After Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said he believed the long awaited Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight would finally happen in 2015, Mayweather responded Tuesday with a new demand: Pacquiao must sign with Mayweather's promoters, Golden Boy Promotions, for the fight to happen.
Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, told the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday he was "very optimistic" a Mayweather- Pacquiao bout would happen in 2015. Arum said HBO - Pacquiao's television network - and Showtime - Mayweather's television network - recently met to discuss the possible match, one big step toward bringing the fight to fruition.
"Both networks want this fight to happen," Arum said. "All signs seem to point to the fight happening early next year. ... Now it's up to the fight camps to resolve the deal."
Arum, who anticipates Mayweather and Pacquiao will fight twice next year, added: "There is a sell-by date, where it becomes (after that) 'Who cares?' It has to happen by the first six months of next year. And if it happens, there should be a provision with different percentage for the rematch. So that the winner is rewarded for winning the fight."
Although Pacquiao reiterated his readiness to fight Mayweather, the latter issued a new stipulation for the fight to happen: Pacquiao must sign with Golden Boy Promotions.
"Mayweather says he'll fight Pacquiao if Pacquiao signs with Mayweather promotions for that fight," Kel Dansby of Black Sports Online tweeted Tuesday.
As The Chronicle pointed out, Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions have been rivals for some time. The two companies, though, soon could be headed to the negotiation table to make the mega-fight happen.
"Golden Boy and Top Rank might be doing business soon," one Golden Boy official told The Chronicle, "making fights that people want to see."
Mayweather meets Marcos Maidana on Sept. 13 for a rematch; Pacquiao fights Chris Algieri on Nov. 11.
