By Sean Crose
Right when it looked like fight fan’s renewed hopes for a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather showdown were proving futile yet again, a recent article from The Ring makes it clear that negotiations for the proposed superfight are indeed ongoing.
“We’re still in negotiations with Floyd’s group through Top Rank. I spoke to Manny this morning,” Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s consiglieri, says in the article. “I gave Manny what is perceived to be a counter offer from the Mayweather people.”
“We discussed it and now I’ve given instruction to Bob (Arum) to counter their counter,” Koncz continues. “We’ve been going back and forth.”
Which is what’s supposed to happen during negotiations.
“I’m never overly optimistic until the contract is signed,” adds Koncz, “but the good thing is that we’re still going back and forth.”
Pacquiao is clearly doing his part to draw Mayweather into the ring. In fact, the man rang in the New Year by taunting his would-be foe on Twitter.
“The ball will drop at midnight to usher in 2015,” he tweeted on New Year’s Eve Day. “@FloydMayweather let’s not drop the ball on fighting each other next year! #LetsMakeFistory”
Pacquiao then took things further on New Year’s Day itself.
“My family and I wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year,” he tweeted. “May it be full of blessings. No secret what one of my 2015 resolutions will be!”
Since Floyd called out Manny on Showtime several weeks ago, there has been a lot of wild speculating taking place. As was inevitable, however, a backlash has ensued.
Many in the boxing media are now very publicly rolling their eyes at those who report all of these latest developments, whispers and rumors.
And, frankly, who can blame them?
After all, this match has been a long – a very long – time in coming. Then again, when words and information are given from reliable sources – including the parties themselves – those words and information become newsworthy items.
Yet Floyd and Manny aren’t the only fighters making news during this New Year. For instance, Amir Khan has recently drawn a line in the sand regarding Mayweather.
“Last year I spent months chasing Mayweather,” Sports World News reports Khan as saying.
“That is absolutely not going to happen again. I will give it until the middle of January and if there are no signs he will come to the negotiation table, then I will look elsewhere.”
And, not to be outdone, Saul Canelo Alvarez has publicly called out Miguel Cotto. Canelo wants to get it on with with the Puerto Rican legend on May 2nd after all, and clearly feels that Cotto has been dragging his heels during the negotiation process.
“I don’t understand what is happening,” Canelo says. “I already granted Miguel Cotto a lot of what they were asking to make this fight happen. It’s been more than a month and he has not decided to sign the contract.”
Perhaps Canelo hasn’t offered enough for Cotto’s liking. Perhaps, though, Canelo won’t be willing to concede much more.
“Cotto has to decide already,” Canelo added, “but do not waste any more time. If not, he will go down in history as one who ducked a fighter who defeated his own brother (Canelo beat Jose Cotto in 2010).”
If nothing good comes of all is, at least fans know that some major fighters — Pacquiao, Mayweather, Canelo, and Khan — have called out some major competition. Some may doubt their sincerity, but none of these men are ringing in the New Year with excuses.
Here’s hoping 2015 is memorable – in a good way.