When Manny Pacquiao went on ESPN an offered 55/45 split in Mayweather’s favor to get a fight done, most saw this as a step in the right direction and Pacquiao really wanted to make the fight happen. When the Mayweather camp shot down the offer most casual fans took it to mean that Mayweather was scared to take the fight.
Upon speaking with several people in the boxing community about why Pacquiao would do such a thing when in general a 50/50 split would be more fair, I kept getting the same answer over and over again.
“Who else can Manny fight and make a ton money against?”
Then I started to think about and realized they were right. Mayweather has options for mega fights that can be easily made. It is a point that was also noticed by Boxinginsider.com.
He can fight Canelo Alvarez, rematch with Cotto or even Sergio Martinez. Each of those fights under the current business model Floyd uses would make him in access of $40-50 million.
After Pacquiao faces Marquez for the 4th time in a fight that many don’t want to see, who does he have lined up for 2013?
Cotto and Martinez won’t fight him if he tries to make then go down to a catch weight. Golden Boy won’t put Canelo in with him. He can fight Timothy Bradley again, but the reason he isn’t fighting Timothy Bradley now is because of money considerations.
Bob Arum has effectively put him in with every big washed up name under the Top Rank umbrella and now they are out of options.
So, Pacquiao has no choice but to beg Floyd Mayweather to fight him and eventually might have to give into Mayweather’s terms. There is a big difference between fighting Timothy Bradley for $25 million and fighting Floyd Mayweather for $50-60 million. Pacquiao nickname isn’t Money, but that is what he is fighting for.
At this point it is Pacquiao who needs Mayweather not the other way around.