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Since re-entering negotiations two months ago, boxing fans have been eagerly awaiting an official announcement on whether Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao would meet in November ... today is no different.
There's still no official word, but Pac-Man's camp says they're just waiting on Mayweather ... and if not, they are preparing for alternative plans.
The Filipino superstar's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, told ESPN.com this week that the deadline for Mayweather to make a decision is Friday (July 16).
"We're ready to go on with the Mayweather fight," Arum told the sports network, "but we have to make contingency plans just in case and I don't really want to talk about that too much. But Mayweather has until the end of the week. He could wait until the last minute. If it's Friday and it's 11 p.m., and he says we have a deal, we have a deal."
While Arum said that he was hopeful Mayweather would accept the deal, Pacquiao has to be prepared in the event that he doesn't. He did, however, reveal that Mayweather has had the contract for weeks now, and that Pacquiao has accepted the terms, including provisions for drug testing (blood and urine) leading up to the bout.
If it doesn't happen, Arum said they've discussed proposals for Pacquiao to fight former welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito or face Miguel Cotto in a rematch if things with Mayweather don't pan out.
Pacquiao and Mayweather were negotiating during December and January for a fight in March, but their talks stalled when both sides couldn't agree to terms, specifically drug testing requirements Mayweather had requested.
So, instead Pacquiao took on Joshua Clottey and easily defeated him, while Mayweather beat Sugar Shane Mosley.
The next obvious opponent would be Mayweather, but the ball is in his court now to make a decision.
"We're waiting on Floyd," Arum said. "He might not want to fight again this year. If he wants to say, 'See you next year,' there's always next year. But I don't think we can't wait much longer for him to make up his mind because if we do the fight we want to make it as big as we can make it, and that takes time. I think Floyd will give us the courtesy of a response one way or the other. What that response will be, I really don't know.
"That's the fight we want and that's the fight we're in for, but if we can't do that fight there are other opponents."
In June, reporters asked Mayweather about his next fight, to which he explained that he was taking the year off. However, Pac-Man's camp said Money May was just talking ... and negotiations were still underway.
So, it seems on Friday, fans will finally get their answer as to whether this fight will go down or not.
Stay tuned...
There's still no official word, but Pac-Man's camp says they're just waiting on Mayweather ... and if not, they are preparing for alternative plans.
The Filipino superstar's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, told ESPN.com this week that the deadline for Mayweather to make a decision is Friday (July 16).
"We're ready to go on with the Mayweather fight," Arum told the sports network, "but we have to make contingency plans just in case and I don't really want to talk about that too much. But Mayweather has until the end of the week. He could wait until the last minute. If it's Friday and it's 11 p.m., and he says we have a deal, we have a deal."
While Arum said that he was hopeful Mayweather would accept the deal, Pacquiao has to be prepared in the event that he doesn't. He did, however, reveal that Mayweather has had the contract for weeks now, and that Pacquiao has accepted the terms, including provisions for drug testing (blood and urine) leading up to the bout.
If it doesn't happen, Arum said they've discussed proposals for Pacquiao to fight former welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito or face Miguel Cotto in a rematch if things with Mayweather don't pan out.
Pacquiao and Mayweather were negotiating during December and January for a fight in March, but their talks stalled when both sides couldn't agree to terms, specifically drug testing requirements Mayweather had requested.
So, instead Pacquiao took on Joshua Clottey and easily defeated him, while Mayweather beat Sugar Shane Mosley.
The next obvious opponent would be Mayweather, but the ball is in his court now to make a decision.
"We're waiting on Floyd," Arum said. "He might not want to fight again this year. If he wants to say, 'See you next year,' there's always next year. But I don't think we can't wait much longer for him to make up his mind because if we do the fight we want to make it as big as we can make it, and that takes time. I think Floyd will give us the courtesy of a response one way or the other. What that response will be, I really don't know.
"That's the fight we want and that's the fight we're in for, but if we can't do that fight there are other opponents."
In June, reporters asked Mayweather about his next fight, to which he explained that he was taking the year off. However, Pac-Man's camp said Money May was just talking ... and negotiations were still underway.
So, it seems on Friday, fans will finally get their answer as to whether this fight will go down or not.
Stay tuned...
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