By Chris LaBate
Top Rank's CEO, Bob Arum, is convinced that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is never going to fight Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather, formerly promoted by Arum's company, uses every possible opportunity to throw a few verbal shots at his ex-promoter, but Arum considers the verbal daggers a calculated mirage. Mayweather's fear of Pacquiao's much improved right hand is preventing the fight from taking place, says Arum. If they ever meet, Arum predicts a Pacquiao victory by knockout in three to four rounds of action.
"That fight will never, ever happen. Ever, ever happen because of Mayweather. When Mayweather talks about how he hates Top Rank he's talking bulls---. What Mayweather hates is Manny's right hand. Mayweather has no chin and Manny will knock him out. Pacquiao and Mayweather is a three or four-round fight. Period. And who knows that best? Mayweather," Arum told ESPN Los Angeles.
The one thing Mayweather has had throughout his career is he knows boxing. He understands boxing and Mayweather can not compete with Manny. It's the right hand of Manny that is preventing that fight from happening. If Manny agreed just to jab with the right hand the fight would be made in 30 seconds."
Arum also stung Mayweather for his lack of sportsmanship in last month's four round knockout of Victor Ortiz in Las Vegas. He says the pound-for-pound fighter left a bad taste in the mouths of paying customers who shelled out $60 dollars or more for the pay-per-view.
"Mayweather demonstrated a complete lack of sportsmanship and the public that paid for that was cheated," Arum said. "I don't care about the baloney about protect yourself at all times and its a legal shot. That's not the issue. The fighter has the obligation to entertain the public and hitting this kid with two cheap shots really put a damper on boxing. For me, f--- the legacy, he cheated the public."
