Manny Pacquiao has said that money will be no object as he seeks a super-fight with Floyd Mayweather – while he also took a potshot at the pound-for-pound king’s lack of style.
Speaking on a television show on Friday night, 37 year old Mayweather said he wanted his next fight to be against Pacquiao in may the 2nd 2015. However, he still insists on taking most of the income from the potentially record-breaking purse.
“I am not ducking or dodging any opponent. Bob Arum is stopping the fight. Bob Arum and Manny Pacquiao, you guys have been ducking us for years. We are tired of you guys fooling the public; fooling the critics.
“We tried to make the fight happen before and you guys didn’t want to take random blood and urine testing. That’s why the fight didn’t happen. Then I offered you $40 million and then you didn’t want to make the fight happen.
“You lost twice now and you are coming back begging for the same money. That is not going to happen,” the undefeated Mayweather said.
“I wanted that fight a long time ago; I am just waiting on them.”
Mayweather did not go into financial details but he had previously insisted that he should get most of the purse money, especially the lucrative pay-per-view revenues.
In 2012 there was speculation that a fight between the two could lead to the first $200 million purse in boxing history, with much of that money coming from pay-per-view sales.
At one point Pacquiao said Mayweather had offered him a $40 million purse on the condition that the American could keep the pay-per-view money, which would have amounted to more than double what Pacquiao would have received.
Mayweather, who has a professional record of 47-0, including 26 wins inside the distance, said he was ready to reach out to Pacquiao’s people with the hope that the fight could be held on May 2, on the Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend when Mayweather normally fights in the United States.
Pacquiao, who has held titles in eight divisions, is coming off an impressive win over Chris Algieri in Macau, China, last month. His record now stands at (57-5, with two draws and 38 knockouts.
He and Mayweather have both been rated as the best fighters, pound for pound, in the world.
Mayweather’s critics have accused him of ducking the now 35-year-old Pacquiao for years, saying his lopsided money demands were just a way to scuttle talks.
Nicknamed Money, Mayweather has admitted to “hand-picking”” his opponents. But on Friday he sang a different tune, saying it was Pacquiao who had been ducking him; not the other way around.
Mayweather also hinted that it could be his last fight; something he had said before each of his past few title fights.