By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is pleased that the negotiations with the handlers of Floyd Mayweather Jr., the undefeated pound-for-pound king, are continuing, but displayed a tinge of impatience when he posted on social media telling the American boxer to effectively stop bragging about his lifestyle and sign a fight contract.
In his post, Pacquiao wrote: “Floyd brags about his lifestyle and everything. I don’t care. I’m just waiting for him to sign the contract.”
Clearly, Mayweather can’t sign a contract until the details on the purse and the pay-per-view split are agreed upon, among other things.
Pacquiao’s longtime adviser Michael Koncz informed BoxingScene/Manila Standard/Viva Sports that they are still negotiating.
Koncz made it clear that any details about the negotiations published by the media won’t help the two sides reach an agreement.
The Manila Standard/Viva Sports learned from sources in the U.S. that for the talks to move ahead, Pacquiao’s negotiators will have to make a more attractive offer to Mayweather.
Meantime, Pacquiao’s first trainer, who steered him to his initial world title, the World Boxing Council flyweight crown which Pacquiao won with a spectacular eighth-round knockout of Chatchai Sasakul in December 1998, doesn’t believe Mayweather will fight Pacquiao.
Rick Stahaley said he expects undefeated Keith Thurman (24-0, 21 KOs), who is ranked No. 1 by the WBA and is also handled by Al Haymon, to emerge as Mayweather’s next opponent and that the rumored offer to Miguel Cotto to face Mayweather in a rematch was a bluff
