Mayweather-Pacquiao: Arum becomes psychologist, Ellerbe says there is a backup plan

by SC on Nov 20, 2009 7:44 AM EST in News Analysis Comment 8 comments

Leonard Ellerbe (right) says that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will look to fight Shane Mosley if a mega fight with Manny Pacquiao can't be made. (Photo by Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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With the 2010 mega fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao uncertain but the talk of boxing, the quotes just keep coming in.

Bob Arum told Larry Fine of Reuters that he fears Mayweather will back out due to the risk of losing the "0" on his record:

"Psychologically he may not be prepared to do this fight," Pacquaio promoter Arum added.

"Now this is me being an amateur psychologist, but Mayweather is so tied up with the fact that nobody has beaten him, that he has a zero on his record, I don't know if he would be willing to go into the ring with anybody that could jeopardize that zero."

This isn't the first time Arum has said something like this, and he wasn't done on the matter there, either.

"He is afraid, terrified of losing that zero," said Arum, possibly in an effort to goad Mayweather into making the match.

"That's why he's ducked (Shane) Mosely, (Antonio) Margarito and Cotto, and the question is will he duck Manny Pacquiao because he's so afraid of losing that zero."

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Manny Pacquiao himself is now playing a Floyd-like game. He told the Inquirer that Floyd should challenge him, not the other way around, as Mayweather has been saying:

"We are not pushing the fight. He should be the first to challenge me; after all, I got a higher pay-per-view from my fight," Pacquiao said.

Since I find it so catty and juvenile that Floyd needs Manny to ask him to the prom, I'll say the same thing for Manny's side. Just cut the crap. Without each other, the fighters make significantly less money. They both know it. They're playing some sort of weird little high school game with this. "All he has to do is challenge me." "No he should challenge me!" If we wait for that to play out, we'll be here until the reign of Queen Dick.

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From the Mayweather side, Leonard Ellerbe spoke with Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times, and said they definitely have a backup plan should negotiations with Pacquiao and Top Rank prove fruitless.

"If the fight can't be made, we'll fight Shane Mosley if he can get past Berto."

Sort of makes you wonder what's changed and made Mosley so much more attractive.

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Let them play mind games

The extracurricular activities are part of what makes this impending fight so exciting. it’s not going to delay the fight substantially. The only problem is if you think Mayweather is looking for an excuse to duck Pacquiao and this provides it.

by LooseCannon on Nov 20, 2009 7:59 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

it only makes sense for him to say he has options … like u said its all posturing and headgames for the negotiation … its only just begun but i am sick of it already …

i kno i heard it said yesterday that with manny’s ear he wouldnt be able to enter the ring until at least march and thats too close to the elections in the philippines so who knows how soon manny will be able to fight again and if pbf is willing to wait … dunno how tru it is but pbf may fight another non-opponent in the meantime … eg. matt hatton in the uk

by boxzilla on Nov 20, 2009 9:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Saying that Floyd is stuck on his precious zero is non-news – the way he keeps bringing it up everywhere should be proof enough. If Manny didn’t have those two losses from way back when, I’m sure Floyd would find some from wherever (“He lost twice in elementary school!”).

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Floyd won’t fight Mosley or Pacquiao. He’ll rather drag someone from three weight classes below him to fight while ducking any real challengers.

by lhasafi on Nov 20, 2009 9:35 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Since I find it so catty and juvenile that Floyd needs Manny to ask him to the prom, I’ll say the same thing for Manny’s side. Just cut the crap. Without each other, the fighters make significantly less money. They both know it. They’re playing some sort of weird little high school game with this. “All he has to do is challenge me.” “No he should challenge me!” If we wait for that to play out, we’ll be here until the reign of Queen Dick.

LMAO….couldn’ t have said it better myself…

Sort of makes you wonder what’s changed and made Mosley so much more attractive.

Well Mayweather has been calling Mosley out for a while and Sugar Shane never wanted the fight. So I completely understand Floyd telling Shane to go f*ck himself when he decided to start calling Floyd out later. It’s called fighting on your own terms and not someone else’s. The thing about making a fight with Mosley is that Pacquiao could very well try to make that same fight. I’m wondering if Pacman might be the better deal, money wise, for Shane Mosley.

If Manny didn’t have those two losses from way back when…

And one loss from not so way back when against Morales….oh and a draw against Marquez after knocking him down 3 times in the first round. Mayweather has a point, BUT it’s not something that should prevent a fight as Pacquiao has more then proven his worth in his last fights against Hatton and Cotto.

by erod on Nov 20, 2009 9:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

if i had to guess i would think ssm would rather fight pbf … and both being rep’d by gbp i think negotiations would be easier, as well as them keeping all the money in house a la top rank

by boxzilla on Nov 20, 2009 10:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Reserve Psycology by Arum?

I’m getting sick and tired of the talking. Just get it done already and stop the crap. It’s like dealing with a cars salesman, stop the running around and let’s get down to business so we can get this done.

"I guess I can’t do anything if you’re just irrational, but to point it out and move on."

- fundamentallysound

by J Theory on Nov 20, 2009 10:22 AM EST reply actions 0 recs