Floyd fight possible 'if the price is right'

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao, who said a few days ago he was thinking of retirement, said yesterday a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. might still happen.

“If the price is right,” said the 31-year-old multi-millionaire inside his 20th floor suite at the New World Hotel in Makati.

Pacquiao just came in after having lunch out with his wife Jinkee when he sat down with key members of Team Pacquiao, including his adviser, Wakee Salud.

The boxer then reacted to a recent story that came out of The STAR, where Salud said it would be quite impossible for Pacquiao to retire unless and until he fights Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The reigning pound-for-pound champion said he has no problem with that. But as of now, he considers himself “retired” as he gears up for his next big battle in the political ring.

“If the price is right,” repeated the boxing icon of a super-fight with Mayweather

“But I will focus first on the elections,” said Pacquiao, who is seeking a congressional seat in his home province of Saranggani in the May 10 national elections.

Someone told Pacquiao could earn as much as $50 million if he fights Mayweather.

“How much is $50 million? Two billion pesos?” the boxer asked as he munched on green mango.

Then he headed back to his room to rest before he proceeds to the Elorde Boxing Awards scheduled last night at Sofitel.

Pacquiao is fresh from his 12-round mismatch with Joshua Clottey in Dallas, and upon his return to Manila announced that he was thinking of retiring because that’s what his family wants.

But Salud said while Pacquiao has dominated the sport, winning 12 fights in a row and going unbeaten since 2005, it will be too hard for him to turn his back on the sport as long as Mayweather is around.

“Mayweather came out of retirement for only one reason: he wants to fight Manny Pacquiao. There’s no other reason. Mayweather knows he can make a lot of money facing Manny,” said the Cebuano matchmaker.

“As long as Mayweather is there, and they haven’t fought, it will be very tough for Manny to retire. The purse will be huge. How can he retire? And aside from the money, that Mayweather fight is the fight that the people will ask for. Manny is a boxer. He’s fighter. If he is called to a fight, he will fight Mayweather,” said Salud.

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said in a recent interview with 8countnews.com he believes his prized ward can go on fighting for the next three years.

“He loves the fight game, the way he trains, the way he works out, there’s three more years left in him,” said Roach, who said a while back he wants Pacquiao to retire once they’re done with Mayweather.

“I want him to beat Floyd, then he can retire and run for President if he wants to,” said Roach.

Mayweather, who still thinks he’s the best fighter in the world even if he had just come out of a retirement that almost lasted two years, will challenge WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley on May 1 in Las Vegas.

And if Mayweather wins, all roads will lead to a fight with Pacquiao, and it could happen in November.

“He wants a big fight against Mayweather if Mayweather beats Mosley, [so] he’s not going anywhere yet,” Roach was quoted as saying.

“I like to see Manny retire after Mayweather but even that won’t happen,” he added.

But for now, Pacquiao considers himself “retired.”