• Manny Pacquiao v Floyd Mayweather Jnr

Pacquiao 'in talks with Mayweather'

ESPN staff
November 24, 2011
Floyd Mayweather Jnr's hopes of fighting Manny Pacquiao have been boosted © PA Photos
Enlarge

WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has made the shock revelation that talks have begun over a clash with Floyd Mayweather Jnr, the WBC king, on May 5.

Pacquiao was expected to face Juan Manuel Marquez in his next fight after their meeting earlier this month ended in controversial circumstances. The judges awarded the contest to Pacquiao, but most of those in attendance - and many respected commentators - disputed the decision as they felt Marquez won.

Following the rumpus, a rematch with Marquez looked likely for Pacquiao, but he has revealed that nothing is set in stone. That news comes as a boost to Mayweather, whose advisor revealed before the Marquez clash that the unbeaten American was interested in facing Pacquiao during 2012.

"Negotiations are ongoing for my fight with Mayweather, but nothing is final," Pacquiao said, according to abs-cbnnews.com. "Mayweather may be thinking 'I can fight Pacquiao now because he had trouble against Marquez, and I was able to beat up Marquez'."

Negotiations between the Mayweather and Pacquiao camps have traditionally been awkward, with the most recent discussions ending because of a dispute over the timing of blood testing. If no deal can be agreed, Mayweather has the option of Sergio Martinez, the WBC middleweight champion.

"To be considered one of the best pound-for-pound I just need this little push, a great fight with one of the two [Mayweather or Pacquiao]," Martinez said. "I feel as if I have achieved nothing yet in boxing. Nothing. If I quit tomorrow people would forget about me. I would even forget about myself."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices