By Mark Vester
Mike Koncz, adviser to Manny Pacquiao, says the Filipino fighter does not need a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and they will not allow themselves to be bullied in any negotiations with Floyd. The two sides have had talks. Konz says Mayweather is only one possible option for Pacquiao's next fight. Other options include Shane Mosley and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Pacquiao faces WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto on November 14. A tentative date of March 13 has been mentioned for Pacquiao's next fight.
“You know obviously I’ve had minor discussions,” Koncz told to abs-cbnNEWS. “Manny's focused on this fight. We have a number of options for the next fight. It’s not just Mayweather. Do we wanna do Mayweather? Of course we wanna do Mayweather. But we won’t be railroaded and pushed around, bullied around.”
“I think the economics of the fight has to be right for us to agree. Do we need Mayweather? We don’t need Mayweather. If Manny gets past Cotto in great fashion, I don’t believe it makes a difference who he fights next.”
He says the possibility of fighting Mayweather would be great for the fans but not a fight they plan to chase. Mayweather wants the lion's share of the money. In several interviews he hinted about a 60-40 split. Pacquiao also wants the bigger piece of the pot.
“We'd love to make the Mayweather fight. I think it will be a great fight for the fans. I think the fans want to see it. But again we're not desperate for it,” Koncz said. “We’ve had open line communications with their people over the last year so they know what terms we're looking for… We’re not gonna chase Mayweather, absolutely not. They know where we’re at and I know where they’re at so hopefully we’d come to a place where we can all agree."
Koncz also told abs-cbnNEWS that Cotto is the better fighter, on paper, than Mayweather.
“You know on paper at least I think Cotto has fought a lot more compelling fights than Mayweather. Mayweather seems to handpick his opponents while Cotto will fight anybody and everybody,” Koncz said. “So to me I feel Cotto is the much stronger fighter than Mayweather."
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