Manny Pacquiao said he's awaiting Floyd Mayweather's signature
Manny Pacquiao said Friday during an appearance on Huffington Post Live that all that stands between the long-awaited super fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. is Mayweather's signature on a contract.
Pacquiao confirmed he'd agreed to all terms and said it was his understanding that Mayweather's representatives had also. Pacquiao's comments on a potential Mayweather fight begin 10:43 into the video.
"My promoter and his promoters, there's negotiations already and there is an understanding," Pacquiao said. "I heard there's an understanding already. We're just waiting for the signed contract from them."
Pacquiao said he's asked everywhere he goes about the fight, which has been talked about since 2009 when they were regarded as Nos. 1 and 2 in the world.
The fight has a great appeal because of the boxer-versus-puncher aspect. Mayweather is the cocky, outspoken and unbeaten defensive wizard who has extraordinary boxer skills, while Pacquiao is the poor kid whose exceptional punching power helped him to become one of the most recognizable sports figures in the world.
A bout between them would generate hundreds of millions of dollars and could pay Mayweather as much as $120 million.
As Yahoo Sports previously reported, there is an agreement for the fight to be held at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas on May 2. A source told Yahoo Sports that ticket prices for the event would begin at $1,000 and go up to $5,000 in order to scale for a $40 million live gate.
Pacquiao was asked about a recent comment by Mayweather that Pacquiao is desperate for the fight because he needs money. Pacquiao noted that he just finished a bout in November with Chris Algieri in which he made more than $20 million.
He said he wants to fight Mayweather but that he won't feel unfulfilled if his career ends without the bout occurring.
"If you ask me if the fight happens, no problem," Pacquiao said. "If that fight will not happen, it will never impact my career because what I've done in boxing, I'm already satisfied. I broke the record in boxing [by winning world titles in] eight divisions. I'm a coach in the Philippines of a basketball team. I'm a playing-coach. I'm a congressman.
"What my concern is, is to make the fight happen for the fans. Everywhere I go, even in Thailand, every place, the fans are asking, 'When will this fight happen? When will this fight happen?' That question is not for me. It's for Mayweather. Millions of people are asking that question everywhere I go. It's kind of bothering me, that question. It's time to make the fight happen. The fans deserve it."
A source told Yahoo Sports that a stumbling block is Mayweather's anger regarding public comments made by Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum. Arum promoted Mayweather out of the 1996 Olympics, but the pair had a contentious split in 2006.
Arum has been speaking publicly about the fight, and in recent days, his tone has turned harsher. He told Fightnews.com that Mayweather "is running like a thief," and added, "When push comes to shove, he backs down."
Columnist David Mayo, who has covered Mayweather since he was a child in Grand Rapids, Mich., also reported that Mayweather is unhappy with Arum's public comments. A source told Mayo that Arum's comments could be what prevents the fight.
The best way to get the fight not done is for Arum to feel in charge. He did it with drug testing, he did it with trying to put the fight in Cowboy Stadium, he did it with the financial split. Arum talking is the best way to not get it made.
Even if both fighters agree, there are many stumbling blocks that have to be overcome, though the fight is probably closer to happening than it has been at any point since talks in late 2009 for a March 2010 match fizzled at the last moment.
The biggest issue is the network split. Mayweather is on an exclusive contract with Showtime and Pacquiao is with HBO. CBS Corp. chairman Leslie Moonves has been the driving force in the talks and executives from both Showtime and HBO met this week in New York to try to work out the issues.