Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao Fight in Jeopardy, Miguel Cotto Likely 2015 Opponent
Floyd Mayweather wants to fight Manny Pacquiao.
Manny Pacquiao wants to fight Floyd Mayweather.
So they tell us.
But for some reason, we just can't seem to place the two fighters in the ring at the same time. Recently, Pacquiao released a statement in which he gave Mayweather "one month" to make a decision.
Unfortunately for boxing fans, it appears as if the super fight that we've been waiting for since 2009 won't happen. Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez haven't been making contract progress in their expected fight, thus opening up the door for a Cotto-Mayweather rematch. Mayweather and Cotto previously fought each other in 2012, with Mayweather victorious via unanimous decision.
So, in a nutshell this is what we have; Mayweather (still) has the option to sign the contract to face Pacquiao on May 2, the same date that Cotto was supposed to fight Alvarez. With Cotto and Alvarez now at odds, Mayweather now has the option to face Cotto on May 2 instead of Pacquiao, which many boxing experts believe will happen.
Time and time again we've seen Pacquiao agree to Mayweather's terms, whether it's money, location or the date. If Mayweather refuses (again) to fight Pacquiao, it will put a huge blemish on his legacy. Cotto is an average boxer who is 39-4 in his professional career, but he's not in Mayweather or Pacquiao's league. Both Mayweather and Pacquiao are seeing their pay-per-view numbers drop dramatically because of the unworthy opponents.
A Mayweather-Pacquiao bout would gross more than an estimated $300 million.
But, it doesn't appear as if money, pay-per-view numbers and giving the fans what they want will supersede Mayweather's decision to fight unworthy opponents. Mayweather is currently 47-0, and he plans on hitting 50 wins before he retires. Spending 2014 facing only Marcos Maidana won't help Mayweather's legacy at all.
Pacquiao has every right to make a fight deadline for Mayweather. Pacquiao has 57 career professional victories, was named "Fighter of the Decade" in the 2000s, and he is the present WBO Welterweight Champion.
For whatever reason, Mayweather just doesn't seem to want fight Pacquiao. Reasons have varied from Pacquiao being a left handed southpaw boxer, to not wanting to do business with former business partner Bob Arum. Mayweather turns 38 in February, and Pacquiao just recently turned 36. If they don't get in the ring in 2015, the odds of them ever facing each other are extremely slim to none.
"We just want to make that fight happen, for the sake of the fans, for the sake of millions of people around the world who are excited to see that fight,”
-Pacquiao
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