Pacquiao agrees to smaller purse. Will Mayweather take the bait?

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/345203/pacquiao-agrees-smaller-purse By NICK GIONGCO December 17, 2011, 10:20pm MANILA, Philippines — The ball is now in Floyd Mayweather’s court. Manny Pacquiao said from his home in General Santos City that he is going the extra mile in making sure the proposed super fight with the brash and unbeaten American fighter finally happens in 2012. Pacquiao is willing to take the smaller piece of the pie as long as the dream fight takes place. “Walang problema kahit pa mas maliit ang premyo ko,” said Pacquiao, who turned 33 on Saturday. “Ang importante ay matuloy lang ang laban.” Pacquiao’s pronouncement that he is giving Mayweather the lion’s share of the pot only puts credence that he is moving heaven and earth to make it happen. The subject of random blood testing is apparently a non-issue now since Arum had mentioned many times in the past month or so that Pacquiao has agreed to Mayweather’s demands. Arum is arriving in Manila in the first week of January to discuss Pacquiao’s future. On their radar screen of course is Mayweather and a few other guys in case the fight the world is aching to see doesn’t materialize. Arum is looking at a fourth fight between Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, while waiting on the wings are undefeated Tim Bradley and even Miguel Cotto, who is hot on the comeback trail. The target date for the Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown is May 2012. Marquez has also expressed his willingness to rumble with Pacquiao again, saying that he might just hang up his gloves in case a fourth match with his rival is shelved. Bradley also wants a piece of Pacquiao owing to the fortune that such a fight would bring. Cotto, who lost to Pacquiao on a 12th-round stoppage two years ago, has also expressed his desire to be given a shot at payback most specially that he has a new set of trainers. Ringsiders are of the belief that Pacquiao decided to take a smaller percentage of the revenue knowing that he has a solid shot at dealing Mayweather his first loss. Inflicting Mayweather his first defeat, according to them, would compensate Pacquiao's take-home pay.