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Pacquiao camp not looking for Mayweather clash - Schaefer

Manny Pacquiao edged a tight fight with Juan Manuel Marquez at the weekend © Getty Images

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Floyd Mayweather Jnr aide: No megafight

The prospect of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jnr meeting in the ring next year has lessened, with Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer telling ESPN.com that Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum is not interested in doing a deal.

A fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather Jnr would in all probability be the biggest grossing fight in history, such is the hype surrounding the pair. The two camps have failed to strike an accord for a number of years, but it was hoped that they would put together a deal to meet in 2012.

Mayweather Jnr has set a date of May 5 for a fight with an as yet unnamed opponent, with many hoping it would be Pacquiao. However, following Pacquiao's controversial victory over Juan Manuel Marquez it would appear the Filipino's camp are eyeing up a fourth fight with Marquez.

"We have been informed that Bob Arum is not interested in pursuing a fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao at this time," Schaefer told ESPN.com.

Schaefer said the notification came in an email from retired federal judge Daniel Weinstein, the mediator who has worked closely with the sides to settle numerous lawsuits and issues in recent years.

"The truth of the matter is that we received this afternoon an email from retired federal judge Daniel Weinstein, who has informed us that Top Rank is pursuing a rematch with Marquez and, therefore, is not interested in immediate talks for a possible Mayweather-Pacquiao fight," Schaefer said. "This is obviously as clear as it can be that they have no intentions of making a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. Therefore, Floyd Mayweather will have no other choice than to move on and identify and lock in another opponent for his ring return on May 5."

Arum told ESPN.com that he knew nothing about an email and claimed that nobody from his company had communicated anything about making - or not making - a possible Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.

But Arum did say: "We are pursuing a fourth fight with Marquez. As far as doing anything definitively, we aren't ready to do anything definitively. When we are ready to make a determination of what we are going to do, we will do it. We are not going to do this in the press. We will do what is in the best interest of ourselves and our client and make a decision when it's time to. If we decide we want to do a rematch with Marquez, there is no reason to sit down with Mayweather. If we want to explore a Mayweather fight, we will sit down with them. But I'm not going to sit down with them just because it's a good show."

To read extended interviews with Schaefer and Arum, click here to be taken to ESPN.com

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.