Pacquiao Pleads With Mayweather to “Step Up” And Fight

One of boxing’s biggest icons, Manny Pacquiao has agreed to do whatever it takes to get Floyd Mayweather Jr. to step up and fight him. Media sirens blew loudly once again in the news Thursday, Nov. 13, echoing Pacquiao’s request to fight Mayweather. The illusion has become real.

Some will say, “What more can a man do to get an opponent to fight him?”

According to sources at ESPN, the Filipino superstar made it known while communicating with the press for his upcoming defense next Saturday, Nov. 22, against light welterweight champion Chris Algieri in Macau, China. When asked who he want to fight next, he expressed his foremost interest is a showdown against his undefeated pound-for-pound rival Mayweather. He then said:

I do have one special goal, and that is to give the boxing fans the fight they always been asking for. I want that fight (with Floyd Mayweather Jr.) too. I believe good-faith negotiations can produce that fight. But it is impossible to negotiate when you are the only one sitting at the table. Two fighters who want to fight each other have never been kept from fighting each other.”

Over the last five years, this matchup have been plagued with just about everything imaginable such as; drug test, purse split, A-side status, which city or venue, what cable source, you name it—it’s probably there, if not visible probably in very small print somewhere. Both sides have pointed the finger at each other; however Pacquiao has gone on record saying, he will do whatever it takes to make the fight happen. He even included taking the lesser of a 60-40 split. It sounds believable to most of his followers and has only enhanced his fan base.

The Grand Rapids, MI native Mayweather (47-0, 26 KO’s) was quizzed immediately after his second victory over Argentine Marcos Maidana a couple of months ago regarding a showdown with the Filipino star. He repeated what he’s said a few times before.

I don’t even think about Pacquiao, said Mayweather. I don’t even know him, actually. But I wish him nothing but the best. But that’s not my focus. I could care less what Pacquiao does. I don’t wish anything bad on the man. I try not to focus on no one else’s business. If it happens it happens. You guys can keep asking the same questions over and over. I move when I want to, where I want to and how I want to. Hopefully, it’s next.”

Top Rank CEO and promoter Bob Arum was blowing the same Mayweather trumpet just a few days ago regarding this issue too. Outside of what he said then, he still sticks by what he’s always known. He said Mayweather does not like fighting southpaws.

“I promoted the guy for ten years and I know how difficult it was to get him in the ring with any southpaw. When you talk about a southpaw who could move like Manny, that’s not the kind of opponent Mayweather feels confident that he will do well against. That’s the problem. If Manny agreed to fight right-handed the fight would be agreed upon in five minutes,” said Arum.

From one precarious standpoint the promoter’s analogy could be somewhat accurate. In spring of 2006, former light welterweight and welterweight champion Zab Judah, who too was a slick southpaw, gave Mayweather major problems early in their fight including his first knockdown. Midway through the fight Mayweather found his rhythm and won a unanimous decision over Judah. The champ continues to remind all of his naysayers that during some of his most difficult bouts, he has always found a way to win. That’s what real champions do, he continues to say.

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach also honed in saying, “He believes the entire camp of TMT (The Money Team) is afraid of his fighter Pacquiao; starting at the very top with advisor Al Haymon. He said Mayweathers legs are not as good as they used to be, and that will be the deciding factor in his fighter defeating the pound-for-pound king.”

Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KO’s) has never been known to duck any fighter. He is a huge betting favorite in next weekend bout against undefeated Chris Algieri (20-0, 8 KO’s). He’s putting his welterweight title on the line, with hopes of getting the New Yorker out of there early. Trainer Roach predicts his fighter ending the fight by an early knockout. Conceivably, before round six. The bout will be telecast by HBO via pay-per-view.