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Pacquiao demands serious Mayweather talks

Manny Pacquiao will next face Chris Algieri in Macau © Getty Images

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Manny Pacquiao has called on Floyd Mayweather to sit down and discuss the superfight between the two men that is his 'one goal' left in boxing.

Pacquiao, who is preparing for a welterweight title defence against Chris Algieri on November 22, insisted he wanted to deliver the fight boxing fans have been calling for, despite years of failed negotiations and flimsy excuses.

"I do have one specific goal and that is to give the boxing fans the fight they have always asked for," Pacquiao said. "I want that fight [with Mayweather] too."

Khan has his say

Amir Khan's next fight is with Devon Alexander © Getty Images

• Amir Khan has told ESPN that target Manny Pacquiao is past his peak and age and distractions have begun to get the better of him.
  
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However, Pacquiao called on Mayweather's camp to get round the table to discuss the bout, saying it is hard to make a fight happen when only one side is talking about it seriously.

"I believe good-faith negotiations could produce that fight," he said. "But it is impossible to negotiate when you are the only one sitting at the table. Two fighters who want to fight each other have never been kept from fighting each other."

One stumbling block holding back the fight has been the fact that the two boxers have signed deals with rival American TV networks. Airing rights for Pacquiao fights are owned by HBO, while Mayweather has a contract with CBS/Showtime.

Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum, however, claimed the two networks can work together on a joint pay-per-view scheme in a similar manner to the 2002 heavyweight championship fight between Lennox Lewis, then under contract to HBO, and Mike Tyson, then with Showtime.

But the promoter also voiced similar concerns to Pacquiao's over the chances of Mayweather agreeing to the fight.

"How can I talk for Mayweather?," Arum said on a conference call promoting the Algieri fight. "As far as the Pacquiao fight is concerned with Mayweather, as much as a lot of people surrounding it would want it to happen, myself included and Manny included, Floyd is reluctant to fight Manny Pacquiao, period. If people don't see that by now, they are never going to see it.

"In as far as if Chris Algieri wins the fight against Manny Pacquiao, then there is a provision in the contract for a rematch. If he beats Pacquiao then beats Manny in a rematch and Floyd wants to fight him, that's not my business - that's up to [Algieri promoter] Joe DeGuardia and it's up to the Mayweather camp."

Following his second victory against Marcos Maidana in September, Mayweather was typically non-committal when asked about the prospect of a Pacquiao fight.

"We don't know what the future holds for Floyd Mayweather," he said. "As of right now, I will enjoy my time off. We don't know who we gonna be fighting next. I don't even think about Pacquiao. I don't even know him actually. But I wish him nothing but the best. But that's not my focus. I could care less about what Pacquiao does. I don't wish anything bad on the man. I try not to focus on no one else's business.

"If it happens, it happens. You guys can keep asking the same questions over and over. I move when I want to, where I want to, and how I want to."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd