Floyd Mayweather Jr. this weekend said he wants to fight Manny Pacquiao--his longtime nemesis.
Mayeather said he wants the fight on May 2, the weekend of Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo.
“We are ready. Let’s make it happen. May 2. Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao. Let’s do it,” Mayweather said, per ESPN.
Pacquiao beat Chris Algieri in Macau on Nov. 22.
“I would love to fight Manny Pacquiao. We tried to make the fight happen years ago; we had problems with random blood and urine testing,” Mayweather addded.
“I just want to be on an even playing field. Now he’s in a very, very tight situation. He’s lost to [Juan Manuel] Marquez [in 2012], he’s lost to [Timothy] Bradley [by controversial decision in 2012 but avenged it in April]. Pay-per-view numbers are extremely low. He’s desperate. I wanted that fight a long time ago. I’m just waiting on them.”
It’s worth noting that Mayweather’s recent PPV numbers have also dropped, with several failing to reach 900,000 buys.
“Floyd Mayweather is not ducking or dodging any opponent. Bob Arum is stopping the fight. We have been trying to make this fight happen behind the scenes for years now, but the fans and the people have been fooled because they have been listening to people just on one side. Now it’s time for us to talk. We want the fight,” he said.
However, Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum has indicated that he doesn’t like the date.
“That’s Cinco de Mayo an important Mexican holiday. A Mexican should fight on that date,” he said, per Review-Journal reporter Steve Carp.
Bob Arum, Pacquaio’s promoter, is already making a stink about the May 2nd date, saying the Cinco de Mayo weekend should be reserved for a Mexican boxer. There will surely be many more rounds of dick-swinging and pissing before the sides can agree on a fight, one that we'll only believe once the two are standing in a ring and the bell is rung. (At this point, you should expect it to happen around the time Dr. Dre’s new album comes out.)
