Showtime exec says he'll reach out about a Pac May fight. It's TIME!

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-pacquiao-mayweather-showtime-20131126,0,3476896.story#axzz2lnCFiqL2 By Lance Pugmire November 26, 2013, 2:49 p.m. Achieving the impossible has to start somewhere, and after so many failed tries to make a Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao super-fight, there's an olive branch being extended. Showtime Executive Vice President Stephen Espinoza, whose premium network has four fights remaining in its exclusive deal with the unbeaten Mayweather, said he plans to reach out this week to Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum to gauge interest in the bout. Despite Arum's denials, Espinoza said he had made repeated efforts to talk to Arum on the telephone. "But I haven't tried in awhile," Espinoza told The Times. "I will call Arum. This is an enticing enough opportunity to do it." Although Mayweather seems headed to a May date in Las Vegas against England's Amir Khan, Pacquiao revived his stock with a convincing unanimous-decision victory over Oxnard's Brandon Rios over the weekend in Macao, China, after a brutal knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in December. Espinoza was clear that if the bout could be made it would be on Showtime pay-per-view, citing Mayweather's exclusive deal that started with unanimous-decision victories over Robert Guerrero in May and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in September. "HBO, for whatever reason, doesn't have an exclusive deal with Manny Pacquiao, so there's no reason it can't be on Showtime," Espinoza said. Mayweather's advisor Leonard Ellerbe and promoter Richard Schaefer, the Golden Boy Promotions chief executive who has assisted in the promotion of all of Mayweather's fights since 2007, did not immediately return telephone and e-mail messages left by The Times Tuesday. Arum, working Tuesday to repair Pacquiao's tax issues that saw the fighter's bank accounts in the Philippines frozen Tuesday, said "I know of no calls" Espinoza "has made to me or my secretary in two years," and that the promoter doesn't want to engage in discussion of Mayweather-Pacquiao in the newspaper. But Arum added, "My idea is to go back to the model that was used in the" Mike Tyson-Lennox Lewis "fight, where both networks did it. "Let's ... everyone be adults and put the ... fight on," Arum said. "Whoever wins in the ring, wins in the ring. But talking about it before we do anything is stupid." http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-pacquiao-mayweather-showtime-20131126,0,3476896.story#ixzz2lpchLh7j

Comments (20)

Source? Since when is Showtime guaranteeing Floyd $40M for every fight? Hint: they're not. "Source" that they don't!?!... (Same shit...)

12y ago

The_Big_Dunn

Showtime needs to make money too, and all roads lead to Pac. if that was the case they would've signed manny to a contract when they had a chance.

12y ago

Spoon23

Based on the article, they already tried to contact them but no return call or email from GBP and Floyd's camp. I just hope Showtime have the power on their contract to force the match they want. Showtime needs to make money too, and all roads lead to Pac.

12y ago

Spoon23

Schaefer/Showtime are going to break the bank again funding Floyd vs Khan. The expenses are going to be astronomical again and had to make 2M in PPV to break even. I'm actually looking forward on how they're going to promote Khan. Canelo was relatively easy. Fans were duped into believing Canelo was THE ONE who would fight like a rampaging Margarito. Even Duran thought he's going to fight like a bull attacking a matador. People forgot that the Mexican kid had stamina issues. Pressure fighting is completely alien to him. Even then, the cost of producing and promoting the fight was astronomical. Khan, otoh, is an in and out fighter and most likely the one who would be slammed on the ropes like in his fight with Peterson. This would be a boring fight. No KDs, no KO's, probably similar to the Ward vs Rodriguez, brief clash, then clinch, brief clash, hold, rinse and repeat. It's not all about the ppv numbers. It's about wether a promoter can make a buck. In this case they always seem to be short changed coz they give all the money to ads and Floyd. Schaefer feels used up coz they keep on losing money while Floyd keeps on earning.

12y ago

JQside

12y ago

Spoon23

Based on the article, they already tried to contact them but no return call or email from GBP and Floyd's camp. I just hope Showtime have the power on their contract to force the match they want. At the end of the day, these people will go we're the money is. They know what makes sense. They know PAC vs may makes sense and some fights won't be as lucrative.

12y ago

JustinFloyd

Obviously, based on Floyd's recent "Pacquiao who?" comment, Showtime and Floyd are out of sync. Showtime can't enter the Pac negotiation if the fighter they're negotiating for is against the fight. That's why SHO execs had to talk long and hard with Haymon and Mayweather first before even talking to the media. The blame game needs to be put in proper perspective. Based on the article, they already tried to contact them but no return call or email from GBP and Floyd's camp. I just hope Showtime have the power on their contract to force the match they want.

12y ago

JQside

They can't get burned its a mutual deal. The contract is binding between them. If Floyd wants out. Floyd has to pay showtime the remaining of the contract. Showtime wants PAC, coz money wise that's the way to go. Obviously, based on Floyd's recent "Pacquiao who?" comment, Showtime and Floyd are out of sync. Showtime can't enter the Pac negotiation if the fighter they're negotiating for is against the fight. That's why SHO execs had to talk long and hard with Haymon and Mayweather first before even talking to the media. The blame game needs to be put in proper perspective.

12y ago

Spoon23

Source? Since when is Showtime guaranteeing Floyd $40M for every fight? Hint: they're not. No, Floyd is guaranteed 300m for 6 fights with showtime, But it doesn't mean he only gets to choose his fights. 2 fights showtime did for floyd (Guerrero and canelo) didn't earn jack.the canelo fight was stacked with a good undercard and ads and media promotions we're overkill which translated to unprofitable margins for showtime, if showtime feels his choices won't make money they will decide for him which is the logical fight to make them both profit. And Floyd has to agree after all its a binding contract and showtime realized that to make a nice profit they should decide what makes sense. And they know its The Pac fight that make so much sense. Wether you agree or not, showtimes actions tells us they want Pac. You said Floyd is about money. Then this is the biggest payday he can get.

12y ago

BennyBlanco

It about time. I can't believe that Mayweather-Alvarez did bad ppv numbers. I know for a fact his match with Guerrero was horrid & it forced Showtime to demand the Canelo fight earlier than FMJ would've liked. Really. How is that a fact? Floyd is motivated by one thing: $. He took the Canelo fight because it was the by far the biggest money fight available. No one forces Floyd to do anything.

12y ago

BennyBlanco

Yes. According to this deal Showtime is granting Floyd no less $40 million per fight... They lost money on Guerrero fight so they made the Canelo fight out of desperation... After that fight I've posted here that Showtime was quite short of big PPV options, namely: Manny, Bradley, Khan (in this order). And, so far, we heard rumors about Khan and (now) Manny... Source? Since when is Showtime guaranteeing Floyd $40M for every fight? Hint: they're not.

12y ago

TonitosWay

12y ago

Spoon23

Showtime better be careful in making assumptions. They might get burned like 50 cent. Showtime needs to have a long talk with Haymon and Floyd whether Floyd wants this fight or not first before going to the media. "Pacquiao who?" They can't get burned its a mutual deal. The contract is binding between them. If Floyd wants out. Floyd has to pay showtime the remaining of the contract. Showtime wants PAC, coz money wise that's the way to go.

12y ago

Makunouchi6517

Wont be hyped till it is signed. :boxing: too many bollocks

12y ago

JQside

12y ago

mourinho1

scared or promotional conflict?! Hi guys, I think even though it isn't popular to the masses, that this isn't a thing about being scared or something. But a thing about promotions/fighters always trying to find a way to get 100% in-house profits. That is something that can be analyzed to be quite consistent and factual. Why don't we all try to take a different look at the matter? Common sense would tell us that every fighter that puts his life on the line in every match would want maximum compensation+ if possible higher ranking status/prestige. Why is Broner who is so confident that he is mayweather heir and publicly calls out all fighters to fight him(public decides Maidana) why isn't he going for garanteed big pay per view money vs the Pacmans/bradley's/marquez's of the world. To be more precise and to give the Pacman fans a chance to prove that it is actually a SHOOK type of thing between fighters. Lets turn the Table when was the last time Pacman a 100% Arum fighter fought a 100% Goldenboy fighter???? Wouldnt Pacman vs broner/danny garcia do more than a million PPV buys? If yáll can make a case that these two organisations(TR and goldenboy) make fights together all the time recently fine than it can be a conversation about ducking. Please name some other recent goldenboy-Top Rank fights with PPV, if those arent existent then another case can be made that it is a promotional/dollar problem. There are more fighters Pay per view draws than pacman and mayweather(200.000+ PPV) why aren't they mixing with rival promotions? The assumption that fighter A or B is scared, comes across childish sometimes. In kickboxing and MMA fighters are hardly ever scared it usually boils down to dollars. don't hate the fighters hate the promotions :-)

12y ago

torosboxing75

Its ok spoon23. If I were a big manny fan and he kept refusing to fight floyd I'd be mad at him and not floyd, same as you are mad at JMM and Tim for turning down the rematches. But hey, its ok. Alvarado and JMM just lost so Manny has potential opponents. I'll tell you what big dunn: I'm a Pac fan and a Floyd fan, I'm really just an all around boxing fanatic but truth is Floyd is the one that seems like he doesn't want this fight. Manny has always proven to not be afraid of anybody. Manny fought Margs when he didn't have to and most boxers including Floyd would never do that. That fight looked like David and Goliath.

12y ago

Spoon23

Its ok spoon23. If I were a big manny fan and he kept refusing to fight floyd I'd be mad at him and not floyd, same as you are mad at JMM and Tim for turning down the rematches. But hey, its ok. Alvarado and JMM just lost so Manny has potential opponents. Huh?? Look at my past posts I've said no to Bradley and Marquez again. That ship has sailed. It's Floyd or if floyd cant grow a pair of balls Pac should just retire. Dude pls don't put words in my mouth.:spank:

12y ago

The_Big_Dunn

Sigh.. Dude grow some common sense lol Its ok spoon23. If I were a big manny fan and he kept refusing to fight floyd I'd be mad at him and not floyd, same as you are mad at JMM and Tim for turning down the rematches. But hey, its ok. Alvarado and JMM just lost so Manny has potential opponents.

12y ago

Spoon23

Pac keeps refusing to fight floyd and takes fights against lesser opponents for far less than $40 mil. If he wants to keep doing this there is nothing more floyd can do. Manny would rather fight Rios and Tim and sell a combined 1.1-1.25 mil ppvs rather than fight floyd and sell over 1.5 mil for the 1st time in his career. Its manny's choice to make and he did. Sigh.. Dude grow some common sense lol

12y ago