The long-desired super fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. may not be in the works yet, but if both fighters keep winning in their respective next fights, each could command a guaranteed $50 million when they finally meet glove-to-glove.
Bob Arum, the CEO for Top Rank Promotions, previously stated his belief that Pacquiao will eventually fight Mayweather “in the near future.” It’s all up to Mayweather, who has said that he is willing to face Pacquiao, but on condition that the Filipino boxer cut his ties with Arum’s group. Mayweather insists that he has no interest in doing business with Top Rank Promotions.
COMPILATION OF FLOYD MAYWEATHER’S EXCUSES TO AVOID MANNY PACQUIAO will f…: http://t.co/xSQYNX5YTo via @YouTube
— Cool Hand Ced (@CedLeClair) March 15, 2014
Arum says that they are prepared to “dumb down the rhetoric” just to get the fight done. He can see the match happening, he says, but he can’t say that the match will transpire “because it takes two to tango.”
“Face Off with @Max_Kellerman: #PacBradley 2” debuts Sat., March 22 at 11:45pm ET/PT on @HBO. pic.twitter.com/4LeCfbadti
— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) March 7, 2014
Pacquiao is currently in Hollywood preparing to face reigning World Boxing Organization champion Timothy Bradley on April 12 and avenge his controversial loss in June 2012. The rematch will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. If Pacquiao wins the match against Bradley, he will likely face long-time opponent Juan Manuel Marquez in a fifth showdown. A win over Marquez means that Pacquiao’s next match could finally be against Mayweather.
The Filipino boxing icon has been training incessantly in Hollywood’s Wild Card Boxing Club for next month’s fight. Celebrities, from Hollywood actors and music artists to basketball stars, have been known to drop by the gym to watch Pacquiao in his training sessions. One of the biggest stars to grace the venue is the legendary musician Bob Dylan, who watched Pacquiao go through eight rounds of sparring.
After BOB DYLAN watched me train today, @FreddieRoach said, “I think A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall on @TimBradleyJr” pic.twitter.com/rE4CB4S9kc
— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) March 14, 2014
Dylan is not only a fan of the sport; he actually worked out with former boxer Bruce Strauss. When the 72-year-old musician walked in the Wild Card gym, he shook Pacquiao’s hands and also posed for a photo with the boxer. He then went on to watch the training session “like a hawk.”
Mike Tyson: Pacquiao looks spectacular, Mayweather is boring
http://youtu.be/khY2rhALo54
Image via Manny Pacquiao, Twitter