Official press announcement of super fight expected this coming week!Various news outlets are now reporting that pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao has agreed to face undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr on March 13. Both parties are content with their monetary compensation as well as the date of the fight. While the only matter left to officially decide upon is the venue itself, there's a better than average chance that the super fight will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas NV.
According to Ronnie Nathanielsz of Philboxing.com, Pacquiao and his advisor Michael Koncz met with his promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, early this morning at the New World hotel in Makati City. Supposedly Arum made Pacquiao an offer that he simply could not refuse. “I am very excited and it was a good meeting and Michael (Koncz) was very constructive in the meeting," Arum continued. "Manny was very alert and showed a tremendous knowledge of what he was doing and his problems of running for office and the March 13 date solves those to some extent.”
On Fightnews.com moments ago, Arum was quoted as saying at a press conference, "You guys can interpret that anyway you want. But you see a smile on my face so I’m not disappointed. Now my job is to go back to the United States, sit with Richard Schaefer (CEO of Golden Boy Promotions) and the Mayweather people… so that we can make an announcement in a short term.” When questioned during a newscast about facing Mayweather on March 13, Pacquiao replied, "He’s been trash talking too much and I want to put a stop to it. I don’t want kids who are watching us to emulate him." Those sound like some brash fighting words to this observer!
Based on what has been reported by Ben Thompson of Fighthype.com, boxing fans can expect Arum to make an official announcement this Tuesday which happens to be his 78th birthday. Doesn’t it feel so satisfying to know that two opposing teams, who are not known for being able to do business with one another, can come together in a professional manner to do what's right for the common good of our sport?
Boxingchronicles.com was particularly critical of Mayweather for requesting that Pacquiao openly challenge him to the fight. Everyone knows that it takes two to make a mega fight of this magnitude. Not since the late and great Diego “Chico” Corrales nine years ago has there been a worthy adversary, currently in his prime and universally recognized as the best in the world, capable of bringing out the best in the Grand Rapids, Michigan native.
When listening to the mainstream news, it becomes clear that the media and the fans that have openly criticized Money May [myself included], left him absolutely no choice but to take the fight with the pride of the Philippines. To a certain extent he had been vilified lately as a fighter who was cherry picking his opponents -- up until now. No other fight, for either contestant, would be acceptable at this time. Respect must be paid, both to Arum and Mayweather, for putting their differences aside in order to make this fight possible.
At the end of the day, we the fans are the ones who will emerge as the real winners from the pending materialization of this extravaganza. It must be the happy holiday cheer that is in the air. Should this fight be announced on Tuesday, as Arum has been hinting, consider such a landmark an early holiday gift to all of you.
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