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MANILA, Philippines - Floyd Mayweather Jr. has finally broken his silence. He wants out of boxing. He wants out of the fight with Manny Pacquiao.
In a breaking news which came out of The Examiner last night, the undefeated American said he’s taking a year off from boxing, in the process ruling out any clash with the reigning pound-for-pound champion from the Philippines.
Pacquiao had just received his third Fighter of the Year award and the Fighter of the Decade award from the Boxing Writers Association of America in New York when Mayweather spoke during a charity affair, and said he wants out of boxing.
“Floyd Mayweather is taking a year off or a couple of years off from boxing. I don’t really know what the future holds for him,” said Mayweather in a video clip posted by The Examiner, as he sat beside Armando, a fan battling the Hodgins disease.
Mayweather was asked to comment on Armando’s wish to see him fight Pacquiao, probably in November as being planned by their promoters, when the former pound-for-pound champion dropped the bomb. He looked serious even if he was smiling.
“As I said, I want to take a year off from boxing,” said the 33-year-old Mayweather.
And it could mean that the fight the whole world wants to see may not happen at all because “a year or a couple of years off” would mean that Mayweather would be 35 if and when he ever returns to the sport he once dominated.
Pacquiao just turned 31 last December, and enjoys more options than Mayweather. He can fight anyone else out there and earn as much as $15 million, wait for Mayweather and still be good enough a couple of years older, or retire.
Mayweather was once retired, staying out of the ring for close to two years before returning to fight an outsized Juan Manuel Marquez last year and an aging Shane Mosley last May to stretch his unbeaten record to 43.
Pacquiao was recently elected congressman in his home province of Sarangani, and that should keep him busy if he does retire. Among those being lined up as possible opponents on the ring are Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto.
The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, which could earn them $40 million each, almost took place last March until Mayweather sought a blood testing procedure, as random as the days or hours to the fight, that was just unacceptable for the Pinoy icon.
Pacquiao recently agreed to take the tests 14 days before the fight – which was Mayweather’s original demand – but the American said his new demand was to have the tests taken all the way to the fight.
A few days ago, reports also came out that Mayweather, who had agreed to a 50-50 purse split during the previous negotiations, now wants 60 percent of everything, again a demand that’s unacceptable for Pacquiao.
And here he comes saying he wants out of the sport for a year or a couple of years. He just wants out of the Pacquiao fight, many experts believe, and now he’s made it known.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=69
In a breaking news which came out of The Examiner last night, the undefeated American said he’s taking a year off from boxing, in the process ruling out any clash with the reigning pound-for-pound champion from the Philippines.
Pacquiao had just received his third Fighter of the Year award and the Fighter of the Decade award from the Boxing Writers Association of America in New York when Mayweather spoke during a charity affair, and said he wants out of boxing.
“Floyd Mayweather is taking a year off or a couple of years off from boxing. I don’t really know what the future holds for him,” said Mayweather in a video clip posted by The Examiner, as he sat beside Armando, a fan battling the Hodgins disease.
Mayweather was asked to comment on Armando’s wish to see him fight Pacquiao, probably in November as being planned by their promoters, when the former pound-for-pound champion dropped the bomb. He looked serious even if he was smiling.
“As I said, I want to take a year off from boxing,” said the 33-year-old Mayweather.
And it could mean that the fight the whole world wants to see may not happen at all because “a year or a couple of years off” would mean that Mayweather would be 35 if and when he ever returns to the sport he once dominated.
Pacquiao just turned 31 last December, and enjoys more options than Mayweather. He can fight anyone else out there and earn as much as $15 million, wait for Mayweather and still be good enough a couple of years older, or retire.
Mayweather was once retired, staying out of the ring for close to two years before returning to fight an outsized Juan Manuel Marquez last year and an aging Shane Mosley last May to stretch his unbeaten record to 43.
Pacquiao was recently elected congressman in his home province of Sarangani, and that should keep him busy if he does retire. Among those being lined up as possible opponents on the ring are Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto.
The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, which could earn them $40 million each, almost took place last March until Mayweather sought a blood testing procedure, as random as the days or hours to the fight, that was just unacceptable for the Pinoy icon.
Pacquiao recently agreed to take the tests 14 days before the fight – which was Mayweather’s original demand – but the American said his new demand was to have the tests taken all the way to the fight.
A few days ago, reports also came out that Mayweather, who had agreed to a 50-50 purse split during the previous negotiations, now wants 60 percent of everything, again a demand that’s unacceptable for Pacquiao.
And here he comes saying he wants out of the sport for a year or a couple of years. He just wants out of the Pacquiao fight, many experts believe, and now he’s made it known.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=69
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