Floyd Mayweather Next Fight: Manny Pacquiao Comments on Potential 2015 Bout

Floyd Mayweather Next Fight: Manny Pacquiao Comments on Potential 2015 Bout
Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao (R) takes part in a sparring session during a media call in Hong Kong on October 27, 2014. (AFP/Getty Images)
Zachary Stieber
10/28/2014
Updated:
10/28/2014

The Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao fight might finally happen next year, but Pacman says that he’s trying to focus on his upcoming bout before finalizing the deal.

Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) faces Chris Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) on November 22.

A loss would endanger the potential Mayweather-Pacquiao bout.

“Hopefully that fight will happen by next year,” Pacquiao told reporters this week, reported AFP.

“I’m crossing my fingers that that fight will happen but right now my mind is already set to focus on my next fight with Algieri. I think the time to talk about that issue is after the fight.”

Despite reports that Pacquiao is considering retiring after 2015, Pacquiao said he has a “couple of years” left before he retires. 

“I’m not thinking yet about retirement. I will continue my boxing career, the journey will continue in my boxing career and we'll see what happens,” he said.

Mayweather has danced around the possibility of fighting Pacquiao, seeming to say after he beat Marcos Maidana that it would happen provided Pacquiao gets past Algieri, but later backtracking on his comments.

Floyd Mayweather punches Marcos Maidana, left, during their WBA welterweight and WBC super welterweight title fight, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Floyd Mayweather punches Marcos Maidana, left, during their WBA welterweight and WBC super welterweight title fight, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

 

His latest words seem to indicate that he’s more likely to face Amir Khan next.

“My Dad is desperate for me to take the Khan fight, he just wants me to shut the kid up and put him down,” Mayweather Jr. was quoted by the Daily Mail.

“My Dad doesn’t like fighters trash talking his son – but he knows as well as I do that if the fight happen–then I am going to punish him. If he thinks he can trash talk me and get away with it he needs to think again.”

“My Dad wants the fight, I want to put him on his backside, so hopefully we can make it happen,” he added.

Amir Khan (L) of England exchanges punches with Luis Collazo of US on May 3, 2014 at The MGM Grand, Las Vegas. Khan won a unanimous 12 round decision capturing the WBC Silver Welterweight title. (AFP/Getty Images)
Amir Khan (L) of England exchanges punches with Luis Collazo of US on May 3, 2014 at The MGM Grand, Las Vegas. Khan won a unanimous 12 round decision capturing the WBC Silver Welterweight title. (AFP/Getty Images)

 

But Floyd Mayweather Sr. seemed to indicate in comments to Fight Hype that he wants to see his son fight Pacquiao, not Khan. 

“That fight’s gonna happen. Trust me. That fight’s definitely gonna happen,” he said. 

“It’s a fight for the world, man, right there. It’s the biggest fight that has ever been in life, so like I said man, that fight’s gonna happen. I’ma tell you right now, he never told me the fight’s gonna happen, but I’ma tell you, the fight’s gonna happen. You mark my words and we'll see.”

Timothy Bradley, left, lands a left to the head of Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, in their WBO welterweight title boxing fight Saturday, April 12, 2014, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
Timothy Bradley, left, lands a left to the head of Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, in their WBO welterweight title boxing fight Saturday, April 12, 2014, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

 

If the match does happen, then Timothy Bradley, who beat Pacquiao once before losing to him in the rematch, said that it would be pretty even. 

‘'I think that the fight is a little more even now. I’m gonna have to favor Floyd Mayweather because he’s just brilliant in his boxing ability but you can’t take anything away from Manny Pacquiao,” said Bradley in On The Ropes Boxing Radio.

““I’m not trying to blow smoke up my ass but I’m a really difficult fighter to deal with and Manny Pacquiao was able to deal with me, and if Manny Pacquiao is able to deal with me, he’s able to deal with anybody else, I truly believe that.”