THE NEGOTIATION: The (Unofficial) Inside Story of Mayweather-Pacquiao - June 2010

[Horus]

Welcome back... Get your ass back on The Civilized Gentleman on Facebook. I'm going to be posting more boxing there...and of course, more women.

Hey, It's all about the money for Floyd. So I would think you're right. The priority would be

1) Money (PPV purse split, rebroadcast fees, int'l licensing, etc)
2) Drug testing protocols
3) All other conditions (billing rights, gloves, walkout, trunk length, rematch clauses, etc)

ALSO, I heard (take it for what you want) that Floyd didn't like the economics of how the promotional cut worked. Remember that GBP was not involved in the second negotiations. Because, this time, he would actually have to split the money with an outside promoter. And using GBP would essentially make it THREE promoters.

The idiot peasant *******s don't understand basic economics, so this discussion is beyond them.

One of the reasons that Pac is conciliatory is that he wants to secure a favourable deal for Top Prank. Top Prank really doesn't have to do ANYTHING to promote this fight. And they stand to make the largest cut a promoter has ever made. So Haymon wants them to take a flat fee rather than a percentage. We all know who "sells" a fight during the build-up period and on 24/7's.

Horus, did you know that HBO paid for all of Floyd's 24/7's but made Top Prank pay for Pacquiao's 24/7 with Oscar because that fight under-performed

yup on some real ****, I am going to get at you.
i got a new job so i have been super busy... but I already know how the game is working with TOP RANK and HBO.

HBO wasnt even going to do a countdown show for Cotto vs. Margarito until Bob Arum started bitching about favortism that HBO shows Goldenboy.

and REAL TALK.. HBO played a HUGGGGGGE rold in the way Mayweather got out of his contract with TOP RANK!!

I will make a thread about it laying out the detail in the near future. maybe tomorrow. truly Arum did get jerked by Mayweather, Ross, and Al Haymon the way they outsmarted him on his contract with Mayweather..

LOL

[rommel357]

Jeez, you are daft. And, apprently, a liar.

Because you know Floyd never said that... but it makes you feel better to insert words in his mouth,

LOL!!! Okay, you have your interpretations, and i have mine. And this statement by Floyd, “I’m not really thinking about boxing right now,” Mayweather said. “I’m just relaxing. I fought about 60 days ago, so I’m just enjoying myself, enjoying life, enjoying my family and enjoying my vacation.” for me, my interpretation is he doesn't want to fight Manny, because there's no other boxers out there that people are anticipating for Floyd to fight. Funny how Floyd haven't really said anything else so far, hmmm.

[Vito Corleone]

yup on some real ****, I am going to get at you.
i got a new job so i have been super busy... but I already know how the game is working with TOP RANK and HBO.

HBO wasnt even going to do a countdown show for Cotto vs. Margarito until Bob Arum started bitching about favortism that HBO shows Goldenboy.

and REAL TALK.. HBO played a HUGGGGGGE rold in the way Mayweather got out of his contract with TOP RANK!!

I will make a thread about it laying out the detail in the near future. maybe tomorrow. truly Arum did get jerked by Mayweather, Ross, and Al Haymon the way they outsmarted him on his contract with Mayweather..

LOL

CONG**** on the new gig. Hopefully, you're working some normal hours now!!


Here's some irony for you: my firm is acquiring a large Filipino firm (correction: THE large Filipino firm) and I have been swamped in due diligence and valuations.

It's laughable, and I'll brief you offline.

[Vito Corleone]

Disclaimer: I do not have a link. If you need that, stop reading now, assume what follows is all bull****, and don't even comment. However, if you have an open (but still skeptical) mind, and want a perspective, read on. Also, we won't be calling silly names or "coward" in this thread. Or you will be invited not to participate.

A contact within the boxing media shared his understanding of what happened and why the negotiations failed. And there's blame to spread on both sides.

First of all, there is a misunderstanding from the press conference. ARUM said that 'there was no message' from Team Mayweather. Many people (myself included) took this to mean that Team mayweather never responded. That was not the case. There was a back-n-forth dialogue between the camps. So, whether Arum misspoke, or was misunderstood, let's just establish that there was an exchange and a somewhat real negotiation going on.

The skinny: Back in December, the last deal that was on the table was the 14 day cutoff and 50/50 purse split. Pac was cool with 50/50, not cool with 14 days, and Pac walked away. We all know that.

Now, in February (2/15/10 to be exact), Floyd announced that the 14day, 50/50 deal was off the table. He announced that to David Mayo and some other media. Floyd went on to fight Shane using random drug testing.

http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The...er_the_weekend

"I gave him a chance, up to 14 days out. But my new terms are all the way up to the fight. They can come get us whenever, all the way up to the fight, random drug test. That's what it is."



"[If the Mosley-Mayweather pay-per-view does better than Pacquiao-Clottey], instead of 20 or 25 [million dollars], he may have to drop to 15, or 17. And you know me, they may have to throw that extra 5 or 10 on mine, and we can rock and roll. Take it or leave it."



So, shortly after the May/Moz fight, Pac announced that he was willing to do 14 days, and that all the obstacles were now gone. I believe the Pac quote was "Now Floyd has no reason not to fight". But in the Mayweather camp, they weren't even considering the 14 day cutoff as viable anymore, because they just did true OST with Mosley - random. And outsold Pac yet again.

Additionally (and to my surprise) Floyd did ask for a higher revenue split based on outselling Pac in pretty much all their fights. So, when Koncz said Floyd asked for a 60/40 split, that appears to be true.

Arum and Pac have stuck to their guns on the 14 day, 50/50 tip. They did send a proposal to Floyd. That was 14 day, 50/50. That contract is essentially laughable to Team Mayweather.

The reason Bob Arum is not specifying what “the terms” are is because Team Pac is essentially offering the same terms that they declined six months ago. Not good from a negotiation standpoint. Not ideal from a PR standpoint.

The reason Arum seems so conciliatory towards Floyd is because he got direct feedback from Ross about his approach. Arum has called Mayweather a coward, has insulted Richard in the media (saying that RS doesn’t have boxing knowledge to understand, etc) and has insulted Oscar and HBO executives as well. Just overall surly.

Mayweather fans: Floyd and Team May have not been responsive or very communicative. They have taken a hard line . Basically a “**** Arum” approach. They feel they are in the driver’s seat, and they want their terms. Full random testing, and the higher revenue share. Team May shares the blame for not pushing hard in negotiations. Their stance is “take it or leave it”. Floyd made $65 million in the past ten months. He isn’t pressed.
Plus, Floyd doesn’t want to give one extra dime to Arum, who has been insulting him in the media for a year straight.

Pacquiao fans: Manny and Bob were deceptive in negotiations. They came back to the offer from last year when they knew that offer was no longer valid or acceptable. It also begs the question: If 14 days and 50/50 is a great deal now, what made it such an unacceptable deal six months ago? Were you dealing in good faith? Team Pac must be faulted for not accepting the realities of the revenue and PPV history, and not accepting 43%, 45% or 48%.
Roach said “we have agreed to all Mayweather’s terms. Many will take ANY test to get Floyd in the ring”. But then in the contract, they put the 14 day cutoff.

Further, Arum is deceptive to the public – speaking only half-truths. He gives tons of detail on the trivialities, and you haven’t heard anything about contract specifics.


So, that is what I have been told. It sounds reasonable to me. Nobody is scared of anybody. It’s a hard line negotiation by two sides that hate each other and neither wants to budge. If Pac wants the fight, why not make a concession? If May wants the fight, why not negotiate harder?

My personal feeling? If Arum was not involved, things would go better. Everything that Arum does just feels slimy and shady. Arum knows that Haymon doesn't play the media game, and Bob sets up one-sided press conferences. And has been talking to the media for weeks.

Discuss. Don’t flame.

According to Greenburg, my source was 100% accurate.

One again, the information I had was on point.

[IMDAZED]

I heard something very, very similar but I'll leave it at that. Good stuff, Vito.