After Top Rank’s Bob Arum announced that Pacquiao has already agreed to all the terms laid out by Mayweather’s camp, Sam Watson, a close associate of Mayweather’s adviser Al Haymon, said the announcement for a May 2 bout is already “imminent.”
“They’re putting it together now,” Watson said in The Guardian. “They’re going to do a Showtime-HBO [joint pay-per-view] like they did last time with Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson. They’re working on the monies now and everything they’ve got to work on to make it happen.”
“I can’t wait. It’s going to be huge.”
Watson made the statement following a news conference that announced a multi-year agreement between NBC and Haymon Boxing. It is Watson who spoke on behalf of Haymon, who is known to avoid the press despite his image as the most powerful figure in the boxing industry.
“I believe it’s going to happen. I believe that everybody involved wants it to happen. I know Floyd wants it,” Watson said regarding the most-awaited fight.
People have been clamoring for the super fight for several years now but negotiations between the two camps have repeatedly fallen apart over various issues, including drug testing and the purse split.
But interest for the mega bout has been revived last November when Pacquiao dominated a defense-conscious Chris Algieri.
The Filipino immediately called out Mayweather for the fight “everyone wants to see.” Mayweather responded through an interview on CBS’ Showtime, saying that he wants it to happen on May 2.
A laborious but progressive negotiation process immediately followed and on Wednesday, Arum said Pacquiao has consented to all the terms laid out by the Mayweather side.
Among the conditions reportedly agreed upon are that the bout will be held on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and that the purse split will be 60-40, with Mayweather getting the upside of the share.
Pacquiao himself is waiting for Mayweather to formalize the deal.
“What I can only say is ano man ang mangyari sa mga susunod na araw, sisiguruhin kong magiging maganda ito para sa boksing at sa fans,” said the eight-division champion in a previous report.
“Hintayin na lang natin kung anong mangyayari. Ilang araw na lang naman,” he added.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
