Old school sportwriters like me never tire of poking their noses when they sense something earth-shaking may be breaking out sooner or later.
That’s because I hear some sensitive movements around the boxing community that some movers and shakers are beginning to fuel interest anew on a second confrontation between undefeated retired world welterweight king Floyd “Money” Mayweather and our Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao.
This development came about after the Inoue-Fulton superbantamweight championship duel won via KO by “The Monster”.
This is no useless chatter as I do not engage in it.
(To keep themselves busy, Floyd and Manny are both “happy’ to be locked in exhibition fights.)
There is a boxing group based in LA that is presently engaging the Mayweather camp in exploratory talks about the matter
The resource person I talked to conveyed to me about the enthusiastic response from a reliable person representing the former four-weight division American world champion.
It seems that a close friend of the Pacman has also been able to reach out to him. In principle, our boxing icon has reportedly given his assent to explore the subject further, given that the former Sarangani senator has been really aching and eager to avenge his defeat to Mayweather in 2015.
My resource person said the boxing promotions company is offering both fighters the same amount of (yet undisclosed) prize money (guaranteed) and the fight date is tentatively set by May next year.
Assuming the fight contract is signed in the next couple of months, then there would at least be six months to promote the highly explosive and long-awaited grudge rematch of the world’s two most celebrated boxing legends.
Venue would either be the boxing capital of the world, Las Vegas, or in a newly-constructed 75,000 seat arena in the Philippines.
My source said since both fighters are no longer current champions and hold no belt to their respective names, the vacant welterweight division of another boxing organization will be put up at stake.
The 12-round title fight will have a PPV to be handled by a US-based media company.
So far, these have been the initial movements.
If this proceeds to step 2, a lawyer from the boxing promotions company will discuss with both camps the details of the fight contract.
It’s been 8 years hence. (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com). GOD BLESS THE [PHILIPPINES!
