By Edward Chaykovsky
As previously reported, Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum expects a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. to be set in the next few days. Arum told the New York Post on Friday that there is no deal yet, but the two sides are working toward an agreement on a bout that would be the most lucrative in boxing history.
Pacquiao and Mayweather met in private on Tuesday night in Miami. Earlier that night, the two fighters were also seen talking at halftime of the Miami Heat-Milwaukee Bucks game.
One of the sticking points in negotiations is the contract that Pacquiao has with Time Warner/HBO and Mayweather with CBS/Showtime. A joint pay-per-view telecast needs to be worked out.
No date has been officially set, but Mayweather said he plans to fight May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas no matter the opponent.
Attempts through the years to negotiate a showdown between the two fighters have fallen though.
After previously giving Mayweather until the end of the month to accept the fight, Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz, has retracted that statement after being present for Tuesday's private meeting.
“I don’t want to talk about it (deadline) anymore. If it happens, it happens; if it don’t happen, it don’t happen. As long as it takes, we’re not gonna set (deadlines) or cast it in stone. We’ve established a good relationship with Floyd. I expect that something will be done sooner, I am not concerned with deadlines,” Koncz told Spin.ph.
