Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao will become a reality, says promoter

By David Anderson 19/11/2009

Manny Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum has vowed to make his superfight with Floyd Mayweather Junior a reality - even though he personally doesn't want it to happen. Arum has not worked with Mayweather since their acrimonious split in 2006 and would be quite happy to leave it that way.

The undefeated world pound-for-pound king accused Arum of not marketing him properly and was upset that he never featured on pay-per-view.

The Top Rank boss has his own list of grievances against Mayweather, but knows the sporting world is desperate to see the two best fighters on the planet slug it out in what would be the richest fight in history.

"The only reason I want this Mayweather fight is because the public want it so badly," said Arum. "Boxing is on a real, real roll right now and I don't want to do anything to get it off that. But if that doesn't matter to him, OK, it doesn't matter to him. I have no problem.

"But I would feel I cheated the sport I've worked in for so long if I stood in the way of this fight happening. Because of that, I'll do everything in my power to try to make it happen. Do I really want this happening, though? Other than that, the answer is no."

Arum is confident he can work with Golden Boy chief Richard Schaefer to make the fight happen, although he warned Mayweather not to mess him and Pacquaio around.

"Richard and I are business friends," he said. "We have a good relationship, if competitors can have a good relationship. I would describe as good the way we work with each other. Richard is a business guy and is a smart guy and we would have very, very few problems in negotiations.

"Once he's authorised, things will proceed. I'm not going to play Mayweather's games, though. I'm not going to let my fighter play Mayweather's games.

"If Mayweather wants to fight Pacquiao and make a lot of money, he can do so. But God love him, no one is forcing him to fight and if he wants to play games or he doesn't want the fight, he can do what he wants."

boxing fans want this fight because it's the two best boxers on the planet, the people involved should want the fight because it'll be the richest fight in history. if floyd really is a " money" mayweather then he should be licking his lips screaming " if it makes dollars, it makes sense" while running around his house.

It's not only the two best boxers on the planet. It's also the two most popular boxers on the planet. You don't need me to tell you that has bonanza written all over it.

it's going to be huge. i just can't see how this fight doesn't happen with the amount of money involved.