MANILA, Philippines - A trilogy between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather is reportedly in the planning stage with the first chapter in May next year even as the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter is headed for a showdown with Mexican warrior Antonio Margarito at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Nov. 13.
A source said Pacquiao knows about the plan and it’s likely Mayweather will agree to terms because their much-anticipated duel is expected to be the biggest pay-per-view seller in boxing history.
The 2007 fight between Mayweather and Oscar de la Hoya brought in a record 2.4 million pay-per-view buys. Mayweather’s bout against Juan Manuel Marquez drew 1.4 million last year and his win over Sugar Shane Mosley hit 1 million last May. Twice, Pacquiao enjoyed over a million pay-per-view buys – against De la Hoya in 2008 and Miguel Cotto last year, both registering 1.25 million. His last engagement against Joshua Clottey pulled in 700,000.
The expectation is a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight will register at least three million buys.
“It’s the fight everyone wants to see,” said Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach in a recent STAR interview. “When I was in Ukraine to work (Vyacheslav) Senchenko’s corner for a fight, all the reporters wanted to know was when Manny would fight Mayweather. When I go to restaurants, people of all ethnic origins come up to me and ask the same thing – can you make Manny versus Mayweather happen? And I reply the same way, I’m trying, I’m trying.”
Roach said he’s sure that sooner or later, Mayweather will sign to fight Pacquiao because no other opponent can give him the kind of money that the Filipino can.
“I really think Mayweather is afraid to lose and that’s why he’s been avoiding Manny,” said Roach, referring to two blown opportunities for the fighters to meet when Mayweather backed out. “Mayweather likes to compare himself with guys like Sugar Ray Robinson and in his own little mind, he thinks he’s the greatest. His biggest argument for being the best is nobody’s ever beaten him. If he loses, Mayweather no longer has a case for being the greatest.”
But with Mayweather’s money and legal problems mounting, Roach said inevitably, he’ll come around to stake his unblemished record against Pacquiao.
“He’s on a downhill spiral and the way I see it, he has to fight Manny,” said Roach. “When they finally do, I think it’ll be the toughest fight in Manny’s career. Mayweather will pose the biggest challenge for Manny. He’s a good counter-puncher like (Juan Manuel) Marquez. If you just walk into his offense, Mayweather will eat you up. Manny has to be very scientific to beat him. Mayweather’s not a volume puncher. He averages about 15 punches a round compared to Manny’s 80 but still manages to win. In the end, Manny will beat him, no matter how good Mayweather is.”
Roach said a third fight against Marquez to complete a trilogy is something he’d like for Pacquiao. Their first two bouts were close and could’ve gone either way. In their first meeting in 2004, they battled to a split draw although Pacquiao would’ve won by a split decision if only judge Burt Clements didn’t make a mistake in scoring the opening round 10-7 when it should’ve been 10-6 because Marquez was floored thrice. In their second meeting four years later, Pacquiao won by a split decision.
“Before (Joshua) Clottey came into the picture, they offered the fight to Marquez at a weight limit of 147 pounds and he refused,” said Roach. “Personally, I’d like to shut him up once and for all because he’s been crying about getting a raw deal in their two fights. If you ask me, I’d like Manny to fight Marquez and he’ll knock him out for sure.”
But the match that fans want to see is Pacquiao versus Mayweather and a source said it could happen in May next year if Pretty Boy isn’t in jail. And if the outcome is close as expected, it will lead to a second chapter and a third for a trilogy that could set unprecedented pay-per-view sales.
Pacquiao, however, must be reminded that before conjuring visions of a trilogy with Mayweather, there’s a clear and present danger to overcome – Margarito.