For over three years, pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather had made a litany of excuses in order to avoid facing Manny Pacquiao in the ring for fear that he may suffer his first loss in his professional boxing career. That is what many of Pacquiao’s fans are saying after spending close to four years waiting for Mayweather to accept Pacquiao’s invitation to fight. Over the weekend, Pacquiao confirmed his fans’ observation that indeed Mayweather is scared to face him in the ring. Pacquiao was reacting to Mayweather’s statement calling him a “desperate dog” in the wake of unconfirmed reports that he has agreed to face Pacquiao in September this year. Aside from having likened Pacquiao to a desperate dog, Mayweather thinks Pacquiao wants to fight him for the big bucks that he needs to pay off his BIR and IRS dues. In a recent interview on Fytehype, Mayweather belittled Pacquiao’s win over Brandon Rios, saying he is a “blown up lightweight” that would not be hard to beat, though he said he like Rios because he’s got a heart. ?So this guy’s got all these problems and he wants Floyd Mayweather to solve them for him, huh?? said Mayweather, having dismissed rumors of a September date with Pacquiao as ?a lie.? ?He’s got 68 million problems and he wants me to solve them. First he didn’t need me; now he needs me. He’s willing to do anything now after his career done took a major setback.? Then he went on to blame Pacquiao for the lost opportunity to fight when he offered him $40 million but refused because he wanted 50-50, thinking that he was on “the same level with me.”
TheDailySportsHerald Boxer Manny Pacquiao being interviewed after working out in preparation for Timothy Bradley Like this image3 During the interview, he also called Bob Arum a coward and Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz, a “con-artist.” In a free-wheeling interview with members of the local media Thursday, Pacquiao gamely addressed Mayweather’s continuing assault on his credibility. ?He?s been asking for so many conditions which we have expressed intentions to abide by like drug testing, purse split and everything,? said an exasperated Pacquiao. ?Now he wants me to separate myself from my promoter which I cannot possibly do without violating my contract.? Then he went on to explain that he is not chasing Mayweather but he felt that they both owe the public the fight that they want to see. ?First, I would like to make it clear that I am not chasing him. If ever, I want to face him in the ring for boxing fans, in particular, and sports fans, in general,? Pacquiao reasoned out. ?That fight is what everybody wants. That?s history in the making and I want both of us to be part of history.? ?History which cannot happen without either of us,?Pacquiao said. ?Never mind legacy. Meron na kami parehong maiiwang pamana sa boksing at sports sakaling mag-retiro kami. ( We already have a clear legacy in boxing and in sports in case we decide to retire now). History is different, To make an expected record of most number of people to watch the actual fight and on television, heard over radio and read in the newspapers is what will remain in the history of boxing.? Addressing Mayweather’s “dog comment,” Pacquiao said “he prefers to be referred to as a mad dog chasing for a bone since he is pursuing something that would make him serve the people and make them happy in the one thing he knows – boxing.” ?Rather than a dog running with its tail wrapped between his legs in utter show of fear,? Pacquiao philosophized. ?At least I look for more fights, I don?t run away from them,? Pacquiao concluded that Mayweather does not really want to fight. “I think there?s nothing we can do about it already.”
