MANILA, Philippines - Time may be running out on Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao to make the fight happen on May 2.
Bob Arum suggested that the fight take place at a later date – May 30 to be exact or sometime in June.
The Top Rank chief thinks such a fight takes much more time to put up. The fighters may also need a longer time to prepare.
If he could have his way, Arum would push the date.
“I agree that June is the best time for it,” Arum told The STAR.
“But I’m not going to make an issue out of it and blow the fight,” added the legendary promoter.
Mayweather wants to fight on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas whether it’s against Pacquiao or someone else.
The date falls on the week of Mexico’s celebration of the “Battle of Puebla” of 1862 when the Mexican militia defeated the French forces.
Arum said the date best suits a fight featuring Mexicans.
If Mayweather said he would fight Pacquiao on May 2, Arum will not stand in the way.
But it has to be made as soon as possible because as each hour and each day passes everything tightens up.
“If you want to drag this out a little longer then move the fight to later in May – May 30 is a good date – or go in June,” Arum told ESPN.com.
“We agreed to go on May 2 because that is the date Mayweather is hung up on, but if we’re going to go on May 2 we need to get this done,” he added.
Mayweather and Pacquiao, boxing’s biggest rivals outside the ring, met in Miami last week, raising hopes that the fight is going to happen soon.
But the last couple of days suggest otherwise.
Mayweather and Pacquiao are thousands of mile apart, and there’s no clear indication that they’re in touch.
Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, said “It’s time to keep quiet.”
Negotiations are on, and it’s turning out to be a very tedious process.
There’s no need to lie when the Pacquiao camp said it has agreed to the terms of the fight. The ball is really in the hands of Mayweather.
“There are issues that should be solved in 10 minutes, but it’s a slow dance. We send one draft to their side and their lawyer sends back a draft with something else that’s an issue.
“And there doesn’t seem to be any urgency about it on their side. It’s terrible,” Arum told ESPN.com.