Max Kellerman: Blame is on Manny as well if he doesn't insist on fighting Floyd

[crold1]

You don't doubt that based on what? When did they take place?

Based on the head of HBO Sports at the time on the record saying negotiations took place.

[IMDAZED]

Based on the head of HBO Sports at the time on the record saying negotiations took place.

Can you tell me what he was asked and what he said exactly? I think journalists should be mindful of these things. To say that Ross Greenburg said "serious negotiations" took place is beyond stretching. When asked if he spoke to TR/GBP about a fight, he said he spoke to one individual from each side. That was the extent of the "negotiation." Which BTW, occurred with neither party contacting the other. That may sound serious to you but that sounds like a joke to me. I find it curious that you say Mayweather wasn't serious about negotiations while in the same breath say the countdown clock was grandstanding nonsense. But that's neither here nor there. Please show me where Greenburg said serious negotiations (where no one spoke to anyone) took place.

[crold1]

Can you tell me what he was asked and what he said exactly? I think journalists should be mindful of these things. To say that Ross Greenburg said "serious negotiations" took place is beyond stretching. When asked if he spoke to TR/GBP about a fight, he said he spoke to one individual from each side. That was the extent of the "negotiation." Which BTW, occurred with neither party contacting the other. That may sound serious to you but that sounds like a joke to me. I find it curious that you say Mayweather wasn't serious about negotiations while in the same breath say the countdown clock was grandstanding nonsense. But that's neither here nor there. Please show me where Greenburg said serious negotiations (where no one spoke to anyone) took place.

He said, on the record in late July 2010, he'd been negotiating with a rep from both sides (assumed Haymon and Arum because it was) since May 2. I linked it earlier. Here it is again: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/box...ory?id=5412488 It is what it is. You don't buy it. I do. Negotiations through intermediaries happen all the time in all range of businesses. It's not that hard to believe.

[RubenSonny]

it will be interesting to see how floyd worms out of it if pac does want it yet again,will he use the ol peds smokescreen? Or maybe say 'he was lucky to get a decision against a guy i beat easily'-i expect a bit of both from the biggest ducker in the sport

stfu......

[thatnickuh]

Why would he lie about HBO's biggest PPV-star in order to keep his job?
That makes no sense at all.

If anything he would jeopardize his position if he in fact were lying.

It makes perfect sense. More than a few people believe that Greenburg was forced out at HBO partly because he couldn't make the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight. Is the incentive for him to make it look like he was negotiating to make the fight while his job was in jeopardy not obvious? I mean, why would team Mayweather lie about negotiations if they were in fact taking place? Have you asked yourself that?

[crold1]

It makes perfect sense. More than a few people believe that Greenburg was forced out at HBO partly because he couldn't make the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight. Is the incentive for him to make it look like he was negotiating to make the fight while his job was in jeopardy not obvious? I mean, why would team Mayweather lie about negotiations if they were in fact taking place? Have you asked yourself that?

Greenburg was forced out after a decade of diminishing returns in non-star outings and the loss of Pacquiao revenue after Mosley. Keep Pac-Mosley...he's probably still there. HBO makes a killing off the two fighting and doing a million buys apiece against everyone right now.

[Barry Halls]

I really don't doubt there were "serious" negotiations crold, but i also feel even at that point Bob Arum did his absolute best to not make this fight, just like he is currently.
Back then there's even less incentives to make this fight for Arum; he still had multiple very lucrative options for Manny Pacquiao.

Trying to strongarm Floyd, fully knowing how sensitive he is to such things, by using a countdown told me most of what i needed to know.

Overall, i would put the bulk of the blame on Pacquiaos side historically and currently. This doesn't free Floyd of any blame; i'm sure he deserves plenty.

[Barry Halls]

It makes perfect sense. More than a few people believe that Greenburg was forced out at HBO partly because he couldn't make the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight. Is the incentive for him to make it look like he was negotiating to make the fight while his job was in jeopardy not obvious? I mean, why would team Mayweather lie about negotiations if they were in fact taking place? Have you asked yourself that?

He wouldn't want to piss off the major star of his network if his job depended on said star.

Mayweather could lie about pretty much anything without taking a hit.
An Hbo exec? Not so much.

[crold1]

I really don't doubt there were "serious" negotiations crold, but i also feel even at that point Bob Arum did his absolute best to not make this fight, just like he is currently.
Back then there's even less incentives to make this fight for Arum; he still had multiple very lucrative options for Manny Pacquiao.

Trying to strongarm Floyd, fully knowing how sensitive he is to such things, by using a countdown told me most of what i needed to know.

Overall, i would put the bulk of the blame on Pacquiaos side historically and currently. This doesn't free Floyd of any blame; i'm sure he deserves plenty.

I agree with a lot of this. THE moment was March 2010. It was there. Floyd even whittled on the ****** 14-day window. Pac's team called off talks...and then said 'ok' later when it didn't count. Floyd took the next best Welter both times after.

At this point, it's on Manny to say enough. He hasn't yet. In 1991, Tyson told King "Make the fight" with Holy after King started hinting at not making it after Ruddock II. Manny need to be the one who takes the bull by the horns.

[thatnickuh]

This was in mid-2010. Pac hadn't left or even breathed of leaving for Showtime yet. Greenburg lying doesn't make sense in that context. he wouldn't want to piss off either cash cow.

That's exactly what he did, he pissed off Mayweather's camp to the point where they denied his claims and challenged him to take a lie-detector test. Plus he still lost his job. Why people automatically believe what he said when it flies in the face of common sense is beyond me. Mayweather told the world that he was taking another break from boxing in the ring after he fought Mosley. There was never any reason to think that his team where involved in serious negotiations at that time.