The boxing world has long wanted to see a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. and now they just might get it, as Pacquiao has reportedly agreed on terms for the fight, which could be held on the schedule on May 2, but there are still obstacles, including Mayweather also agreeing to the terms of the fight before a deal is completed.
According to ESPN.com, Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti said that Pacquiao has agreed to the terms of the fight for May 2, but that so far there has been no confirmation from the Mayweather camp. Boxing fans and the top people in the sport have been clamoring for a fight between these two for years and the event -if it's ever held-is expected to break all pay per view and cable viewing records for boxing matches.
ESPN.com reports that Top Rank chairman Bob Arum has been working out the details of the fight and he has been talking with president and CEO of CBS Leslie Moonves about the deal, as CBS also has Showtime. Mayweather and Pacquiao have been dancing around each other for years and after some disputes between the two years ago when another fight was nearly set, it looks like they finally will get into the ring together.
Sources involved in the talks said that no deal is finalized yet and that Pacquiao has agreed to take 40 percent. That number would allow Mayweather to collect 60 percent of the revenue for the boxers and this could be the biggest fight in the sports history and cold beat the battle between Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya. The fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao would be from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and right now the May 2 date is not finalized, but if the fight happens it likely will be on that date.
Top Rank originally wanted another date for the fight, according to ESPN.com, but the group relented because that was what Mayweather wanted. The fight is still not finalized and there has not been an agreement on the Mayweather side yet, but Pacquiao's camp says that everything that was stipulated by the other side was agreed to. Last time around blood testing became an issue between the two fighters, but this time the report says that Pacquiao's group has agreed to the terms about gloves as well as drug testing.
Pacquiao comes in at 57-5-2 with 38 Kos in his career, while Mayweather is 47-0 with 26 Kos and he is two years older than Pacquiao and is turning 38, while Manny is 36 years old. The two sides almost ended up in a fight back in 2009 and that was the closest the fight came to happening until now.
"I think that Manny agreed to USADA testing shows you his eagerness to make this fight," Moretti said according to ESPN.com.