• Boxing

Floyd-Pacquiao on 'if they cut the crap' - Arum

Manny Pacquiao's next fight after beating Brandon Rios is lined up for April 12 © Getty Images

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The much-vaunted potential megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather could still be possible "if both sides cut out the crap," according to the Filipino's promoter Bob Arum.

Pacquiao reignited a stagnating career after beating Brandon Rios by unanimous decision at The Venetian casino in Macau on Sunday. The win followed a contentious points defeat to Timothy Bradley last year and a brutal knockout at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez.

His next fight is tentatively scheduled for April 12, according to Arum, and is likely to be held in the United States. One option is a rematch with Bradley, while another bout with Marquez could also be arranged. Russian Ruslan Provodnikov has also been mooted as a possible opponent.

However Pacquiao himself reignited calls for a showdown with Mayweather after dispatching Rios, saying "I am willing to fight Floyd, so it's up to him." Now Arum says making the fight the world wants to see is a possibility.

"I know it's a fight that should happen and where there is a will there is a way," Arum said. "If all sides cut out the crap, it can be done."

Pacquiao turns 35 next month, while Mayweather intends to retire after honouring the remaining four bouts of his six-fight megabucks contract with Showtime/CBS. Pacquiao would stand to rake in more than $50 million were he to fight Mayweather.

Several problems still stand in the way of the fight, however. Pacquiao has a contract with rival US cable company HBO, though a deal could surely be negotiated. But issues like purse split and drug testing, which have previously scuppered all possibility of the fight taking place, are likely to be factors again.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao is to return to the Philippines to visit the typhoon-devastated city of Tacloban in the coming days. The Filipino Congressman, a national hero in his country, had vowed after his win to travel to the epicentre of Typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 5,000 people dead and three million homeless earlier this month.

"I promised them that after the fight I would go to Tacloban to visit them," Pacquiao said. "As soon as possible we will finalise the date, what day."

Big screens were set up in the city's plaza to allow fans to watch Pacquiao's victory, handing them a much-needed morale boost amid the devastation. Pacquiao had instinctively tried to leave his training camp in the southern city of General Santos when the storm hit to try and aid those who had been affected, but was talked out of it by trainer Freddie Roach who told him the best thing he could do to help out would be to win the fight and lift the nation's spirits.

"It was very difficult for me, I felt so bad for what happened," Pacquiao said after Sunday's fight. "I wanted to visit there but because of my training I could not, so I was just praying for them and sent my staff to bring them help. This fight is for the families and the people affected by the typhoon - I am just happy that God answered my prayer."

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