The RedCafe Boxing Thread

Mayweather-Pacquiao may be a step closer, Manny apparently agreeing terms:

http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/12164550/manny-pacquiao-agrees-terms-fight-floyd-mayweather -
Pacquiao agrees to fight Mayweather

The fight the world has wanted to see for the better part of six years -- a long-awaited summit meeting between welterweight champions Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, the two top boxers in the world -- is not done, but it has cleared a major hurdle.

Pacquiao and Top Rank, his promoter, have agreed to terms for a May 2 bout, Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti told ESPN.com on Tuesday night, although Mayweather has not yet agreed to terms and it remains to be seen if he will.

"Top Rank and Manny have agreed to the terms on our side. I don't know about the other side," Moretti said.

Nobody from Mayweather's camp could be reached for comment. Yahoo! Sports initially reported the development.

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum has been negotiating the bout for the past couple of months through Leslie Moonves, the president and CEO of CBS, which has two fights left on a six-fight contract CBS and subsidiary network Showtime signed Mayweather to in early 2013. Moonves, according to Arum, has been acting as a go-between in trying to hammer out Mayweather's end of the deal with adviser Al Haymon.

According to a source involved in the negotiations, Pacquiao has agreed to a 40 percent cut of the revenue, leaving Mayweather with the remaining 60 percent of a fight most believe will shatter every boxing box office record, including the all-time pay-per-view buy record of 2.4 million (Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya), the pay-per-view revenue record of $150 million (Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez) and the all-time gate record of $20 million (Mayweather-Alvarez).

If the fight is finalized, it would take place May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Moretti said. Mayweather has had his past 10 fights there, and Pacquiao has had five of his past seven bouts there.

Top Rank initially wanted to go in June to leave May 2 open for another major fight it is trying to finalize -- middleweight champion Miguel Cotto against former junior middleweight titlist Alvarez, a date Alvarez desperately wants to fight on because it is Cinco de Mayo weekend and he is Mexico's most popular active fighter.

But Top Rank gave in on the date, one Mayweather has insisted on, along with a host of other aspects of the fight.

The sides are so far along that they have drafted contracts, according to the Pacquiao side. While the Pacquiao camp agreed to terms, the attorneys on Mayweather's side indicated there were still open issues, although what they are is not clear, according to a source.

According to the Pacquiao side, everything was agreed to, including the gloves and drug testing. As far as the gloves go, each fighter would be able to select their own brand of 8-ounce gloves. Mayweather typically wears Grant gloves and Pacquiao fights in Cleto Reyes.

The drug testing protocol was the one open item that caused the fight to fall apart when it was first negotiated in late 2009 and early 2010. Mayweather wanted Pacquiao to submit to random Olympic-style drug testing, and he declined to do the kind of testing Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs), who turns 38 in February, wanted.

However, Moretti said Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), 36, who has subjected himself (and his opponents) to random testing by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association for his recent bouts, has gone so far as to agree to use the United States Anti-Doping Agency, which has randomly tested Mayweather (and his opponents) for years.

"I think that Manny agreed to USADA testing shows you his eagerness to make this fight," Moretti said.

Mayweather and Pacquiao have been on a collision course since late 2009. Mayweather ended a nearly two-year retirement to easily outpoint Juan Manuel Marquez in September 2009, and two months later Pacquiao knocked out Miguel Cotto in the 12th round to win a welterweight title. Everything had been agreed to but the drug testing, including a 50-50 revenue split.

There have been various attempts over the years to try to make the fight, but it has never been as close as it was in 2009 as it is now.

Back then, Mayweather and Pacquiao were both associated with HBO, even though neither was under contract. In early 2013, Mayweather signed his contract with CBS/Showtime and still has two fights remaining with guarantees of at least $32 million per fight while Pacquiao is now under contract to HBO/Time Warner. Still, the networks are not an impediment to a deal.

Both networks have said that they are willing to work together for what would be a joint pay-per-view telecast, similar to what they did for another fight that had been demanded by the public for years -- the 2002 heavyweight championship fight between then-champion Lennox Lewis, who was under contract to HBO, and Mike Tyson, who was with Showtime.
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Seems like it's all over to Floyd now, hope he doesn't duck it.
 
For anybody interested, here's the All Access program ahead of Stiverne-Wilder tonight...



Haitian WBC heavyweight champion Bermaine Stiverne - 24W (21 KO), 0D, 1L (1 KO)
American challenger and bronze medalist Olympian Deontay Wilder - 32W (32 KO), 0D, 0L
 
Maccaa said:
What's this fight being shown on?
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Boxnation this side of the pond, live from 2:30am. Fight is in Vegas so expect a 4am start for this at the very earliest. Probably heading closer to 5am mind.

Showtime in America.

Leo Santa Cruz defends his WBC super bantamweight world title on the undercard. A future opponent of Frampton or Quigg you'd imagine.
 
FC Ronaldo said:
Boxnation this side of the pond, live from 2:30am. Fight is in Vegas so expect a 4am start for this at the very earliest. Probably heading closer to 5am mind.

Showtime in America.

Leo Santa Cruz defends his WBC super bantamweight world title on the undercard. A future opponent of Frampton or Quigg you'd imagine.
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Cheers. Not seen Deontay Wilder fight yet but I've heard great things. Not really watched much boxing the past few months but looking too get back into it now. I'll probably have a few hours sleep before it and wake up for the under card.
 
Well that fight proved Wilder can go 12 rounds, but it also proved his power at the top level is normal not unbelievable by the look of his record, he actually boxed but he was let box by stiverne let him box his ring management was crap he took the centre but no cutting off wilder made it easy for wilder to walk away from him.

Still wilder can only beat what was put in front of him it was a test but not against the best, i can see Haye talking him self in to a fight with him later on this year after a tune up.
 
Wilder boxed brilliantly. Even though he didn't get Stiverne out of there he still showed great power and dominated from start to finish. Stiverne has a decent chin which is why he went the distance and he did catch Wilder with some good shots but he failed to cut the ring and didn't do enough to win more than two rounds imo.

Wilder should now look at getting Wlad in the ring or Fury.
 
Fury will be next for Wilder I reckon. Don't think Haymon will want Wilder going anywhere near Wlad. At least not until Wlad has had a few fights in the US and the match-up will do good PPV buys.
 
Kazi said:
Fury will be next for Wilder I reckon. Don't think Haymon will want Wilder going anywhere near Wlad. At least not until Wlad has had a few fights in the US and the match-up will do good PPV buys.
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Cant see hi fighting Fury, i think he will take a leaf out of Wlads book and take on a small man and do it like Wlad and keep him at arms length like he did for most of last night, I could see Fury beating him even with his limitations fury is a better operator in the ring and is taller than wilder so the jab to keep him away will be less effective.
 
christy87 said:
Cant see hi fighting Fury, i think he will take a leaf out of Wlads book and take on a small man and do it like Wlad and keep him at arms length like he did for most of last night, I could see Fury beating him even with his limitations fury is a better operator in the ring and is taller than wilder so the jab to keep him away will be less effective.
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Yeah, Fury is far too much of a risk for his first defense. He will probably take a couple of easy fights before doing anything interesting.
 
All judges scored the 2nd round a 10-8 in Wilder's favour despite the ref ignoring a clear knockdown. For once, it's good to see some decent boxing judging. So rare these days.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
Yeah, Fury is far too much of a risk for his first defense. He will probably take a couple of easy fights before doing anything interesting.
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Which is why i can see him taking on Haye maybe as his second fight and after haye gets a fight, he is off a 2 year lay off and major injury, probably wont be as strong, but is still a big name in boxing and 2 trash talkers can make a lot of money, oh yea he is shorter as well.
 
christy87 said:
Cant see hi fighting Fury, i think he will take a leaf out of Wlads book and take on a small man and do it like Wlad and keep him at arms length like he did for most of last night, I could see Fury beating him even with his limitations fury is a better operator in the ring and is taller than wilder so the jab to keep him away will be less effective.
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Maybe not straight away but I think that's a fight all parties want. Fury garners interest in the US. Did 4m viewers on CBS vs Steve Cunningham!
 
christy87 said:
Which is why i can see him taking on Haye maybe as his second fight and after haye gets a fight, he is off a 2 year lay off and major injury, probably wont be as strong, but is still a big name in boxing and 2 trash talkers can make a lot of money, oh yea he is shorter as well.
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There is a video on YouTube on Haye rocking Wilder in sparring and apparently wilder struggled badly against him. There are supposedly chin issues with him so I get the feeling that his camp might be wary of Haye.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
There is a video on YouTube on Haye rocking Wilder in sparring and apparently wilder struggled badly against him. There are supposedly chin issues with him so I get the feeling that his camp might be wary of Haye.
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Just saw it there and he did rock him with head gear on as well, also one thing i noticed last night Wilder looks like he skips leg days.
 
I think Wilder's 'weak chin' is overstated. Took some hard shots from a big puncher last night and never looked too fazed.

In other news, Cotto's ducking Canelo.
 
Froch's fight with Chavez Jr in Vegas is off due to an injury to his elbow.

Meanwhile...

 
Khan fighting at Wembley would need a very big name (or big talking point like Froch-Groves) to sell out...
 
ha_rooney said:
Khan fighting at Wembley would need a very big name (or big talking point like Froch-Groves) to sell out...
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Fully agree. Don't think he would sell half of the stadium on his own. It would need Mayweather, Pacquiao or an extended campaign to promote Brook to get the ticket sales required.

There are no other champions available at welterweight that he could use this for, Danny Garcia already cleaned him out at light welter and Khan has spoken of not really wishing to return to that weight too. Nor would a series of big domestic fights on the undercard come close to helping them sell it out without 1 of those 3 names.

Rumours that Floyd may be looking to target Cotto and take the MW strap from him. Could free up a WW title. Always a possibility that he's going for a soon to be vacated belt.

EDIT - just seen that Garcia is scheduled to fight Lamont Peterson anyway.
 
FC Ronaldo said:
Fully agree. Don't think he would sell half of the stadium on his own. It would need Mayweather, Pacquiao or an extended campaign to promote Brook to get the ticket sales required.

There are no other champions available at welterweight that he could use this for, Danny Garcia already cleaned him out at light welter and Khan has spoken of not really wishing to return to that weight too. Nor would a series of big domestic fights on the undercard come close to helping them sell it out without 1 of those 3 names.

Rumours that Floyd may be looking to target Cotto and take the MW strap from him. Could free up a WW title. Always a possibility that he's going for a soon to be vacated belt.

EDIT - just seen that Garcia is scheduled to fight Lamont Peterson anyway.
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Wouldnt be surprised if it was Pacman seeing as he is willing to travel for fights and Mayweather looks like he is facing cotto.
 
The only guy that Khan could potentially fight at Wembley is Brook. Floyd will never leave Vegas (needs those injections for his hands) and I doubt Manny would travel to London. Hearn will sell the shit out of Khan-Brook on Sky Sports News, and pack the undercard too.
 
Kazi said:
The only guy that Khan could potentially fight at Wembley is Brook. Floyd will never leave Vegas (needs those injections for his hands) and I doubt Manny would travel to London. Hearn will sell the shit out of Khan-Brook on Sky Sports News, and pack the undercard too.
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Brook just announced his next fight.
 
christy87 said:
Wouldnt be surprised if it was Pacman seeing as he is willing to travel for fights and Mayweather looks like he is facing cotto.
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Yeah you would have thought that Khan could only make Wembley viable with Mayweather or Pacquiao as his dance partner. Marquez as a outside bet? I would be very happy to see Khan - Pacquiao. Khan has an exceptional record against southpaws and that goes back to his amateur days. You would fancy Paquiao to KO him at some point, however.
 


Pacquiao has also been in London.

 
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The sad case of Jermain Taylor shows that boxing needs better regulation
The IBF middleweight champion faces trial for shooting his cousin and has now been arrested for aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a minor and marijuana possession. Taylor is in jail and is clearly a danger to himself and others, so why were boxing authorities so slow to remove his licence?
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Read on with the link below.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/qu...jermain-taylor-boxing-needs-better-regulation
 
:lol:

Mayweather and Pacquiao are at this moment sitting across from each other at some NBA game in a 'stare off'.

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This has to be staged, which is a good indicator that the fight is close to being agreed.
 
Mayweather walked over to Pacquiao at HT to have words. It was the first time they have met in person, apparently. Mayweather also gave him his number.

B8ZrmM_IIAAW_Ch.jpg


This is like WWE.
 
Mehh. Pacman is half the fighter he used to be. Mayweather will win easy. This fight is 5 years too late.
 
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