Manny Ducking Mayweather! Get Real!

By: Phil Kane
Now that WBC Welterweight Champion, Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. has had his jail sentence postponed due an alleged contact obligation for a fight May 5th the self proclaimed pound for pound champion has called out Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao. Mayweather earlier this week twittered calling Pacquiao a punk somehow leaving many feeling that it is Pacquiao that is ducking the fight.

When you consider the facts there is no way that Pacquiao or his promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank are ducking Mayweather.

First the fight should have been made two years ago as both fighters skills are naturally fading just due to time and possibly with Manny Pacquiao's new role as a Congressman may have diminished his willingness to go to war, something that has elevated him to the stature he is present at.

I am sure like most top athletes that there is ego involved on both sides but it was Mayweather doing all the demanding. That's right demanding not negotiating.

The first big demand, Olympic style drug testing. Sure that's OK but one could speculate that after a very long and prestigious amateur career Mayweather a Bronze Medalist for the United States at the 1996 Olympics is more than familiar with the whole drug testing issue bringing to mind the question of , why now? Why at age 30 after 90 amateur fights including the US Nationals and Olympic trials and 40 pro fights is performance enhancing drugs his deal.

AS far as the drug testing goes Pacquiao never disagreed with the testing just the timing. No not needles or any of that other nonsense how about the fact that Mayweather wants it done by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and they don't leave the US.

The International Olympic Committee uses the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) the group that Pacquiao agreed to have do the testing, so what's the problem? The problem that arises is that with the Mayweather demanding it be done by the USDA and they do not leave the US, Mayweather would be forcing Pacquiao change his usual two stage training regiment. Pacquiao does the majority of his conditioning at home in the Philippines where he can also take care of his obligations as a Congressman then come to the US to train at Freddie roaches Wild card gym in California.

Pacquiao even said he would do the testing under the WADA while in the Philippines then add the testing by the USDA while in the US. It is Mayweather who perpetuates that secured that block.

There is also the choice of venue. As far as the choice of venue it is usually negotiated why should Pacquiao just follow Mayweather's demand of the date and venue, particularly now that Las Vegas has pulled down it's pants and showed it's ass postponing "Money" Mayweather's jail time as his lawyers claimed his May 5th date will bring in a billion dollars in revenue.

As far as the purse split Pacquiao just wants a simple 50-50 split of all moneys with Mayweather wanting a bigger cut of the PPV.

Bob Arum whose job is to look out for his fighter wants a bigger venue citing that the MGM Grand ballroom only seats 17,000 they should hold the fight in a temporary arena that will be put up in one vacant lot along The Strip, one that can seat more than 40,000 increasing the cash receipts over 30 million dollars. The other question is did Mayweather lead the judge to believe it was Manny Pacquiao he would be fighting on May 5th helping that ploy. And one has to wonder if the judge who postponed the sentence knew what Bob Arum had in mind Mayweather would be serving his time enabling him to get out in time to train at the bigger venue just a bit later.

Then there is also the fact that Pacquiao is still waiting medical clearance for the 27 stitches he suffered in the Marquez bout.

Promoter Bob Arum, Pacquiao chief adviser, and "Pac Man" himself have said Pacquiao is ready to fight Mayweather in May just not at the MGM and not on the 5th. So what's the real hold up?

Many see the ball in Pacquiao's court but I only see it that way if Pacquiao is expected to cave on all fronts giving Mayweather just what he wants. Ask me Pacquiao should follow up on his jimmy Kimmel idea of calling Mayweather out on a specific date, specific venue pay all obligations to both teams and all parties involved then winner takes all. Odds Mayweather doesn't go for it, but isn't that almost what he wants Pacquiao to do?

Oh, by the way no more please just lets us know when its done or officially over your killing the draw of a fight that a trilogy could have already been done.