the first signs of an upcoming publicity campaign for a big money rematch. It?s boxing, after all?strange things happen all the time.
