Bob Arum is optimistic that the much awaited mega-fight between boxing’s biggest stars, Manny Pacquiao and unbeaten Floyd Mayweather, will finally happen next year (2013). Ronnie Nathanielsz reported on Boxing Scene that Arum had an “excellent” meeting with Pacquiao last Friday, wherein they discussed a potential fight with Mayweather.
“We are optimistic for April next year,” Nathanielsz quoted Arum as saying.
Arum had previously ruled out a Mayweather fight for Pacquiao this year, especially as the American boxer was only released from jail early August. But Arum is confident the fight can happen next year and is already working out the dates with Pacquiao. Arum told Nathanielsz that a Mayweather fight is more feasible in April because it is “a safe month.”
“We can’t do the fight in March because of all this basketball,” Arum said, referring to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament that is referred to as “March Madness.”
Arum will also have to consider when Pacquiao plans to start campaigning for the May 2013 elections. Aside from the schedule of the fight, Arum will still have to resolve the long-standing issues between the Pacquiao and Mayweather camps, including the revenue split and random blood and urine testing, among others.
But Arum is confident that those problems can be fixed because Mayweather is reportedly leaving Golden Boy Promotions after starting up a new company, The Money Team Promotions, with his best friend, rapper 50 Cent.
“He appears to me to be a real businessman with no agenda like some of the other guys,” Arum said of the rapper. “So I think we can get a deal done.”
Negotiations for a Pacquiao vs Mayweather mega-fight have repeatedly fallen apart, and the two camps have repeatedly blamed the other for the collapse in discussions. The frosty relationship between promotional companies Top Rank and Golden Boy has also hindered the progress of the negotiations.
