I knew I would have to write this if Pacquiao dominated Brandon Rios like most people expected. Many casual fans don’t understand the business of boxing, so they just assume if two fighters want to fight each other, they just snap their fingers and it happens.
It doesn’t quite work that way and that is definitely the case with Mayweather & Pacquiao. We have gone over this before, but here is a refresher of why you shouldn’t get your hopes up.
1- You can’t believe anything Bob Arum says.
Arum is a masterful promoter and manipulator of public perception. He has been saying for a couple of weeks how easy it would be to make a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight, knowing that there are tremendous obstacles, some that he created himself. You have to take everything he says with a grain of salt.
2- Top Rank vs. Golden Boy
It is called in boxing circles “The Cold War”. It dates back to when GB tried to take Manny Pacquiao away from Top Rank. They simply don’t do business with each other and don’t like each other at all. Mayweather does his business with Golden Boy (on a fight by fight basis) and Pacquiao is under contract with Top Rank. For any fight to happen, they would have to bury the hatchet, but don’t hold your breath on that.
3- HBO vs. Showtime
HBO decided after Mayweather signed with Showtime to no longer do business with Golden Boy fighters. Mayweather is in an exclusive contract with Showtime. Pacquiao while not tied to HBO, is tied to Top Rank who is tied to HBO. Since it would be the biggest fight in history, both networks would be reluctant to stand down. It has happened before with Lewis vs. Tyson, but those promoters and networks had a lot better working relationship.
4- Mayweather hates Arum
I have always thought the #1 reason that this fight has never happened was simply because Mayweather doesn’t want Arum to make a dime off him after their nasty promotional split years ago. Since Mayweather has final say on whom he fights, he would have to be the first one to say let’s get this done for all the other dominos to fall. I just don’t see that happening while Arum is alive.
5- Oscar De La Hoya hates Arum
While Floyd and Oscar don’t have the greatest relationship, they both equally hate Arum and don’t want to put any money in his pocket.
6- Purse split
There was a time when 50/50 might have gotten it done, but Mayweather has more leverage now considering Pacquiao’s previous losses and I can’t even see him giving Manny a 50/50 split. If Pacquiao and Arum really want the fight, I don’t think Mayweather would even consider listening unless it was something like 70/30 and I don’t think that is happening.
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I don’t think the fighters are scared of each other or anything like that, I just believe there are so many obstacles in the way that don’t expect a fight in 2014 and it would be highly unlikely they ever fight unless their circumstances drastically change.