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With the negotiations between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather ongoing, several revelations over the last few days have provoked strong opinions from the opposing sets of fans.
Mayweather is being accused of ducking Pacquiao because he is demanding more money. Pacquiao is still being viewed with a cautious eye by some after backing down on his previous testing stance.
A popular conspiracy theory is that neither man wanted the fight to happen the first time, and that between them and their respective promoters they agreed to put off the fight until later. The thinking being that both in their own way were new to the division and wanted another fight each before they fought each other. Pacquiao having recently risen in weight and Mayweather having come back from retirement.
The subsequent lawsuit filed by Pacquiao against Golden Boy and the Mayweathers would seem to suggest that this idea holds little water though. Failing anything else then, the most likely explanation if the fight doesn't get made is that one of the parties isn't as eager as the other for it to happen.
Obviously both sides are eager to get their own way in the negotiations, but really those are just details. If both of the camps want the money and glory enough, they will find a way to make the fight happen one way or another.
But aside from the negotiations, why do fans of either Money or Manny think the other is ducking their fighter, and which if either set of fans has the stronger case?
From Pacquiao's perspective, Floyd is trying his level best to avoid fighting him, even going so far as to change his demands from the previous negotiations and to demand more money. Given that there would probably be a rematch anyway, getting a slightly bigger slice of the pie this time out doesn't surely isn't that important if you think you are going to win handily.
Mayweather has received criticism in the past for not taking on the best fighters available, and will no doubt attract more if the fight doesn't happen now. In his last outing against Shane Mosley though he took on the very best opposition that was available, and as usual dominated the proceedings.
The testing issue that once made many question Pacquiao's reputation has now backfired on Mayweather, with the news that he and Mosley were not tested in the 18 days preceding the fight. Making a mockery of the idea that the Olympic style testing is infallible and that it guarantees two completely clean fighters. With Pacquiao's willingness to accept a shorter cut off period before the fight, this will hopefully be something that the promoters will be able to find a compromise on.
The one remaining issue then is the purse split, which Pacquiao believes should be equal and Mayweather wants the bigger part of. Some are bound to say that this is a way of avoiding the fight, but in reality this probably isn't the case.
From Floyd Mayweather's perspective, he is only trying to get what he feels he is worth for taking on an opponent fully capable of handing him his first loss. His pay per view numbers are better, he is undefeated and some publications and media outlets now have him ranked as the top pound for pound fighter once again. In his mind, rightly or wrongly he believes he deserves the bigger purse split for the pay per view numbers he achieved against Shane Mosley.
Unlike Pacquiao, who fights regularly and against anyone his promoters put in front of him, Mayweather is looking to maximize his earnings each time he steps into the ring. Mercenary yes, but also the reason he can claim to be the biggest fighter in the sport today. Boxing is a business to Mayweather, nothing more or less and he's in it for what he can get. To that end for him to fight the conditions have to be right for him to even be interested.
In conclusion, neither set of fans has a very strong case to say that either fighter is ducking the fight. Pacquiao has shown he is willing to compromise with regards to the testing, and Mayweather for all his talk has only demanded the bigger purse share since his fight against Shane Mosley. A fighter truly trying to duck in either case would have either demanded a hugely unequal purse from the get go, or would have refused to entertain the idea of any blood testing at all.
Keith Jones, Pittsburgh: "If they leave it much longer people will lose interest in seeing the fight at all, neither of them is getting any younger. I almost hope the fight doesn't happen now so that rapper loses $10 million dollars for trying to be a flashy ****"
Petros Apostolou, Pittsburgh: "If either of them wanted the fight as much as they say they wouldn't care about the terms. Whoever wins can name his price and will be the biggest draw in the world for the rest of his career"
Kenneth Richards, Philly: "I think after they fight, if they fight that is, they will both retire. That's why the terms are so important to them and why they're both demanding more than they're entitled to"
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Mayweather is being accused of ducking Pacquiao because he is demanding more money. Pacquiao is still being viewed with a cautious eye by some after backing down on his previous testing stance.
A popular conspiracy theory is that neither man wanted the fight to happen the first time, and that between them and their respective promoters they agreed to put off the fight until later. The thinking being that both in their own way were new to the division and wanted another fight each before they fought each other. Pacquiao having recently risen in weight and Mayweather having come back from retirement.
The subsequent lawsuit filed by Pacquiao against Golden Boy and the Mayweathers would seem to suggest that this idea holds little water though. Failing anything else then, the most likely explanation if the fight doesn't get made is that one of the parties isn't as eager as the other for it to happen.
Obviously both sides are eager to get their own way in the negotiations, but really those are just details. If both of the camps want the money and glory enough, they will find a way to make the fight happen one way or another.
But aside from the negotiations, why do fans of either Money or Manny think the other is ducking their fighter, and which if either set of fans has the stronger case?
From Pacquiao's perspective, Floyd is trying his level best to avoid fighting him, even going so far as to change his demands from the previous negotiations and to demand more money. Given that there would probably be a rematch anyway, getting a slightly bigger slice of the pie this time out doesn't surely isn't that important if you think you are going to win handily.
Mayweather has received criticism in the past for not taking on the best fighters available, and will no doubt attract more if the fight doesn't happen now. In his last outing against Shane Mosley though he took on the very best opposition that was available, and as usual dominated the proceedings.
The testing issue that once made many question Pacquiao's reputation has now backfired on Mayweather, with the news that he and Mosley were not tested in the 18 days preceding the fight. Making a mockery of the idea that the Olympic style testing is infallible and that it guarantees two completely clean fighters. With Pacquiao's willingness to accept a shorter cut off period before the fight, this will hopefully be something that the promoters will be able to find a compromise on.
The one remaining issue then is the purse split, which Pacquiao believes should be equal and Mayweather wants the bigger part of. Some are bound to say that this is a way of avoiding the fight, but in reality this probably isn't the case.
From Floyd Mayweather's perspective, he is only trying to get what he feels he is worth for taking on an opponent fully capable of handing him his first loss. His pay per view numbers are better, he is undefeated and some publications and media outlets now have him ranked as the top pound for pound fighter once again. In his mind, rightly or wrongly he believes he deserves the bigger purse split for the pay per view numbers he achieved against Shane Mosley.
Unlike Pacquiao, who fights regularly and against anyone his promoters put in front of him, Mayweather is looking to maximize his earnings each time he steps into the ring. Mercenary yes, but also the reason he can claim to be the biggest fighter in the sport today. Boxing is a business to Mayweather, nothing more or less and he's in it for what he can get. To that end for him to fight the conditions have to be right for him to even be interested.
In conclusion, neither set of fans has a very strong case to say that either fighter is ducking the fight. Pacquiao has shown he is willing to compromise with regards to the testing, and Mayweather for all his talk has only demanded the bigger purse share since his fight against Shane Mosley. A fighter truly trying to duck in either case would have either demanded a hugely unequal purse from the get go, or would have refused to entertain the idea of any blood testing at all.
Keith Jones, Pittsburgh: "If they leave it much longer people will lose interest in seeing the fight at all, neither of them is getting any younger. I almost hope the fight doesn't happen now so that rapper loses $10 million dollars for trying to be a flashy ****"
Petros Apostolou, Pittsburgh: "If either of them wanted the fight as much as they say they wouldn't care about the terms. Whoever wins can name his price and will be the biggest draw in the world for the rest of his career"
Kenneth Richards, Philly: "I think after they fight, if they fight that is, they will both retire. That's why the terms are so important to them and why they're both demanding more than they're entitled to"
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