By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Pound-for-pound king and “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao has reportedly rejected a demand by the handlers of undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr for a bigger revenue split in their planned megabuck fight sometime in November.

BoxingScene.com/Inside Sports learned that Team Pacquiao had apparently submitted three different offers to the Mayweather handlers but the talks were stalled when Mayweather demanded a much bigger share of the revenues. Reports had earlier indicated Mayweather wanted a 60-40 split in his favor which was apparently promptly rejected by Pacquiao.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who is perhaps one of the most accommodating  people when it comes to the media remained tight-lipped on the status of the negotiations.

In a telephone conversation early Friday morning Arum said “I still can’t talk” even as we mentioned that Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya had been quoted extensively as saying both sides were close to a deal although CEO Richard Schaefer said De La Hoya told him he was misquoted.

Arum who clearly doesn’t wish to break a verbal agreement with the handlers of Mayweather not to make any statement regarding the negotiations, told us “I can’t even say that conversations are going on.”

Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz reflected the sentiments of Team Pacquiao when he reportedly said that De La Hoya was the least qualified to talk because he was not even a member of the negotiating panel.

Arum had indicated some weeks ago that he had set aside a November 13 date for a possible Pacquiao fight against Mayweather or some other opponent, dropping the names of Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito and even Juan Manuel Marquez as possible opponents.

Both the media and fight fans around the world have pushed the two sides to make the fight happen while the recent public consultation conducted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission  effectively downplayed the importance of random blood tests based on expert testimony and indicated it would maintain its current testing methods. The NSAC stand is believed to have made it easier for both sides to come to terms with Mayweather backing off from his earlier demand for random blood tests up to the day of the fight.

Pacquiao had agreed to the 14 day cut-off demanded by Mayweather before the talks on a May 1 fight fell through.