Manny Pacquiao insists that his next bout should be the long-anticipated clash with the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. The American responded on Twitter, urging ‘The Pac-Man’ to “Step up, Punk”.
From his home country of the Philippines, the eight-division world champion expressed again his intention to face Mayweather.
“I’ve repeated it many times and I will say it once more: I want Floyd Mayweather Jr. as my next opponent, and my decision has not changed despite recent events,” stated the 33-year-old.
Recently, a Las Vegas judge decided that Mayweather could commence his 90-day jail sentence on June 1, following his guilty plea concerning domestic violence charges. Although originally required to report to jail on January 6, the judge postponed the sentence to permit the 34-year-old to compete on May 5 at the MGM Grand.
This surprising ruling sparked fresh speculation that a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao bout could finally be on the horizon.
On Twitter, Mayweather joined the conversation on Tuesday, saying, “Manny Pacquiao, I’m calling you out—let’s fight May 5th and give the world what they want to see.”
“My Jail Sentence was delayed because the date was set. Step up, Punk.”
However, before anything can be confirmed, an agreement still needs to be reached between Pacquiao and his promoter, Bob Arum.
“I will meet with my promoter, Bob Arum, on Tuesday and I will push for the Mayweather fight to be prioritized,” said Pacquiao, who boasts a record of 15 consecutive victories since 2005.
“I will fight whoever the fans want to see in the ring. It’s up to my promoter to decide who I face because that’s his job. My job is to fight; everyone needs to understand that.”
Bob Arum, age 80, has expressed his preference against staging the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight at the MGM Grand, which has a capacity of 16,800. He suggested the construction of a larger temporary venue in Las Vegas for the bout or possibly hosting it at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Pacquiao also has other potential challengers, such as light welterweight champion Tim Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez, or Miguel Cotto.
In their third matchup, Pacquiao won a disputed decision against Marquez in November, and he achieved a TKO victory over Cotto in November 2009.
by Buford Balony
