Roach okays random tests on both camps

Freddie Roach doesn’t mind putting his fighter under random drug testing as long as the other camp goes through exactly the same procedure.

The three-time Trainer of the Year yesterday reacted to calls made by the camp of Floyd Mayweather Jr. to have Manny Pacquiao, the hottest fighter out there, to random tests in the weeks leading to their March 13 encounter.

Mayweather’s father, Floyd Sr., has raised concerns that the Filipino pound-for-pound champion, whose amazing run of victories as he moved up in weight has baffled his critics, is into some sort of performance-enhancing drugs.

Roach told The STAR that Pacquiao is a clean fighter, if not the cleanest.

“Yeah, we’ll do it but they have to do it as well. Manny fights clean. If they’ll do it, then we’ll do it,” said Roach as he expressed his willingness to have Pacquiao go through the random tests.

“I don’t have any problem with that. But no blood tests close to the fight. They can take urine tests,” said Roach, adding that it’s how they do it in the Olympics.

The Mayweather people said they want tests like the way it’s being done in the Olympics.

“I had a girlfriend who was in the Olympics in triple jump and that’s how it’s done. They get urine tests. They can come to her in the middle of the night and take urine tests but not blood tests,” Roach added.

He was asked where the heat is coming from and said it all started when Floyd Jr. started raising the issue.

“I don’t know. Maybe they’re just looking for an excuse,” said Roach.

Source: Philstar.com

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Mayweather Boast He Will Easily Beat Pacquiao

Floyd Mayweather Jr says he will beat Manny Pacquiao "easily" and will walk away from the biggest pay-per-view event in the history of boxing with up to $75m (£45m).

Only obduracy of the most perverse kind can scupper a mega-showdown between the new WBO welterweight champion and Mayweather some time in 2010, almost certainly in Las Vegas. But Mayweather dismissed the little Filipino's brutal stoppage of the formidable Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in the 12th round at the MGM Grand on Saturday night as one-dimensional, even though it has been universally hailed as one of the finest ring performances in many years.

"Can Manny Pacquiao beat me?" he asked a Sky reporter afterwards. "Absolutely not. Easy work, easy fight. I don't see no versatility in Manny Pacquiao. I see just a fighter, you know, a good puncher, but just one dimension. I'm not saying Cotto wasn't a good fight. But he's been in a lot of wars. I haven't took no punishment. There's nothing cool about taking punishment."

Mayweather cast doubt on Pacquiao's willingness to fight him, a radical take on an event even boxing's most gnarled rivals would do well to sabotage. "If Pacquiao wanted it, he could get it. Come on man, I don't have to say I want to fight Pacquiao. Floyd Mayweather is the face of boxing. All roads lead to Floyd Mayweather."

Pacquiao, nonetheless, has remained silent on the subject since ripping the WBO welterweight title away from Cotto, his seventh belt at different weights – to Mayweather's five.

Whatever the opening rhetoric, Mayweather will not jeopardise a fight he knows could earn him, as he says, "$50m, $60m, $75m. Come on man, I'm not losing. I deserve a bigger piece of the pie. I've done more. I've been around the sport longer and I've been dominating longer – and nobody has beaten me yet. There's no fighter that can beat me. The world's going to go 'wow' if Floyd Mayweather gets beat. That's what everyone's looking to see. What's going on right now in the sport of boxing, they're trying to build a fighter, make a fighter that can beat me. I don't get no respect in the sport of boxing."

He poured cold water on the perception that Pacquiao deserves respect for coming up through the weights as a skinny teenager on the streets of General Santos City to beat boxing's best at so many weights, including Oscar De La Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera and Ricky Hatton.

"Manny Pacquiao weighed 106lb when he was 16, just like Floyd Mayweather weighed 106 when he was 16. My career is fine. What's so cool, I take no punishment, no bumps, no bruises and, when my career is over, I have a job as a commentator. And I'll be a great promoter."

Mayweather has figured in some of the biggest pay-per-view fights in history. He and De La Hoya generated the biggest pile of all, $120m, in 2007. That eclipsed the $106.9m revenue from the Mike Tyson-Lennox Lewis fight in 2002. De La Hoya and Félix Trinidad raised $71.4m in 1999.

In pay-per-view numbers, De La Hoya-Mayweather tops the list with 2.15m hits, followed by the Tyson-Evander Holyfield "ear fight" in 1997, with 1.99m purchases, and De La Hoya-Trinidad's 1999 bout, with 1.4m. There are some estimates that put Mayweather-Hatton in 2008 at 1.5m, although the announced figure was 1.2m – a fact not lost on Mayweather.

After he takes care of Pacquiao, Mayweather said, he wants to fight in the UK – although he named no opponent, pointing out only that he'd heard "Ricky Hatton wants to play chess with me again".

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Pacquiao vs Mayweather Fight Already Made

Just minutes after Manny Pacquiao had violently turned Miguel Cotto’s face into raw hamburger, the chant rose up from the stands of the MGM Grand Garden Arena:

“We want Floyd.”

Pacquiao had delivered a systematic demolition job of Cotto, winning the World Boxing Organization welterweight title via 12th round TKO with round after round of devastating shots against a bigger, stronger man.

It was the second electrifying boxing performance of the fall. The first was Floyd Mayweather Jr’s 12-round decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in September. That fight broke the rare 1 million pay-per-view bar, a number that will likely be exceeded by this fight too.

So now the stage is set for a super fight that could set box office records – Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. It’s the dream bout between the two best pound-for-pound champions in the sport, hopefully sometime in 2010.

“If Floyd Mayweather wants to fight Manny Pacquiao he knows who to call,” said Bob Arum, the CEO of Top Rank Boxing, the promotion which handles Pacquiao.

Within minutes, Ross Greenberg, the head of HBO Sports said he had spoken to Richard Shaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, which represents Mayweather.

“Richard told me point blank, Bob Arum will be getting that call Monday,” Greenberg said. “He plans on meeting next week with Bob to make the Mayweather fight.”

There will, no doubt, be posturing and preening and negotiating over the split. There are no small egos in this battle; no small checks, either.

“Benjamin Franklin is the most important personality [in the negotiation],” said Greenberg, whose company would handle the pay-per-view. “His face, multiplied by 15 million brings people to the table. Each guy needs to look at the big picture and the big picture is a boat load of cash and a fight too important for the sport.”

Greenberg said the 2007 fight between Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya resulted in an $80 million purse.

“Is this one smaller?” Greenberg said, shaking his head. “Bigger.”

For boxing fans who care little about who gets more of the final millions and just want to see two legendary fighters in the prime of their careers, this will be a tantalizing wait.

“I think that is the fight the world wants to see,” Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said.

Pacquiao’s performance here was a thing of beauty, the continuation of a run of brilliance. He chopped a big, powerful opponent down with a combination of speed, smarts and toughness to take shots of his own.

He didn’t shy away from leaning on the ropes and mixing it up with Cotto because he said he wanted to prove he can fight a physical fight and was tired of hearing about Cotto’s supposed strength.

“I yelled at him every time, why are you fighting his fight?” Roach said. “Manny says, ‘I can handle it.’ I said, ‘Well, prove it.’ And he did.”

Post-fight, Cotto was sent to a local trauma unit. Pacquiao performed an eight-song set with his band at an outdoor concert at Mandalay Bay.

The night left little doubt about his genius.

Pacquiao, 30, who has won titles in a record six or seven weight classes (depending on which version of history you believe), said his 5-foot-6 frame can’t handle a weight higher than 145, so he’s running out of challengers.

The only real one left is Mayweather, 32, the 5-foot-7 welterweight who presents his own combination of historic quickness, boxing smarts and defensive skills.

Likewise, Pac-man is about the only real threat to Mayweather, who has dominated boxing in putting together a 40-0 record. Nearly two years ago, Mayweather was so bored from the lack of challengers, he retired for a stretch.

In his absence, Pacquiao rose, defeating both De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton in a much more brutal manner than Mayweather did. Now it’s Pac-man (50-3-2) who many call the pound-for-pound king, a fictional title that Mayweather insists is still his.

Now they can prove it.

Both are known for their ability to throw and land punches from unusual angles, from avoiding contact and for making each punch count. It would be speed against speed, true boxer against true boxer, two all-time greats, lined up and ready.

Each fighter’s colorful entourage had already started the debates and trash talk.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. launched into a circular rant that essentially accused Pacquiao of being on HGH. “I’ve been in boxing since I was 15 years old, I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said of Pacquiao’s new-found size and chin. Not that Senior said it would matter if Manny fought his son.

“When it’s time for us to fight, I’m going to show you all who the master is,” Mayweather Sr. said.

For good measure Mayweather Sr. claimed Roach was only a great trainer because he has a great fighter.

“Tell him to go [expletive] himself,” Roach said.

Roach said the game plan against Mayweather is obvious, catch him if you can.

“Mayweather is a very defensive fighter,” Roach said. “He doesn’t like to engage much. You have to pressure him. I think we have the hand speed to do that. We’d have to set traps for him and fight every minute of every round. I hear he [trains like] a machine too. I’d like to see who lasts longer.”

Roach also feels that with the chin Pacquiao showed against Cotto, that forcing the action against the softer hitting Mayweather won’t present a risk.

“Floyd can’t break a nail, he hurts his hands all the time,” Roach said. “He can’t knock Manny Pacquiao out.”

Pacquiao said he was taking a vacation and would fight whoever Arum set up for him. Mayweather Jr. did not attend the fight even though he lives in Las Vegas. His father said he did watch at home though and the loquacious boxer would have plenty to say in the future.

No one doubts that one.

And for once, it seems that boxing’s suicidal politics and factions won’t stand in the way of the fight everyone wants to see.

Pacquiao vs. Mayweather. See you in 2010.


Source: yahoo sports

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Pacquiao vs Mayweather Scheduled Fight Info.

Manny Pacquiao is scheduled to box Floyd Mayweather Jr (40-0-0, 25 KOs) on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight is being promoted by Bob Arum of Top Rank and Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions and will be televised live on HBO PPV.


Pacquiao made history winning a seventh world title in a seventh weight class beating former WBO Welterweight Champion Miguel Angel Cotto (34-2-0, 27 KOs) by 12th round TKO on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight at 0:55 of round twelve with Cotto no longer in the fight and just trying to survive after being downed in rounds three and four and his face a bloody mess. In addition to his victory Pacquiao won the WBO welterweight title and the WBC Diamond belt. Stay tuned for more updates of Pacquiao vs Mayweather.

Source: Ringside.com

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LA out, Dallas still in race for Pacquiao-Mayweather says Arum

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif.(AP)—Promoter Bob Arum expects to settle on a site for Manny Pacquiao’s fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. by next week.

While Las Vegas is the front-runner, Arum claims it still might be Dallas - and it definitely won’t be Los Angeles.

The Top Rank boss spoke glowingly of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his willingness to outbid Vegas for what might be the richest fight in boxing history. Arum also expressed frustration Saturday night with Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer, who assists Mayweather Promotions, for canceling a trip to Dallas because he doesn’t want the fight in Jones’ opulent stadium.


“I know Texas people, and I know that a first proposal doesn’t mean it’s the final proposal,” said Arum, who promotes Pacquiao. “I’m saying that Dallas is a real live possibility, and I have a fiduciary responsibility to Manny Pacquiao to get him the most money.”

The Dallas bid was thought to be nearly dead after Schaefer skipped the trip on Wednesday to scout for Mayweather. But Arum, speaking after Top Rank fighter Lamont Peterson lost his 140-pound title shot against Timothy Bradley, insists Schaefer must consider Jones’ offer - a guarantee of $25 million, according to the Los Angeles Times, which might go even higher.

“I think everybody involved has an obligation to see,” said Arum, who has turned over the nuts-and-bolts negotiations to Top Rank president Todd duBoef because Arum gets too emotional.

“I know we can get the greatest offer in history from the Texas stadium,” Arum said. “My position is whoever has the best deal for those two fighters, that’s where I want the deal.”

Arum might want this historic fight to happen in decidedly unhistoric Cowboys Stadium, or he might simply be attempting to leverage Jones’ bid against the MGM Grand to get a better offer from the best fight site in boxing’s capital city.

The MGM Grand likely could craft a bigger offer than $25 million based on closed-circuit tickets and the ancillary benefits of being in the gambling mecca, but the casino likely can’t match the possible Dallas gate - and Arum wants a guarantee.

“I’m guaranteeing my fighter $25 million,” Arum said. “I ain’t going for pie in the sky on this.”

Arum also says the fight will only be held in a state with generous tax laws, ruling out Los Angeles and apparently New Orleans, which expressed interest in putting the fight in the Superdome. Staples Center made a $20 million bid for the bout, but Arum scoffed at it.

“Staples is not a factor at all,” Arum said. “There is no possibility at all of Staples because of California’s tax situation.”

Source: Yahoo Sports

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Pacquiao Mayweather Fight of a Decade

Mayweather's public persona ("Money Mayweather") is a self-creation. Give him credit for good marketing on that. And he has the respect of his peers. Zab Judah once remarked, "Floyd comes into every fight physically and mentally at 100 percent."

Some observers of the boxing scene complain that Floyd runs more than he fights. But Bernard Hopkins rebuts that notion, saying, "Floyd don't run from nobody. I've seen Floyd counterpunch; I've seen Floyd move; I've seen Floyd use his speed, use his quickness. But I've never seen Floyd run."


And Mayweather himself notes, "Boxing is a beautiful sport. Boxing is art. The last time I looked, the sport was called 'boxing,' not '"toe-to-toe.'"

Still, there's a chink in Floyd's armor. There's a school of thought that, for much of the decade, he ducked the tough fights, managing to avoid Shane Mosley, Paul Williams, Antonio Margarito, and Miguel Cotto.

That brings us to Manny Pacquiao.

On January 1, 2000, Manny Pacquiao was 21 years old and virtually unknown outside of his native Philippines. During the course of the past decade, he has fought 26 times and become the most famous fighter in the world. His opponents in that 10-year span included Erik Morales (three times), Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Juan Manuel Marquez (twice), Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. In 10 fights against these six Hall-of-Fame-caliber opponents, Pacquiao amassed 8 wins against 1 loss and a draw.

Moreover, unlike Hopkins and Mayweather (both of whom fought many of their biggest fights against smaller men), Pacquiao has consistently challenged naturally bigger fighters. He has hurdled every major obstacle in his weight class and then some.

Unlike Mayweather and Calzaghe, Pacquiao has a less-than-perfect record for the decade. But when a fighter fights the best again and again, sometimes he loses. When Sugar Ray Robinson was young and great, he lost to Jake LaMotta. Muhammad Ali lost to Joe Frazier and Ken Norton before he got old.

History judges elite fighters in large measure by their record against other elite fighters and how they perform in their most difficult challenges.

Mayweather has talked the talk. Pacquiao has walked the walk. And Manny has out-of-the-ring intangibles as well. In that regard, he's similar to Muhammad Ali: a great fighter, a good person and an important symbol for his people.

"I'm just doing my job to be a good fighter," Pacquiao said after beating Miguel Cotto earlier this year.

He's doing more than that. Manny Pacquiao deserves recognition as "Fighter of the Decade."

Source: HBO.com

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Pacquiao vs Mayweather in Dallas?

Here is some great news for boxing fans and especially Dallas, TX boxing fans. It appears that Manny Pacquiao will indeed fight Floyd "big mouth" Mayweather and it could happen in Dallas, TX at the Cowboy stadium which holds 105,000 people. Now at an average of $100 to$200 a seat,that could bring in a gate of $10 to$20 Million dollars. Wow both fighters will gain a lot from this bout!

Pacquiao to fight Mayweather in Dallas, it could happen

Bob Arum and spoken with Mayweather and he has said he has agreed to the fight,and he is going to the Philippines to talk to Pacquiao. Keep your fingers crossed that the fight does happen and happen in Dallas. I will be there with first hand reports. So you won't want to miss that.

The date seems to be open for March 13, after Roy Jones Jr.got knocked out by Green, he gave up that date on HBO and thus Pacquiao and Mayweather could get it. It will be the best fight in 5 years and will definitely give Pacquiao the chance to prove he is one of the best ever and shut Mayweathers mouth for good. Catch for more updates of Pacquiao vs Mayweather.

Source: Examiner.com

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Pacquiao Vs. Mayweather: Both Agree With The Terms!

ESPN is reporting that the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight is almost finalized. This comes just days after Floyd Mayweather agreed to the terms that promoters Bob Arum of Top Rank and Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy had agreed upon.

Following that breakthrough, Arum flew straight to the Philippines so he could meet with his star fighter, currently the number 1 pound for pound boxer in the world. Over a breakfast meeting, Pacquiao apparently was satisfied with the terms of the fight.


Could it be, a mega-fight in boxing that both stars have made extremely easy to navigate and negotiate? Anything can happen, and until the names are signed on those contracts, nothing is official. Still, this is extremely great news for boxing fans, considering the magnitude of the potential Floyd Mayweather vs.Manny Pacquiao bout.

If Pacquiao vs. Mayweather is to be finalized, it seems that a few more details have been worked out since the last news from earlier in the week. It now seems that March 13 is a near lock to be the date of the event.

Another issue that could have been a potential snag in negotiations seems cleared up as well. Apparently Pacquiao and his team are fine at fighting at the full welterweight limit of 147 lbs. This is a change in stance from Pacquiao's recent bout with Miguel Cotto.

The change in opinion could either be due to 1) the increased importance of this bout, 2) Mayweather's superior bargaining position as opposed to Cotto or 3) the fact that Mayweather is not a large welterweight, and so any weight or strength advantage would not truly be present in the bout.

One thing that remains unclear as to this point is where the fight will be held. As previously reported, Dallas, New Orleans and Las Vegas are all still in the running. If the fight lands in Vegas, a 30,000 outdoor stadium will likely be constructed to accommodate the masses.

Source: Associated Content.com

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Manny Pacquiao Sign A deal to fight Mayweather

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao has officially signed on to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in what could be the biggest and richest fight in boxing history, the Filipino ring icon’s trainer said today.

Speaking to 8CountNews, Freddie Roach confirmed that his ward has indeed placed his signature on the fight contract, adding that the bout will be held on March 13.

“March 13th is the date, that's not going to change,” he told 8CountNews.

The multi-awarded trainer said that with Pacquiao inking the deal, it is now up to Mayweather to complete his end the deal.

“Well anything is possible with Floyd Mayweather involved, but we signed our contract and that's all I care about. There is nothing that I can do about the other guy. I don't know if they officially signed, but we have,” Roach said.

The bespectacled trainer added that among the things that the Pacquiao camp has agreed on were the glove size to be used and the weight class on which the fight would be held. He, however, did not provide further details.

“Everything looks good. We have agreed on the glove size, and the weight. I talked to (Pacquiao’s promoter Bob) Arum, Dallas wants the fight, MGM wants the fight, Yankee Stadium wants the fight, so it's just trying to find out where the venue is. The fight looks good,” Roach said.

And with the fight now closer to being finalized, how does Roach see Pacquiao matching up against Mayweather?

“It's a difficult fight, it's the most difficult style for us to go against because he (Mayweather) is a runner and a counter-puncher. We will go to camp and we will make some changes, we will set traps for this guy. This is completely opposite of the (Miguel) Cotto fight, opposite of the (Ricky) Hatton fight, and opposite from the (Oscar) De La Hoya fight. We will come up with a new game plan, a 10-week camp, and some changes. We will work on setting traps and taking Floyd's speed away from him,” he explained.

A Pacquiao-Mayweather bout would pit two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in their primes. It is expected to shatter existing pay-per-view records, with both fighters having proven themselves to be mammoth box-office draws. - By Dino Maragay (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

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Mayweather will Defeat Pacquiao

(CNN) -- Unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather Jr claims he will knock out WBO welterweight world champion Manny Pacquiao when the two boxing giants lock horns next year.

Speaking on HBO TV's Joe Buck chat show, the 32-year-old Mayweather -- who has an unblemished record from 40 fights -- said: "Pacquiao's a good fighter but I've been around the sport a long time and I've dominated boxing for around 15 years now.

"Nobody has defeated me yet so we'll have to see. The thing is, I don't want the fans to be really shocked by what will happen when we do happen to meet up -- because it's not going to be anything new for them."

"The things is, Manny has been knocked out before and he's taken losses. I'll be victorious."

Filipino Pacquiao will come into the fight following a remarkable 12 months which has seen him defeat de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.

Meanwhile, Mayweather has fought only once in two years, a unanimous points victory over Juan Manuel Marquez in las Vegas.

Although definitive plans for the mega-money contest are yet to be confirmed, a date of March 13 is widely rumored to be agreed, with three possible venues in the running to stage the contest.

The two fighters are regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world right now and the fight is expected to generate record levels of interest, easily surpassing the previous record of $18.4m for gate receipts, which was generated for Mayweather's bout with Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.

Two NFL stadiums are reported to be bidding to host the fight. Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys, is competing with the Superdome in New Orleans, as well as the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The two stadiums could accommodate up to 100,000 spectators, while the MGM Grand seats about 16,000.
Source: edition.cnn.com

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Pacquiao vs Mayweather Fight Host in LA

Staples Center has made a guaranteed $20-million offer to host the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. mega-fight that has been verbally agreed to be fought March 13.

"This is the biggest boxing event ever, and we're prepared to step up in a big way," said Dan Beckerman, AEG's chief financial officer. Beckerman said his pitch to Mayweather promoter Richard Schaefer and Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum is to "activate the entire L.A. Live campus" on fight week.

New J.W. Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels would serve as media headquarters, a fan-fest would be staged at Nokia Plaza, a large closed-circuit audience could watch the bout at Nokia Theatre and 20,000 would fill Staples Center, Beckerman said.

"We know there's interest in this fight across the world, but we're very interested and honored to make the most impressive offer possible," Beckerman said. "It's our biggest guarantee ever, and we hope it wins the day. We wanted to push as far and as hard as we could."

Schaefer, chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions, which counts AEG as a partner, declined to immediately comment on any site deals. He canceled a planned trip to tour Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Wednesday, but declined to explain why, other than repeating he was busy working to finalize the fight deal.

One of the barriers to staging the bout in California, promoters say, are the state taxes required from the boxers -- payments not required in Nevada and Texas.

"That's certainly a factor in the overall economics, and one thing we'd have to overcome," Beckerman said.

Staples has at least won the right to stage another fight of interest, the fourth chapter between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez, on May 22, Beckerman said.

The classic trilogy had two fights at AEG's Home Depot Center, with both bouts won by Huntington Park's Vazquez.

"That's a great L.A. fight and the fourth installment appropriately needs to step up to the bigger venue," Beckerman said.

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Pacquiao say March 13 fight is not too early

Watch Pacquiao vs Mayweather on March 13.

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Despite his gruelling fight against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto last month, Manny Pacquiao guaranteed his readiness to face undefeated Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

“I feel okay, at ready to fight sa March 13. I have time to rest and I can assure that I’ll be fine,” the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion told ABS-CBN News Correspondent Dyan Castillejo during the opening of his memoribilia shop in Manila Tuesday.



Pacquiao beat Cotto by technical knockout in the 12th round on November 14 in Las Vegas. He suffered a right ear injury due to Cotto's punches. Mayweather, on the other hand, scored an "easy" victory over Juan Manuel Marquez last September 19.

The pound-for-pound king also said he has already watched Mayweather’s tapes several times. “Marami na. Siguro hindi lang tatlong beses. Basta marami na,” he stated.

As for where he will hold his training camp, Pacquiao said he has yet to talk to his coach, Freddie Roach, on the matter.

Roach earlier revealed that he wants World Boxing Association (WBA) light welterweight champion Amir Khan to be Pacquiao’s sparring mate again. Khan sparred with Pacquiao before the Filipino boxing sensation fought Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton.

Other details of the blockbuster bout between Pacquiao and Mayweather have yet to be ironed out such as the venue of the fight.

But he assured that the mega fight will be a spectacle: “Of course both of us kailangang i-prove kung sino ang magaling at matibay at sinisikap naming makapagbigay ng magandang show at magandang laban sa mga tao.”

The Pacquiao-Mayweather clash will be officially announced on January 11. Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) will put his WBO title on the line while Mayweather’s undefeated record (40-0, 25 KOs) will be at stake.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao shot down reports saying that Roach opposed the March 13 bout against Mayweather.

“Si Freddie nga ang unang naghamon kay Floyd Mayweather at gusto niya ‘yon. Sana ipakita niyo kung may video ba si Freddie Roach na ayaw niya muna akong lumaban kay Floyd Mayweather at ‘yon maniniwala ako,” he said. – With a report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News

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Pacquiao and Mayweather: Floyd Mayweather Jr. Biography

Floyd Mayweather is back. Perhaps the best boxer of this era and without question the most talented, Floyd "Money" Mayweather shows an unprecedented mix of speed, power and natural instincts every time he steps into the ring—a combination that has already translated to 39 wins without a loss, 25 knockouts, and world championships in five weight classes.


Following his historic victory over "The Golden Boy" Oscar De La Hoya, and his dramatic 10th round knock-out domination of Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton, Mayweather stunned the entire sports world in June of 2008 when he announced that he was retiring from boxing after competing in the sport for nearly 20 years. Now the former number one pound-for-pound champion is set to return to the sport he loves after 16 months, making his return to the ring for the first time since December 2007.


"My goal has always been to be one of the best fighters who ever lived," Mayweather said. "My career and legacy are very important to me. I feel that I am already ranked amongst the greatest and I am back to prove that I belong at the top by fighting and defeating Juan Manuel Marquez."

Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mayweather was born into a boxing family. His father, Floyd Sr. was a former welterweight contender who fought Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard, and his uncles, Roger and Jeff, were also pro fighters, with Roger—Floyd's current trainer—winning two world championships in his prime.

Fitted with boxing gloves while he was still a toddler, Floyd started boxing at the age of seven, and his acumen for the hardest game was obvious from the start. He would go on to compile an 84-6 amateur record while earning three Michigan Golden Gloves titles, three National Golden Gloves titles, PAL and National Championships, and an Olympic Bronze medal in the 1996 Games.

He has not lost since.

Turning pro in the super featherweight division on October 11, 1996, Mayweather blitzed Roberto Apodaca in just two rounds, and his journey to greatness was underway. After one more win in 1996, Mayweather went 10-0 with 9 knockouts in 1997, and added five more wins to his ledger in the first half of 1998. Fight fans were chomping at the bit to see the ultra-talented Mayweather in with the elite at 130 pounds, and on October 3, 1998, they got their chance when the 21-year old faced off against Genaro Hernandez for "Chicanito's" WBC world championship.

It was no contest as Mayweather battered the veteran with blinding combinations, pitching a near shutout before the fight was stopped after the eighth round. Floyd Mayweather was a world champion.

But any great champion will tell you that winning a title is one thing—defending it is another, and Mayweather, despite his physical gifts, showed his desire for greatness by outworking his opponents in the gym and gaining a reputation as one of the hardest workers in the sport.

This work paid off as Mayweather defended his super featherweight title eight times from 1998 to 2001, defeating Angel Manfredy (TKO2), Carlos Rios (W12), Justin Juuko (KO9), Carlos Gerena (TKO7), Gregorio Vargas (W12), Diego Corrales (TKO10), Carlos Hernandez (W12), and Jesus Chavez (TKO9). Corrales, Hernandez, and Chavez would all go on to win world titles after their one-sided losses to Mayweather.

With 130 pounds cleaned out, Mayweather sought new challenges at 135 pounds, and he got it in his WBC lightweight championship match against Mexico's tough Jose Luis Castillo on April 20, 2002. But after 12 hard-fought rounds, Mayweather had won his second world crown.

Fight fans clamored for a rematch though, and "Pretty Boy" Floyd answered their call in his very next fight less than eight months later, repeated his 12 round decision win over Castillo. He went on to defend the lightweight title twice more, over Victoriano Sosa (W12) and Phillip N'dou (TKO7), before testing the waters at 140 pounds.

In the junior welterweight division, Mayweather immediately made his presence known with a dominating 12 round decision win over former world champion DeMarcus Corley on May 22, 2004, and after an eighth round stoppage of Henry Bruseles to kick off 2005, Mayweather made his debut as a pay-per-view headliner on June 25, 2005, and he walked through rugged Arturo Gatti in just six rounds to win the WBC 140-pound championship.

Mayweather didn’'t spend much time at junior welterweight though, as he immediately jumped up to the welterweight division to take on the best in yet another weight class. Floyd kicked off his 147-pound campaign with a sixth round TKO of former world champion Sharmba Mitchell on November 19, 2005, and on April 8, 2006, he faced former friend Zab Judah in a highly-anticipated grudge match in which he cruised to an easy 12-round decision win to earn the IBF welterweight title. Not satisfied with just one belt, Mayweather finished off a stellar 2006 campaign with a 12-round near-shutout over Carlos Baldomir to add the WBC welterweight crown to his resume.

On May 5, 2007, Mayweather, then recognized as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, took on Oscar De La Hoya in an incredible light middleweight bout destined for history books. He reached the pinnacle of his career with a split decision victory, a battle which broke all-time pay-per-view and gate records. Then later in the year, in front of a roaring MGM Grand crowd, Mayweather returned to the welterweight division and knocked out the previously undefeated Ricky Hatton in the 10th round.

As he prepared for his match-up against Hatton, Mayweather appeared on ABC's Dancing With The Stars, which not only contributed the bout's incredible success, but introduced a completely new audience to the sport's biggest star. Mayweather continued to expand his fan base and crossover appeal in February 2008, when he appeared at WWE WrestleMania XXIV, and took on the Big Show in pay-per-view telecast's main event.

Now Mayweather, following his time away from the ring, is set to return to the sport and take on one of the best in the world, Juan Manuel Marquez, where he will attempt to pick up where he left off, and solidify his future boxing legacy.

Source: HBO.com

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Pacquiao vs Mayweather: Manny Pacquiao Biography

At the age of 30, Manny is a 14-year pro—he made his debut at 16. He has been fighting at the top levels of competition and given some of the most sensational performances in the ring in recent years.

A certain future Hall of Famer, Manny was voted the "2008 Fighter of the Year" by the Boxing Writers Association of America. He also won the BWAA award in 2006, as well as The Ring's 2006 and 2008 "Fighter of the Year."


Manny is also recognized by most observers as the best fighter at any weight in the ring today—the best "Pound for Pound."
He is a national hero in his native Philippines—the entire country of over 96 million people comes to a virtual standstill to watch whenever he fights.



Manny is coming off of an electrifying second-round knockout win against former IBF jr. welterweight and WBA welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton in his last fight on May 2.

The Associated Press' Tim Dahlberg reported from ringside:

"He didn't just beat Hatton. Didn't just knock him out.

"He demolished a world class fighter who had never lost at his natural weight of 140 pounds, and he did it with such precision and ease that the talk afterward wasn't whether Pacquiao is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but whether he might be one of the best ever.

"A right hook—a punch most southpaws don't even have—started it all, dropping Hatton midway through the first round. A left cross that may be one of the greatest single punches ever thrown in a big fight ended it with a dramatic flourish.

"When it was over, Hatton was sprawled motionless on his back in the center of the ring. Pacquiao and his corner were celebrating and the sellout crowd was trying to digest what they had just seen.

"Boxing has a new king in an unassuming fighter so good that he won his last four fights in four different weight classes."

Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com:

"With one thunderous left hand, Manny Pacquiao smashed his way into boxing immortality.

"Anyone doubt his pound-for-pound No. 1 perch now? Shoot, anyone doubt his place as one of boxing's best ever?

"The Filipino icon destroyed Ricky Hatton in two crushing rounds to make boxing history before 16,262 at the sold out and electric MGM Grand Garden Arena....

"It's something those of us who saw it shouldn't soon forget because it may be a long time until we see something like this again.

"In stunningly disposing of Hatton in ruthless fashion, Pacquiao matched Oscar De La Hoya's record of winning titles in six weight divisions. But more important, by adding Hatton's lineal junior welterweight championship to his growing collection, Pacquiao added a fourth lineal title, the first fighter to do that in boxing history. (Granted, there are more divisions now than there were back in the era of fighters such as Sugar Ray Robinson.)

"In plain terms, PacMan has been 'the man' in four divisions, the clear champion in a morass of titleholders at flyweight, featherweight, junior lightweight and now junior welterweight. Toss in belts at junior featherweight and lightweight—and wins against elite opponents—and you have a great fighter.

"It was almost laughable how easy it was for Pacquiao, who was fighting at junior welterweight for the first time in his career after dropping down from welterweight, where he fought in December and destroyed and retired De La Hoya.

"It also happened to be Pacquiao's fourth consecutive win in a fourth different division. It seems as though there is nothing he can't do."

In his previous fight on December 6, 2008, Manny scored the biggest win of his career—a dominant eighth-round TKO against former jr. lightweight, lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight, two-time super welterweight, and middleweight world champion Oscar De La Hoya—the biggest name in the sport over the last two decades and a certain future Hall of Famer himself.

Against De La Hoya, Manny was considered a huge underdog by most observers—and the fight a mismatch—because of their extreme difference in size. Boxing's conventional wisdom says that "A good big man beats a good small man."

After the fight, Dan Rafael wrote:

"Pacquiao stunningly administered a beat down of epic proportions. De La Hoya...was never in the fight for a moment.

"Pacquiao...won his third fight of the year in his third weight division, including winning two titles. The victory makes Pacquiao something of a modern-day Henry Armstrong, the all-time great pound-for-pound legend who over the course of 10 months from October, 1937, to August, 1938, claimed, in order, the world featherweight, welterweight and lightweight championships—when there were only eight divisions."

Manny had made his mark in boxing history, however, even before beating De La Hoya.

He has held world titles in four weight divisions—he won the WBC flyweight world title two weeks before his 20 birthday in December, 1998, the IBF jr. featherweight world title at 22 in 2001.

Manny won the WBC super featherweight world title in March, 2008, with a 12 round decision victory in the rematch against defending champion Juan Manuel Marquez. It was one of the most highly-anticipated fights of the year, and one of the most exciting.

He won the WBC lightweight world title in June, 2008, with a ninth-round TKO against defending champion David Diaz.

Source: HBO.com

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Pacquiao vs Mayweather Next Big Thing in Las Vegas

If Mayweather and Pacquiao don’t make a deal, Sugar Shane Mosley has been outspoken in his desire to fight Mayweather, even calling him out in the ring moments after his victory over Marquez. Mosley is slated to meet welterweight champion Andre Berto in Las Vegas in January.

After arriving in California last Saturday, Pacquiao has been ramping up his training regimen this week while also battling jet lag that forced him to sleep for about 20 hours on Wednesday, wiping out a day of training. Because of tax issues, Pacquiao’s camp began in Manila and moved to Hollywood later than trainer Freddie Roach usually prefers.

“I’m not worried about it, because he’s always known how to block everything out,” Roach said. “If anybody can do it, he can.”

Pacquiao looked fairly sharp while sparring 11 rounds Thursday at Roach’s Wild Card Gym in front of a small group of spectators including Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest and his father, Ron Sr., both avid boxing fans and Pacquiao admirers.

Pacquiao will spar 12 rounds on Saturday before gradually scaling back in preparation for his trip to Las Vegas to meet Cotto, the once-beaten welterweight champion whose combination of size and strength will be unlike anything the former flyweight champion has faced. Cotto is in camp in Tampa. Fla., before traveling to the West Coast next week.

“I consider this one of the hardest fights in my boxing career,” Pacquiao said.
If Mayweather and Pacquiao don’t make a deal, Sugar Shane Mosley has been outspoken in his desire to fight Mayweather, even calling him out in the ring moments after his victory over Marquez. Mosley is slated to meet welterweight champion Andre Berto in Las Vegas in January.

After arriving in California last Saturday, Pacquiao has been ramping up his training regimen this week while also battling jet lag that forced him to sleep for about 20 hours on Wednesday, wiping out a day of training. Because of tax issues, Pacquiao’s camp began in Manila and moved to Hollywood later than trainer Freddie Roach usually prefers.

“I’m not worried about it, because he’s always known how to block everything out,” Roach said. “If anybody can do it, he can.”

Pacquiao looked fairly sharp while sparring 11 rounds Thursday at Roach’s Wild Card Gym in front of a small group of spectators including Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest and his father, Ron Sr., both avid boxing fans and Pacquiao admirers.

Pacquiao will spar 12 rounds on Saturday before gradually scaling back in preparation for his trip to Las Vegas to meet Cotto, the once-beaten welterweight champion whose combination of size and strength will be unlike anything the former flyweight champion has faced. Cotto is in camp in Tampa. Fla., before traveling to the West Coast next week.

“I consider this one of the hardest fights in my boxing career,” Pacquiao said.

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Pacquiao Mayweather Will Make History

Boxing fans have clamored for Mayweather VS. Pacquiao after both had excellent matches against their last opponents. Pacquiao smothered and knocked down Cotto twice to earn a TKO win while Mayweather won a convincing unanimous decision over Juan Manuel Marquez.

Mayweather-Pacquiao is primed to be the biggest boxing fight in history. Both are coming off excellent wins. Pacquiao is the current number one pound-for-pound fighter, while Mayweather was the last number one pound-for-pound fighter before Manny took over.

Manny Pacquiao believes the biggest potential fight in boxing will never happen because Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants no part of him. Pacquiao is training in Hollywood for his meeting with Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas, but the pound-for-pound champion spared a moment Thursday to evaluate his chances of fighting Mayweather, the unbeaten pay-per-view king. Although the matchup almost certainly would be a financial bonanza for both fighters, Pacquiao thinks fans shouldn’t hold their breath.

“I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Pacquiao said. “I’m sure he doesn’t want to fight.”Mayweather has been circumspect about his plans for his next bout, saying only that he has never ducked anybody and would consider any opponent. In his comeback bout from a 21-month layoff, Mayweather demolished Juan Manuel Marquez on Sept. 19 in a fight that generated more than 1 million pay-per-view buys.

Mayweather’s advisers claim they haven’t ruled out a bout with Pacquiao, likely among the world’s few fighters who could match Money’s speed. But the Filipino champion has surprisingly strong opinions about why it won’t happen.

“Boxing for him is like a business,” Pacquiao said. “He doesn’t care about the people around him watching. He doesn’t care if the fight is boring, as long as the fight is finished and he gets [plenty of] money. … I want people to be happy. You have a big responsibility as a boxer.”

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Pacquiao Mayweather Mega Fight is On

In the aftermath of Pacquiao’s desctruction of Miguel Cotto, a call for the inevitable has begun.

Pacquiao vs Mayweather.

Undeniably, Pacquiao is this era’s best boxer. While some hardcore Mayweather fans may argue with it, no one can question how impressive Pacquiao’s resume is compared to that of Mayweather.

Yes, Mayweather is a great fighter.
Yes, Mayweather is a future Hall-of-famer.
Yes, Mayweather is one of the best.

But the fact remains, that when Mayweather was able to climb all the way to the top, he has refused to face the top fighters in his division from then onwards.

If Pacquiao fights Mayweather, there is no clear way of telling who will win the fight. Its all basically about Pacquiao’s offense against Mayweather’s defense.

Mayweather’s defense is undeniably the best I’ve seen in boxing, shutting down even Juan Manuel Marquez, the fighter who gave Pacquiao trouble in their two fights against each other. I will not be giving any excuse here on how Marquez was the much smaller fighter. Floyd shut him down easy and that’s that!

This is what makes the prospect of Pacquiao vs Mayweather much more intriguing. Pacquiao had a hard time with Marquez in both fights. Mayweather shut the latter down easy. But let us not forget how Pacquiao fared against Oscar Dela Hoya and Ricky Hatton, both of whom Mayweather also fought earlier.

Mayweather had a hard time with Dela Hoya, barely winning a controversial split-decision. He also had a hard-time against the gritty Hatton, despite knocking him out late in the fight. Pacquiao however easily disposed of the two said fighters, winning every round and knocking them out in the 8th and 2nd, respectively.

Styles make fights. Great offense vs great defense. And it just does not get any better than this. We are back to the glory days in boxing. Ali vs Frazier. Duran vs Leonard. Hagler vs Hearns.

Two of the greatest boxers of our time. Two future Hall-of-Famers.
This fight has to happen.
Lets get it on.

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Pacquiao and Mayweather Fight Will KO the UFC PPV

So it was Mayweather vs. the UFC head to head, and Mayweather comes out on top by nearly a 2 to 1 ratio. Can Cotto and Pacquiao follow in his footsteps? We continue to hear the words “boxing is dying” in some boxing experts column while others actually say the sport is already dead. Now that the Click for More.

Golden Goose, Oscar de la Hoya is retired they would write that this was the "beginning of the end" for our sport. The stats don't lie. 1,000,000+ PPV buys for Mayweather vs. Marquez now becomes only the 5th time in boxing history that a non-heavyweight fight reached the mark and the highest boxing total for 2009. Predictions were all over the place how this fight would be received and even the UFC boss chimed in to say:

“Its not a fight that people want to see right now (Mayweather vs. Marquez)…Mayweather is not a superstar…we’re not worried about Floyd Mayweather.” - Dana White UFC


Well, they should be worried as their PPV event on the same day reportedly did half as well as boxing. Ever since Oscars retirement this past December of 2008, there has been plenty to cheer about in the boxing world. Pacquiao vs. Hatton numbers were through the roof, Margarito vs. Mosley had LA pumping and this weekend all the talk is how Mayweather proved the skeptics wrong again. Who needs an Oscar de la Hoya fight to “save” boxing? Boxing has been around for over 100 years it will be around for 100 more.

This bodes well for the showdown for Cotto vs. Pacquiao. Ticket sells have been reported to be brisk and if things work out, this showdown could hit similar or even higher numbers than Mayweather vs. Marquez. On paper fight fans know that this is a huge fight. Styles makes fight and Cotto vs. Pacquiao has "action-packed" written all over it. There are however some things Cotto and Pacquiao could learn from Money Mayweather.

Mayweather does a great job playing the “bad boy” role. People like to watch a good fight but how many more people would like to see him get KO’d? Ali once said:

REPORTER: What percentage of the fans do you feel will be coming to see Sonny Liston, and what percentage do you feel will be coming to see you?

MUHAMMAD ALI: Well, a hundred percent will be coming to see me, but 99 percent will be coming to see me get beat.

It’s a great marketing tactic and Mayweather plays it up like no other. The 24/7 drama, co-starring his uncle and dad definitely make the show much more entertaining. The bling, cars and lifestyle looks more like an episode from MTV Cribs than HBO 24/7. It would be interesting to see how a Cotto vs. Pacquiao 24/7 plays out being that both are not from the USA. Hardcore boxing fans will be sure to tune in, but will the casual fan stick around and watch all 4 episodes? A tip for Manny and Cotto, do something crazy during the show while your training…(chase a chicken around for speed agility training or eat an ostrich egg)….no need to do what Marquez did (drink “bodily fluids” for its vitamins) but hey it DID get casual fans talking everywhere at their water coolers the next day.

Another point that was done well was the promotion of the fight itself. Golden Boy did an excellent job making the fighters accessible and putting on an undercard that looked great on paper. The undercards used to be what fans remembered most but in the past few years had only become marketed “Sparring Sessions” of up and coming fighters. Penny pinching promoters would just put up their rising star vs. some no named guy from Kansas. Put in competitive title fights people want to see vs. named opponents. Since money is tight for the fans, its not enough these days to just put on one superfight. Fans want to see more bang for their buck. Boxing is finally heading back in the right direction putting on fights worth watching from the start.

With the end of 2009 coming up there is plenty more to cheer about. Fans have Pacquiao and Cotto, a super middle weight tournament underway on Showtime and word is even Roy Jones vs. Bernard Hopkins in 2010. Boxing is really a roll if even these two can finally come to terms!

Things are looking up for boxing and if the stars align we may see THE mega showdown in early 2010: Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. Who says boxing is on life support?

Source: LiverPuncher

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Pacquiao vs Mayweather Fight We Are Going To See

Let's get right to the point, shall we? When are we going to see Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fight?

As dominating as Pacquiao was in his 12th-round technical-knockout victory over Miguel Cotto on Saturday, the sweat hadn't dried from the champion's face by the time he got his first question about Floyd Mayweather. It was predictable, really. From the moment the final bell rang in Mayweather's one-sided fight with Juan Manuel Marquez in September, fans and media alike were clamoring for a showdown between the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world today.

Will it happen? It says here absolutely. There was some rumblings in the post-fight press conference last Saturday that Mayweather is more inclined to take another tune-up fight before facing Pacquiao (Mayweather's manager, Leonard Ellerbe did not respond to phone calls and a text message from SI.com). To me, that seems unlikely. Who would he fight? Luis Collazo? Delvin Rodriguez? Alfonso Gomez?

"Mayweather can do what he wants," said an industry source. "But the public outrage if he doesn't fight Pacquiao would be enormous."

Certainly, there are issues standing in the way. The boxing landscape is littered with acrimonious relationships but few are as bitter as Mayweather and Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum. Arum, if you recall, promoted Mayweather early in his career only to have the relationship severed shortly before Mayweather fought Oscar De La Hoya -- a fight that turned out to be the most lucrative in boxing history.

At the Pacquiao-Cotto press conference, though, Arum sang an aria about putting aside their differences and making a deal.

"No, I hate him and he hates me," said Arum. "If [Mayweather] wants to fight Manny Pacquiao, he can call me."

Arum will undoubtedly be getting a call, but it won't be from Mayweather. It will be from Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. In a phone interview after the fight, Schaefer told SI.com that he would not negotiate the terms of the fight through the media but that he was confident a deal could be struck.

Said Schaefer, "Bob and I have made big deals in the past."

The sticking point in the negotiations is going to be the split. Mayweather has long stated his belief that he is the top draw in boxing -- his fight with De La Hoya broke the pay-per-view record (2.4 million buys) and his last fight with Marquez generated more than a million. As such, he believes he deserves the bigger share. Pacquiao feels the same way, though his camp is willing to settle for a 50-50 split.

Pacquiao, in fact, may have a better argument that he should be getting the larger piece of the pie. Take nothing away from Mayweather, but his defensive, counterpunching style is not as appealing to fans as Pacquiao's bull-rushing approach. And while Mayweather has knockout power, Pacquiao has electrifying power shots that keep fans on the edge of their seats. The numbers for Pacquiao-Cotto won't be released until later this week, but sources inside both HBO and Top Rank expect it to exceed one million buys and possibly reach as high as 1.5 million.

There will be a lot of posturing over the next few months. There will be publicized outbursts and the parties will likely storm away from the bargaining table more than once.

But it will get done, as early as May or as late as September, because, as several industry insiders told me, it has to get done. "It's like two great football players saying they don't want to play in the Super Bowl," says HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg. "Who would ever say that?"

Source: Sportsillustrated.com

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Pacquiao vs Mayweather is The Fight Truly Waiting By Fans

TRAINER Freddie Roach has put Floyd Mayweather Jr firmly in his sights as the next opponent for boxing champion Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao cemented his claim to be the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet last night when he stopped WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto in the 12th and final round of their Las Vegas showdown.

And having blown away box office blockbuster opponents Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and now Cotto in consecutive fights over the last 12 months, the stage has been set for a fight to top them all against the undefeated Mayweather.

The brash American returned to the ring from a short-lived retirement following his December 2007 victory over Britain’s Hatton with a clinical unanimous decision win over Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez.

But Mayweather’s prior inactivity cost him his pound-for-pound top ranking status and all the talk has been of a megafight with the Filipino to settle the issue.

Publicly the former welterweight champion has said he would only fight Pacquiao if he got the lion’s share of any purse while Pacquaio was reticent to talk about his plans for future fights in the immediate aftermath of his victory over Puerto Rico’s Cotto.

“My job is to fight in the ring and I think that depends on (Top Rank’s Bob) Arum my promoter to negotiate that fight,” Pacquiao said.

“I’m just going to take a vacation first and spend time with my family and have fun.”

Yet there was no stopping Pacquiao’s trainer from picking out an opponent for his southpaw star.

“The whole world wants to see him fight Mayweather and I want Mayweather,” Roach said.

Hall of fame trainer Emanuel Steward was at ringside for Pacquiao-Cotto as a summariser for US broadcaster HBO and like Roach, there was only one logical next step for the 30-year-old Filipino.

“There’s no doubt you have to go with Mayweather,” Steward said on air.

“When you have a fight that’s been made by the public more than the fighters, that’s what happened with Tommy Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard. The public said we want that fight to happen and that’s why it happened. Currently Pacquiao vs Mayweather fight is under negotiation.

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