By Keith Idec
A day after Manny Pacquiao seemed slightly more optimistic than usual about the possibility of finally facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. next year, Mayweather downplayed the idea.
“I spoke on that situation enough,” Mayweather said during on a conference call to promote his Sept. 17 welterweight title fight against Victor Ortiz in Las Vegas. “There’s no need for me to even speak on it. It’s useless. If the guy wanted the fight, he could’ve had the fight already.”
Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) was referring to the drug-testing issue that is one of numerous reasons the highly anticipated bout between him and Pacquiao hasn’t occurred.
Pacquiao acknowledged Tuesday at a press conference in New York that Mayweather’s fight against the left-handed Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs) appeared to indicate Mayweather’s willingness to seriously considering Pacquiao as his next opponent. Of course, Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KOs) would have to beat Mexican nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KOs) in their third fight Nov. 12 in Las Vegas and Mayweather would need to overcome Ortiz for the Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown to happen next.
Pacquiao, 32, has stated that he’ll continue fighting after facing Marquez in two months. The 34-year-old Mayweather, meanwhile, hasn’t committed to continuing his career beyond the Ortiz fight.
“For me, I don’t really need that fight,” Pacquiao said regarding the Mayweather match. “If that fight happens, well, it’s good because that’s what the fans want. If that fight doesn’t happen, I’m also happy because I’m already satisfied with what I have done in boxing.”
Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, NJ., and BoxingScene.com.