Mayweather Disappoints Pacquiao

It was not as if the world was about to come to an end when Manny Pacquiao learned that Floyd Mayweather Jr. had opted to ignore a deadline set by promoter Bob Arum for him to make a statement regarding a proposed November 13 fight.

“I am very disappointed but we have no choice but to move on,” said Pacquiao when Arum told him the bad news.

“I have always wanted to please the (boxing) fans. That’s why I badly wanted to fight Mayweather. This is what the whole world wants to see,” said Pacquiao, who has to settle for a fight either with Mexican Antonio Margarito or Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto.

A deal can de made within the next seven or ten days, according to Arum, and this was not contested by Pacquiao’s consigliore, Mike Koncz, who is in the US attending to very important matters concerning the pound-for-pound king’s needs.

“It wouldn’t take long before we get a deal made,” said Koncz, who expects to return to Manila on Thursday with a deal in hand.

Koncz has been in constant touch with Arum as they work on the finalization of an agreement.

Four cities are bidding to host a Pacquiao fight: Abu Dhabi (in the United Arab Emirates), Dallas, Las Vegas and Monterrey (in Mexico).

If Pacquiao decides to meet Margarito, Las Vegas and Monterrey will slug it out to stage it and if it’s Cotto, it’ll be a tossup between Dallas and Abu Dhabi.

Koncz said fighting outside the US has a distinct allure since Mexico doesn’t collect taxes on purses.

“It’ll save Manny millions in taxes if he ends up fighting outside the US,” stressed Koncz, noting that 30 percent of earnings goes to the IRS.

Still, Koncz is hopeful that Pacquiao and Mayweather would eventually find each other on opposite corners.

“Maybe next year (in May 2011),” said Koncz.

Meanwhile, Top Rank is dying to know the schedule of Pacquiao, who also has a new role being Sarangani congressman, so it could map out the promotional activities being lined up.

“We have to see what the congressman’s schedule looks like (before we plan anything),” said Top Rank publicist Ricardo Jimenez. “We have a boxer (who is) like no other,” said Jimenez.

Nick Giongco, Manila Bulletin