HOLLYWOOD – There’s only one fight to be made, and it’s the fight the whole world wants to see.
That’s Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. Nothing else.
More than 24 hours after turning Miguel Cotto’s face into a bloody Halloween mask, the 30-year-old Filipino megastar ruled out a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, and that leaves him with probably no other option but to face Mayweather next.
It’s the fight that people have started talking about way ahead of last Satuday’s Pacquio-Cotto blockbuster, and in the days, weeks or months to come, how to put up the fight that should break all existing records will remain the big question.
Meanwhile, in an interview with CNN late last night, Mayweather said he is ready to make the big money fight with Pacquiao, saying “if he wants to fight all he has to do is step up to the plate”. ( Related story on P18).
During last September’s press tour for Pacquiao and Cotto, the Filipino boxer, who just won an unprecedented seventh world crown in seven different weight divisions, said if he and Mayweather win their respective fights, which they both did, then it should be a go.
Pacquiao said if it happens, he could get around $25 in guaranteed purse. For the Cotto fight, he got $12 million, but may end up with close to $20 million once everything comes in. A fight with Mayweather will dwarf all his previous earnings for a single fight.
Mayweather beat Marquez last September, and Pacquiao stopped Cotto late in the 12th and final round the other night in Las Vegas. If this fight happens, these two pound-for-pound champions can fill any arena even if the fight is held in Antarctica.
“If it’s Marquez, no one’s gonna come to watch the fight,” said Pacquiao in the middle of a five-hour trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. He and his entourage of more than 50 people were back in the City of Angels past midnight of Sunday.
Pacquiao did not elaborate on the possibility of making the fight against Mayweather, but in last Saturday’s post-fight press conference said it should be all up to his promoter, Bob Arum, and those representing the flamboyant American, whoever they are.
Up to now, many believe that a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight won’t happpen because of one huge problem, and that’s how they would split the purse. Mayweather wants the bigger share, and Pacquiao wants nothing less either.
Arum said not even a 50-50 split would be fair for Pacquiao, regarded as the greatest boxer in the planet today, and one that can generate all the attention whoever he faces, wherever the fight is held.
Or Mayweather, the only undefeated superstar in boxing today, can dodge the fight by asking for the moon, and face lesser opponents, make millions just the same and preserve his clean slate.
“I think he doesn’t want to fight me,” said Pacquiao.
But in boxing, money talks. And in the end, everybody will listen.
“There’s so much money on the table they should be able to figure things out,” said the great trainer, and boxing analyst Emmanuel Steward after Pacquiao’s sensational and historic win over Cotto.
“This is what the public wants to happen,” he added.
The Pacquiao-Cotto 12-rounder should exceed the one million pay-per-view buys of the Mayweather-Marquez. And if Pacquiao vs Mayweather becomes a reality, then the giant cable network can look at something that could break the all-time record of 2.5 buys for the Mayweather vs Dela Hoya.
The New York Times has started drumming up a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown, and even suggested that the fight be held at the New Yankee Stadium as early as May.
But it may not be a good date because Pacquiao is running for elections on the same month back home. One more thing, Arum said Pacquiao may never get to fight in New York because of tax matters.
The Times’ Greg Bishop talked to Ross Greenburg and quoted the president of HBO Sports as saying, “I get chills just thinking about it. The reality is there’s only one fight to be made. We’ve waited a long time to get one of this magnitude.”
Top Rank’s matchmaker, Bruce Trampler, said, “No matter who Manny fights right now, he’s going to draw a big crowd. That’s the difference between these guys. Floyd needs a Manny. He needs a De La Hoya, a Hatton. And that’s no disrespect to Floyd. But one guy is an attraction and the other is a good draw.”