Bob Arum is confident Mayweather will accept mega-fight

Bob Arum is once again back in the media talking about a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. Yes, yes, I know so many of you are groaning out there as this topic has been beaten to death over the past several years, but perhaps its better late than never. So, in an effort to not completely ruin your morning, I'll just give you a quick rundown.

Arum says both Showtime and HBO are dying to make the fight happen and that "they can find a way to promote and satisfy both sides from a legal basis." Great. If true, that takes care of the network issue...

"With Showtime wanting the fight and HBO wanting it and Manny and Top Rank wanting the fight, there is one little step to take and that's to see where Floyd stands and we're optimistic that this time, Floyd will bite the bullet and do the fight on equitable terms," says Arum.

"I think it's going to happen and I am very optimistic (of it taking place)," he continued.

Manny Pacquiao believes Floyd will have no choice but to succumb to the pressure which will presumably be applied by Showtime.

"He doesn't have a choice but to accept," said Pacquiao.

I think this is where a slight misstep takes place by Pacquiao. Don't dare Floyd not to take the fight! We all know the pride and ego that exists on all sides, which has prevented this fight from taking place thus far, and I think trying to play the game of boxing Floyd into a corner (pun slightly intended) may not suit their goals.

Then again, since Showtime broke the bank for Mayweather, all sans the Canelo fight have performed underwhelmingly on PPV. Should this rematch with Maidana mirror the numbers of the first fight, which were rumored to be around 800,000 buys, Showtime might well indeed put together a hard sell for the mega-fight in an attempt to get their money's worth out of Floyd.