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TMZ is reporting that Manny Pacquiao has 48 hours to decide if he'll fight Floyd Mayweather Jr on May 5, but let's just get this out of the way: That means there's 48 more hours of potential quotes and excuses for this fight to not happen on May 5. It's not happening on May 5.
This is coming from Freddie Roach:
Roach is scoffing at Mayweather's tweet, in which he calls Pacquiao a "punk," saying, "He should look in the mirror. He's been ducking us for 2 years."
As for what weight class Pacquiao will fight Mayweather ... Roach said 147 lbs -- that's the upper limit of welterweight.
Of course, even if Pacquiao can rearrange his schedule, both sides have to agree on a financial deal. Roach says, "We'll do it on even terms."
Yesterday of course, Mayweather tweeted about wanting to do the fight, but that really didn't change anything.
One thing worth noting is Roach saying they'll do it on even terms. This is another small backpedal, as Pacquiao himself has said that he'd be willing to take a smaller percentage of the revenue to make this fight happen. Pacquiao says he wants the fight. He said two days ago that he'll insist on Mayweather, but he also made clear that he can't force it. It's up to Bob Arum.
Frankly, this is coming off very much like Manny Pacquiao wants the fight and isn't going to be allowed to do it. He's said his cut, another weak Arum excuse, is fine to go on May 5, which everyone knows it is. He's willing to take smaller money. He's OK to go with the drug testing under the normal Mayweather standards.
Right now, this has to be said: This is all PR stuff. Everyone's trying to position themselves. That's been how it's gone for almost four years now. Golden Boy is trying to look good, Mayweather is trying to look good, Manny is trying to look good, Top Rank and Freddie and everyone else are trying to look good. At the moment, I think Floyd, and by association Golden Boy, are winning the battle of public opinion. But that has happened before. And it's been the other way before.
This fight's not happening on May 5. That's the bottom line. I mean, we'll update you on any non-developments, but if you're the type who doesn't care anymore, you're good to ignore everything and wait for the announcements on who these guys will be facing in May and June.