By Vitali Shaposhnikov: Remember when the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Jr. talks began? Remember how the drama escalated and took control of the media and the general boxing public? Most importantly, do you remember how frustrated people were at Mayweather Jr. when he named his “absurd” price of $100 million to fight Pacquiao?
I remember most of it, and it makes me smile. The $100 million dollars that Mayweather Jr. requested seemed crazy and unreachable to nearly everybody. People called Mayweather Jr. every insulting name in the book, saying that asking for this amount is pathetic and uncalled for. I always thought that Mayweather Jr. will end up getting his $100 million, and have voiced my personal opinion numerous times.
Right now, today, after reading this article by FightHype.com (http://fighthype.com/pages/content10075.html?PHPSESSID=9db04490c67b7899b210bb1d82b0603f) my confidence in my belief is elevated to a new high. Mayweather Jr. is an extraordinarily smart businessman, and he will get this money to fight Pacquiao, and will get it soon!
It all started with a $50 million offer back in the day. With time, it grew to $65 million and people praying he take the fight. When he refused, he was once again labeled a coward and dismissed as someone that Pacquiao shouldn’t care to fight (and camp Pacquiao stated that they don’t care about fighting Floyd on many occasions). Now we have a $75 million dollar offer knocking on the door. Why? I thought that this fight was becoming too expensive for the promoters? It never will be.
Will Mayweather Jr. take this fight for the offer of $25 million guaranteed to sign, and $50 million after the deal is done? Not likely. Will he once again be aggressively criticized? Definitely. Will he still demand the $100 million? Undoubtedly.
Some people are probably wondering whether Mayweather Jr. would actually step up and fight if he got the money he asked for, and I would bet that he would. Remember, Pacquiao ran out of top notch quality opposition a while back, and Mayweather Jr. is his only big fight left in boxing. There is no substitute, and there is no way around it.
Manny Pacquiao: give Floyd the $100 million he wants. This is an opportunity that will never be outclassed. You have the ability to be in one of the biggest, if not the biggest, boxing event in history.
Are you fed up with the whole Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Jr. fiasco? I most definitely am. Do you think that interest in this fight has greatly declined since early 2010? I think it sure has. So what?
The venue will sell out in minutes, the promotion will be epic, the PPV sales will undeniably go through the roof of a previous record, and you will of course be paying money to see this fight.