Originally posted by historian larry
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Over the past two years, there's been a lot of uncertainty amongst fans and media alike regarding the events surrounding the negotiations for the mega-fight between pound-for-pound champions Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. In an effort to clear up the confusion, FightHype.com has put together an in-depth timeline detailing every major milestone that took place. From the moment that Floyd Mayweather came out of retirement to the minute that Manny Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum declared the fight to be off, all of the major events that dominated the headlines are included. Only the facts are included in this definitive timeline. Links to mulitple outside references have been included for each date, so fans can draw their own conclusions as to what went wrong at each step of the way.
Part 1 begins just a few months prior to Floyd Mayweather's return from retirement as fans and media were already buzzing about the idea of both men eventually facing each other. Although negotiations wouldn't officially begin until after Manny Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto on November 14, 2009, both sides were already stating their case to the media in the months leading up to that. Take a look back at the events that transpired which prompted Bob Arum to declare that the fight was off.
MARCH 19, 2009
Rumors surface that Mayweather is planning a ring return, the ultimate goal being a mega-fight with Pacquiao.
Less than a year after officially announcing his retirement, rumors quickly begin to surface that Floyd Mayweather is planning his return to the ring. Speaking to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, two unidentified sources revealed that Mayweather was willing to face anyone, but his ultimate target was a showdown with Manny Pacquiao. "He is coming back. I've been around him. He's ready to dance again very soon," said one source, who recently spent time with Mayweather and has known him for years. "He's itching to go. The way he sounded, he is willing to take on whoever they throw in his face. He would do the [Manny] Pacquiao-[Ricky] Hatton winner, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez. The only one he doesn't have an interest in is [a rematch with] Oscar De La Hoya. But in Floyd's mind, he knows there is one Godzilla, and that's a fight with Pacquiao," one source was quoted as saying.
APRIL 3, 2009
Pacquiao reveals that he heard from Mayweather's camp that he was indeed returning.
Speaking to Michael David Smith of AOL Fanhouse, Manny Pacquiao reveals that he head from Mayweather's camp that Floyd Mayweather would indeed be returning to the ring. "I think he's going to fight again. He's not really retired...I heard from Floyd Jr.'s camp that he's coming back to the ring," Pacquiao explained. "For me -- if I'm Floyd -- I would fight a tune-up fight and then fight me," Pacquiao continued. "That's for me, but I don't know what his plan is. He might want to fight me right away."
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APRIL 16, 2009
Bob Arum says he's unsure about the idea of matching Manny Pacquiao with Floyd Mayweather at 147 pounds.
As rumors of Floyd Mayweather's return to boxing continue to grow, fans and media alike become infatuated with the idea of a mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao. Promoter Bob Arum, however, tells several members of the media that he's unsure about the possibility of matching Manny Pacquiao with Floyd Mayweather in a welterweight bout. "The question with a Mayweather fight is at what weight? That's the big question. At 140, I don't think there's any problem making that fight. If Floyd wants to come in at a higher weight, I don't know. A catch-weight is a possibility also. But none of that has been discussed and I won't let anyone discuss it until after this fight," Arum explained. "But he could go **** himself. Tell him that! **** Mayweather. Pacquiao's the big attraction. He has to come to us if he wants it. If he doesn't come to us, there's dozens of other guys we can fight."
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APRIL 17, 2009
More sources reveal that Floyd Mayweather is indeed coming out of retirement to face Juan Manuel Marquez.
After spending just a little over a year in retirement, sources revealed that Floyd Mayweather has already picked an opponent for his comeback, Juan Manuel Marquez, who officially challenged Mayweather during an interview after his title-winning victory over Juan Diaz. "If Floyd Mayweather is the best, then I want to fight the best," Marquez said during the post-fight interview on HBO. "I want to move up [to welterweight]. He is the best and I want him."
MAY 2, 2009
Floyd Mayweather officially announces his return.
Several hours before Manny Pacquiao was scheduled to face off against Ricky Hatton, Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions held a press conference where Floyd Mayweather officially announced his return to the ring to face Juan Manuel Marquez. "That's right. I'm back and you can all get ready for another chapter of the Mayweather experience," said Mayweather. "I told my CEO Leonard Ellerbe from the start that I wanted to come back fighting the best fighters out there and Juan Manuel Marquez is one of the best in boxing today."
MAY 2, 2009
Pacquiao impressively defeats Ricky Hatton via knockout.
After just 2 rounds, Manny Pacquiao literally brings an end to Ricky Hatton's career, dropping him in the first round before rendering him unconscious in the second.
MAY 4, 2009
Freddie Roach says he's not interested in Pacquiao fighting Mayweather at 147 pounds.
Although Manny Pacquiao is confident that he can fight as a welterweight, his trainer Freddie Roach says that he's not interested in fighting Floyd Mayweather at 147 pounds any time soon. "At the right weight? No problem. At 147? Forget it," Roach said. "Manny doesn't need it. Manny's best weight is 140."
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MAY 7, 2009
Rumors surface that Mayweather wants a 60-40 split in his favor to face Pacquiao.
Despite the fact that he has yet to face Juan Manuel Marquez and negotiations for a Pacquiao fight have yet to begin, rumors already begin to surface that Floyd Mayweather expects a 60-40 split in his favor in order to make a fight with Manny Pacquiao a reality.
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MAY 15, 2009
Roach says Mayweather is not getting a 60-40 split.
Again, although negotiations have yet to begin, trainer Freddie Roach makes it clear that a 60-40 split in Mayweather's favor is not going to work. "Both fighters have egos. Mayweather wants a 60-40 split. He's not going to get that with Manny. I know for sure Manny won't accept anything like that," Roach stated during an interview.
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MAY 22, 2009
Roach reiterates that Mayweather is not getting a 60-40 split; says they don't plan on waiting for him to make Pacquiao's next fight.
During an in-studio appearance on ESPN's Friday Night Fights, trainer Freddie Roach reiterates to host Brian Kenny that Mayweather will not be getting a 60-40 split in his favor. Furthermore, Roach makes it clear that they don't plan on waiting around for the outcome of Mayweather's bout with Marquez to make a decision on their next move. "But the thing is we're not going to wait for this guy though. If something else comes up for us; he chose to fight somebody else. We're the top dog right now. If he wants to make the kind of money he's talking about, he has to fight Pacquiao because Pacquiao's the draw right now, not Floyd Mayweather...The hardest thing with Mayweather, he wants the 60/40 he's talking about, you know. Pacquiao's the number one guy. 60/40 our way will work. 60/40 his way, it's not happening."
MAY 27, 2009
Mayweather says Pacquiao is not getting a 50-50 split.
During an online chat with his fans, Floyd Mayweather makes it clear that Manny Pacquiao will never get a 50/50 split of the purse against him. "Pacquiao will never get 50/50. It'll be a cold day in hell before that happens," Mayweather stated, pointing to his pay-per-view numbers as proof that he's indeed the bigger draw. "We deal with facts. When he fought Oscar, he did 1.25 [million]. When I fought Oscar, we did 2.5 [million]. Against Hatton, they did 800 [thousand] and change. I did 930 [thousand] for the same fight. I did over a million in the UK and they did less than half of that."
MAY 31, 2009
Arum calls Mayweather delusional and says he may not even get a 50-50 split.
"You can tell Floyd Mayweather that Bob Arum said he's delusional," remarked promoter Bob Arum when asked what he thought about the rumors that Mayweather wanted a 60-40 split in his favor. "Floyd is not the attraction. Manny is the attraction. Floyd's got no idea what he's talking about," Arum continued as he countered Mayweather's comments about being the bigger draw. "Even a 50/50 split with Floyd Mayweather is nonsense."
MAY 31, 2009
Pacquiao names potential future opponents, but leaves the final decision up to his team.
In a feature column at PhilBoxing.com, Manny Pacquiao updated his fans on who his next opponent may be. Revealing that he had a number of options, including Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel, and of course Floyd Mayweather, Pacquiao insisted that he would not back down from any of them, but would not choose one in particular, instead leaving the decision in the hands of his team. "There's a lot of opponents who want to try and fight me because of my rank as the number one pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. I will not back down nor choose anyone. Just as long as my team chooses wisely and everything is fair and right, I will not back down," he commented.
JUNE 14, 2009
Mayweather's bout with Marquez postponed due to an injury.
Floyd Mayweather's July 18 return to the ring to face Juan Manuel Marquez is postponed due to a rib injury sustained by Mayweather while training. "I am extremely disappointed that this fight has to be postponed," said Mayweather. "I was training very hard and looking forward to getting back in the ring on July 18th."
JUNE 14, 2009
Arum reveals plans were already in the works for Pacquiao vs. Cotto; fight nearly finalized.
Shortly after Miguel Cotto won a controversial decision over Joshua Clottey, his promoter Bob Arum revealed that he already had preliminary discussions with the Puerto Rican champion about a potential fight with Pacquiao. "I would like for him [Cotto] to fight Manny Pacquiao...That would be a tremendous fight and I hope we can get it done for November," Arum stated. "I talked preliminarily with the Cotto people face-to-face at a meeting in Tampa when he was training for the [Joshua] Clottey fight...I laid out everything. Hopefully we'll have their answer and get it resolved with them by the end of the week. Both guys want to fight each other. When that happens, generally it can all come together."
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JUNE 18, 2009
Mayweather's bout with Marquez rescheduled for September.
After receiving clearance from his doctor, Floyd Mayweather's bout with Juan Manuel Marquez is officially rescheduled for September 19.
JULY 14, 2009
Mayweather offers to pay step aside money to Marquez; reiterates that a 50-50 purse split with Pacquiao won't happen.
During a conference call to promote his return to the ring, Mayweather offers to pay step aside money to Juan Manuel Marquez if Manny Pacquiao is willing to fight him. "If Manny really does want to fight me, all he's got do to is say it. We can pay Marquez to step aside, we can pay him $1 million. Is you ready? Let me know," Mayweather commented. He also made it clear that if the fight does take place, he will not be splitting the purse 50-50 with Pacquiao. "Bob Arum wants 50-50, that's why we'll never get that fight...We don't like to negotiate our personal business, but everybody knows [Pacquiao] is not going to get a 50-50 with Floyd Mayweather," he reiterated. "He hasn't done anything that I haven't done. He just followed behind me. It's like a T-bone steak. I eat all the meat off the steak and they threw him the bone...He hasn't called me out. I'm not hard to find. I ain't worried about him. With or without him, I'm comfortable. I'm happy. He don't make me. I don't chase opponents. Opponents chase me. The biggest fight in boxing is Mayweather versus anybody."
SEPTEMBER 15, 2009
Floyd Mayweather Sr. makes first insinuation that Pacquiao may be using PEDs.
Just days prior to Floyd Mayweather's first fight back since retiring, his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., shares his opinion about Manny Pacquiao to Josh Slagter of the Grand Rapids Press. "My honest opinion, I believe he's on some kind of supplements. Pacquiao, he is, if you see him now, he starts doing his stuff like this [shaking his head] all in front of the TV, you know what that's about...personally, myself, I don't think he can beat Lil Floyd with steroids in him or not. I just don't think he got...he don't have that kind of talent. He don't have that kind of skill, you know. Whatever he got in him, that's what they doing right now, man," Mayweather Sr. commented, suggesting that Pacquiao's recent success may be due to his use of "supplements".
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SEPTEMBER 19, 2009
Mayweather dominates Marquez.
Not even close! Floyd Mayweather dominates Juan Manuel Marquez, winning nearly every round on all three scorecards and limiting Marquez to landing only 69 punches out of 583.
OCTOBER 7, 2009
Bob Arum suggests Floyd Mayweather's next fight should be with Shane Mosley.
With Manny Pacquiao already scheduled to face Miguel Cotto in November, promoter Bob Arum suggests that Floyd Mayweather should fight Shane Mosley next. "The fight that should be made is Mayweather and Shane Mosley, but Mayweather won't take that fight. He won't take any fight where there is any possibility where he might lose," Arum would tell Rick Reeno of krikya360.com. "Money is secondary with him. He will not take a chance like a normal fighter. He cares more about his legacy and being able to retire undefeated so he could say that he never lost a fight." Arum also made it clear that he would not entertain anything less than a 50/50 split of the purse if they began negotiations after the Cotto bout. "If I start hearing 60/40, that just tells me to hang up and move on to the next guy," Arum added.
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NOVEMBER 14, 2009
Pacquiao dominates Cotto.
Manny Pacquiao continues his assault on the welterweight division, dropping Miguel Cotto twice before ultimately stopping him in the 12th round.
NOVEMBER 15, 2009
Golden Boy Promotions given green light by Mayweather to begin negotiations.
Less than two hours after Manny Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto on November 14, 2009, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer contacted the President of HBO Sports, Ross Greenburg, to inform him that he had been given permission by Floyd Mayweather to begin negotiations for a potential showdown. "He plans on meeting next week with Bob to make the Mayweather fight," revealed Greenberg just minutes after the phone call.
NOVEMBER 17, 2009
Multiple venues begin vying for the fight.
Reports begin to surface regarding a number of venues already vying for the chance to land the biggest financial fight in boxing history.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009
Rumblings about purse split issues surface again.
In an interview with Adam Smith of Sky Sports, Mayweather against states that should a bout with Pacquiao come to fruition, he deserves to get the lion's share of the purse. "I deserve the bigger piece of the pie. I've done more, I've been around the sport longer and I've been dominating longer. And nobody has beaten me yet. Like I said before, they trying to build a fighter to beat me. They built Ricky Hatton up, undefeated; it didn't happen. They constantly build these fighters up. It's not going to happen. When God wants me to lose, that's when I'll lose," Mayweather remarked.
NOVEMBER 22, 2009
Rumblings about purse split issues continue to grow.
Speaking to David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press, Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe reiterated their belief that Mayweather deserves the lion's share of the purse should a bout with Pacquiao be made. "Floyd has proved himself the undisputable champion and numbers don't lie. If the fight happens, he deserves the lion's share of the purse," Ellerbe stated.
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NOVEMBER 30, 2009
Disagreements arise regarding the date: March, May or September?
Negotiations would hit another minor bump in the road after Pacquiao confirmed his decision to run for Congress in the May 2010 general elections. HBO was hoping to target May 1st as the date for the potential showdown, but Pacquiao's candidacy for the May elections would've made it difficult for him to properly train for his toughest challenge inside the ring. Pacquiao was willing to fight sooner, in March, but Mayweather preferred the later date. Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, would reveal that promoter Bob Arum informed him that the bout would likely be pushed back to September.
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DECEMBER 1, 2009
Reports surface claiming that the bout is nearly finalized after Mayweather agreed to terms.
According to Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, sources informed him that the much-anticipated clash was already nearly finalized and reportedly set for March 13, 2010. No specifics details on the purse split, weight, or gloves were given, but Mayweather apparently agreed to all terms for a March 13 showdown, and Cowboys Stadium, the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the New Orleans Superdome were all venues said to be in the running to host the mega-fight at the time.
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DECEMBER 2, 2009
Arum travels to the Philippines to finalize details with Pacquiao.
According to sources, despite a few "minor" details that still needed to be ironed out, Mayweather had agreed to the biggest hurdles at the time, the purse split and the date of the bout, prompting Bob Arum to fly to Manila to meet with Pacquiao in-person to finalize their end of the deal.
DECEMBER 3, 2009
Freddie Roach and Bob Arum disagree on the date of the bout.
"March 13 is too fast a turnaround. Manny has a broken eardrum. I'd like to have more time," stated Freddie Roach when asked to comment on the status of negotiations. Roach seemed reluctant for Pacquiao to face Mayweather in March so soon after his November clash with Miguel Cotto. Arum, however, insisted that the fight must take place sooner rather than later due to Pacquiao's plans to run for Congress. "I am not here to interfere with his political life and March 13 doesn't.if he lets Mayweather off the hook now by not agreeing to the March 13 date because of politics here in this country, then we are never going to get him (Mayweather) in the ring," Arum explained.
DECEMBER 4, 2009
Pacquiao agrees to March 13 date, provided some "very minor" additional requests are met.
After meeting with Arum, Pacquiao agreed to terms for a March 13th clash. "I had a meeting this morning and we went over all the points and now I have to go back to the United States and sit with the Mayweather people and finalize some very minor aspects and then we'll have an announcement sometime next week," Arum proclaimed. Pacquiao's advisor, Michael Koncz, would reiterate that there were still some minor details that needed to be ironed out, stating, "Manny has some additional requirements, requests, which Arum didn't think was a problem." The "minor details" would be revealed later.
DECEMBER 4, 2009
Freddie Roach claims Mayweather wants to fight at 154 pounds with 10 oz. gloves.
According to Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach, the "very minor" details that still needed to be ironed out were the weight limit and glove size, as Mayweather allegedly only agreed to fight at 154 pounds with 10 oz. gloves. "There's always negotiations, like he [Mayweather] wants 10 oz. gloves, we want 8 oz. gloves, stuff like that; the weight he wants is 154 lb., we want 147, so there's some issues, but I think it can be solved. It's a tough fight because his style does give us difficulties, and we need to draft a plan for a new strategy. Yes, it's a tough fight, but it's a fight Manny wants."
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DECEMBER 5, 2009
Pacquiao allegedly signs a contract to face Mayweather.
According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, Manny Pacquiao officially signed a contract to face Floyd Mayweather. Just one day prior, it was reported that although both sides had agreed to initial terms, there were still some "minor details" that needed to be ironed out. According to Rafael, however, those details were apparently resolved and the Filipino icon allegedly put pen to paper to face Mayweather on March 13 in a welterweight (147-pound) bout using 8 oz. gloves for an agreed upon 50-50 split of the purse.
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DECEMBER 5, 2009
Pacquiao denies ever signing a contract to face Mayweather.
Oops! At least that's probaby what Dan Rafael of ESPN was thinking after just reporting that Pacquiao had indeed signed a contract to face Mayweather. "We haven't signed anything, although we think that that is a formality. But that won't happen until the end of negotiations," Pacquiao's advisor Michael Koncz would explain to Lem Satterfield of AOL Fanhouse. Pacquiao himself would confirm that statement. When asked directly if he had signed any contracts, Pacquiao replied, "No, because there are still some things that need to be negotiated. That would be premature and foolish. Nobody ever brought us a contract to sign. We agreed to everything in principle, but there are still some finer points that need to be negotiated." Those "fine points" would later be revealed.
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DECEMBER 7, 2009
Pacquiao requests $10 million per pound weight penalty.
Fearing that Mayweather may not make the agreed upon welterweight limit of 147 pounds, one of the "minor details" and "fine points" that Team Pacquiao requested was a weight penalty that would force Mayweather to pay $10 million for every pound over the maximum allowable weight. "Our concern is that Floyd might come in at 150 lbs during the official weigh-in (on the eve of the fight). Of course, we will not let this pass. We will put that particular provision in the contract," Pacquiao's lawyer, Franklin Gacal, explained. Without hesitation, Mayweather would agree to the request.
DECEMBER 9, 2009
A rift begins to grow over the venue: Cowboys Stadium or MGM Grand?
According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, Dallas Cowboys Stadium was no longer in the running as a potential venue after Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer canceled a planned trip with Bob Arum and HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg to meet with Dallas Cowboys officials to discuss a proposal to bring the megafight to the stadium. "I'm not going to Texas. I'm not going to do the fight in Texas. I'm not going to waste my time," was Schaefer's only explanation to Arum.
DECEMBER 10, 2009
Arum voluntarily removes himself from negotiations; blames Richard Schaefer.
Upset with Richard Schaefer's last-minute cancelling of their meeting with Dallas Cowboys officials, Bob Arum relinquishes negotiating duties to his stepson, Top Rank President Todd DuBoef. "I am so emotionally sick over this thing that I wash my hands of the negotiations completely. And I gave it Todd to save this thing. I told him that he can deal with them. I'm not dealing with them anymore. Todd DuBoef will be talking to them. As I said, I wash my hands completely of this whole thing.I think that Richard Schaefer must have an agenda, because I just don't deal with people that way. I feel totally humiliated. I really don't think that Floyd Mayweather has anything to do with it. Do I know for sure? No. But I can't see why Floyd would have an agenda here. I just can't see that," said Arum, placing blame on Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer.
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DECEMBER 11, 2009
Freddie Roach reveals rumor about a request for Olympic-style drug testing, but says they will agree.
In a video titled "Boxing Legend Freddie Roach Updates Us On Pacquiao" uploaded to YouTube on DECEMBER 11, 2009, Freddie Roach reveals the first hint about Mayweather's request for Olympic-style drug testing, telling roving reporter Elie Seckbach, "I hear negotiations are a little shady. Schaefer and them are unhappy about something. They want Olympic-style drug testing. I said, 'Yeah, no problem.' I said, 'Whatever you want.' Since we excepted that, now they're running scared again."
DECEMBER 12, 2009
Mayweather's request for Olympic-style drug testing is officially revealed.
The first reports of Mayweather's request for Olympic-style drug testing began to surface as Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe explained their stance that both fighters be subjected to random blood and urine testing in the weeks leading up to the March 13 fight. "Al and I made sure this will be implemented. It is going to be done. It's not a one-way thing, it's both fighters who are subject to testing. And this is not Floyd saying this. This is me and Al. This is one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport and the fans deserve it to be fair. Floyd's got nothing to do with this. It's our job to protect him and give him the best chance to be successful," Ellerbe would comment.
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DECEMBER 13, 2009
Michael Koncz says request for Olympic-style testing is a laughing matter and suggests they have no problem with it.
Speaking to Lem Satterfield of AOL Fanhouse, Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz, suggests that Mayweather's request for Olympic-style drug testing is a laughing matter and they have no concerns whatsoever about it. "Our reaction is, 'So what?' We know Manny doesn't take any illegal drugs or anything. And none of this is getting under Manny's skin or anything. I'm here with Manny, and to him, it's like a joke. It's a laughing matter," said Koncz. "It's something foolish anyway. Why would we be concerned? We know he doesn't do any of that ****."
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DECEMBER 19, 2009
MGM Grand reported as venue for March 13 bout.
Mulitple sources named the MGM Grand Garden Arena as the venue to host the mega-fight. Plans were already being made to announce the bout at a JANUARY 6 press conference in New York, followed by another press conference on JANUARY 8 in Los Angeles.
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DECEMBER 22, 2009
Golden Boy press release reveals Pacquiao is unwilling to agree to random Olympic-style blood and urine testing.
After reports had surfaced that both parties had agreed to all terms, Golden Boy Promotions released a press release revealing that Pacquiao was unwilling to comply with the Olympic-style drug testing requested by Team Mayweather. "Todd told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight. He, Pacquiao, would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference and after the fight," Schaefer would explain in the press release. Both Mayweather himself and Leonard Ellerbe were also quoted in the press release, reiterating their concern that "an elite athlete like Manny Pacquiao" would refuse an opportunity to ensure a "level of fairness" and a "level playing field" in a fight of this magnitude.
DECEMBER 23, 2009
Infuriated Bob Arum declares the fight is off; blames Mayweather.
Furious with Mayweather's unwillingness to change his stance on random blood testing, Arum declared the fight was off and that Pacquiao would be facing a different opponent. "We're going in a different direction. What I believe is that Floyd never really wanted the fight and this is just harassment of Pacquiao. We appeased Mayweather by agreeing to a urine analysis at any time, and blood testing before the press conference and after the fight. Mayweather pressed for blood testing even up to the weigh-in. He knew that Manny gets freaked out when his blood gets taken, and feels that it weakens him. This is just harassment and, to me, just signaled that he didn't want the fight," Arum would tell David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press as he explained why he immediately rejected the request for random blood tests. "Nevada has stringent drug testing, right before the fight and after the fight. This is all a bunch of hooey and nonsense...Manny Pacquiao doesn't know anything about drugs. This is just typical nastiness by wise guys like (adviser Leonard) Ellerbe and Mayweather. They're just wise guys. I don't think Schaefer's to blame. I think he got ****** in by it," he continued, this time making sure to place full blame on Team Mayweather as opposed to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who was handling the negotiations at the time.
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DECEMBER 23, 2009
Arum issues first deadline for Mayweather to accept Team Pacquiao's terms.
Not long after declaring that the fight was off, Arum had a change of heart and offered Mayweather a 24-hour take-it-or-leave-it deadline to accept Team Pacquiao's terms for drug testing. "Manny has told me he doesn't want to be harassed. We're not jumping through hoops for Mayweather. I'm not going to take this," Bob Arum would remark, referring to Mayweather's request for random Olympic-style drug testing. Instead, Arum explained Pacquiao would only agree to blood tests more than 30 days before the fight and right after the fight. Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, would tell Lance Pugmire of the LA Times that he had no problems with the blood testing so long as they ended either 1 week or 72 hours before the bout. Leonard Ellerbe also revealed to Lance Pugmire that, according to officials at USADA, Pacquiao would not have to give a blood sample the day before the bout during the weigh-in. Despite agreeing that USADA wasn't likely to request a sample the day before the fight, Arum stood firm on his position, insisting that if Floyd Mayweather did not drop his demands for Olympic-style drug testing, the highly-anticipated clash would be off and Pacquiao would move forward to face a different opponent. Arum also instructed members of his staff to begin "working on another fight with Manny." Names that were tossed around included Yuri Foreman, Paulie Malignaggi and Juan Manuel Marquez.
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DECEMBER 23, 2009
Top Rank press release sent out explaining Team Pacquiao only willing to agree to 3 non-random blood tests.
Just hours later on the same day, Top Rank sends out a press release explaining their position on Mayweather's request for random Olympic-style drug testing. In it, Arum clarified that Pacquiao was willing to submit to as many random urine tests requested, but as far as random blood tests are concerned, he was only willing to subject himself to 3 tests: one in JANUARY, one 30 days from the bout (no later than February 13), and immediately after the fight. "Let's be very clear on the real issues we differ on. It's not about being tested. Manny is onboard with that since it's such a major concern of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. It's about who does the testing and the scheduling of the procedures. Manny will submit to as many random urine tests requested. Regarding the blood tests, he will subject himself to three tests; one given in JANUARY during the week the fight is formally announced, one thirty days from the fight, no later than February 13, and the final one immediately following the fight, in Manny's locker room. The major issue related to the testing rests with which independent agency will administer these tests. The United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) cannot do it because they will not amend its procedures to accommodate the blood testing schedule we have outlined. USADA, under its guidelines, would have the right to administer random blood tests as many times as they want up to weigh-in day and that is ludicrous," Arum explained.
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DECEMBER 23, 2009
Team Mayweather stands firm on request for random blood testing leading up to the bout.
That same day, Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe confirms that Team Mayweather is standing firm on their request for random Olympic-style blood and urine testing. "You got a superstition of getting pricked and with taking blood, but you got tattoos all over your body. Which one is it? You're afraid of needles, but you got tattoos all over your body," he commented, referring to Bob Arum's suggestion that Pacquiao "gets freaked out" when his blood is taken.
DECEMBER 25, 2009
Pacquiao announces plans to sue the Mayweathers and Golden Boy Promotions.
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr., Jr., and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard. I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc., to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world," said Pacquiao, who made the decision to file a lawsuit shortly after Team Mayweather refused to budge on their demand for random Olmpic-style blood and urine testing. Despite the timing of his decision, Pacquiao claimed he had been contemplating filing the lawsuit ever since Mayweather Sr. first made the accusations regarding his use of PEDs back in September, but he chose not to at the time to avoid being distracted as he prepared for his November bout with Miguel Cotto.
DECEMBER 25, 2009
Arum declares that the fight is officially off and Pacquiao would target Paulie Malignaggi instead; blames Schaefer again, not Mayweather.
"This fight is absolutely off. That's our position, period, is that we're moving on to Malignaggi. And if Mayweather loses this fight, and all of this money, then he has only one guy to blame, and that's Richard Schaefer. This is not Mayweather. This is Richard Schaefer," remarked Arum, still fuming over the press release sent out by Golden Boy Promotions 3 days prior, as he directed full blame back to Richard Schaefer. Despite the efforts of HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg to bring both sides together through mediation, Arum, who voluntarily removed himself from the negotiation process nearly two weeks prior, was no longer willing to continue working towards an agreement as long as Schaefer was still involved. "I called up Ross and I said, 'I'm not going to take part in any mediation or anything. I'm not going to deal with Richard Schaefer on instructions from my client. He's demeaned and libeled my client for no damn reason. And I'm just not going to take part in it. If they want to come back and have someone else represent them -- [Mayweather's adviser] Leonard Ellerbe -- or anybody else they want, then we can sit down and do this the right way with the Nevada Athletic Commission having complete jurisdiction over everything," Arum explained, reiterating that the only testing they would agree to was the testing already done by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. "Then, we would agree to pre-fight testing, urine analysis, blood-testing, whatever it took to get this fight done," said Arum. "But we'd only do it with the Nevada Athletic Commission. But for now, Manny has asked me to move on to Malignaggi."
Part 1 begins just a few months prior to Floyd Mayweather's return from retirement as fans and media were already buzzing about the idea of both men eventually facing each other. Although negotiations wouldn't officially begin until after Manny Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto on November 14, 2009, both sides were already stating their case to the media in the months leading up to that. Take a look back at the events that transpired which prompted Bob Arum to declare that the fight was off.
MARCH 19, 2009
Rumors surface that Mayweather is planning a ring return, the ultimate goal being a mega-fight with Pacquiao.
Less than a year after officially announcing his retirement, rumors quickly begin to surface that Floyd Mayweather is planning his return to the ring. Speaking to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, two unidentified sources revealed that Mayweather was willing to face anyone, but his ultimate target was a showdown with Manny Pacquiao. "He is coming back. I've been around him. He's ready to dance again very soon," said one source, who recently spent time with Mayweather and has known him for years. "He's itching to go. The way he sounded, he is willing to take on whoever they throw in his face. He would do the [Manny] Pacquiao-[Ricky] Hatton winner, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez. The only one he doesn't have an interest in is [a rematch with] Oscar De La Hoya. But in Floyd's mind, he knows there is one Godzilla, and that's a fight with Pacquiao," one source was quoted as saying.
APRIL 3, 2009
Pacquiao reveals that he heard from Mayweather's camp that he was indeed returning.
Speaking to Michael David Smith of AOL Fanhouse, Manny Pacquiao reveals that he head from Mayweather's camp that Floyd Mayweather would indeed be returning to the ring. "I think he's going to fight again. He's not really retired...I heard from Floyd Jr.'s camp that he's coming back to the ring," Pacquiao explained. "For me -- if I'm Floyd -- I would fight a tune-up fight and then fight me," Pacquiao continued. "That's for me, but I don't know what his plan is. He might want to fight me right away."
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APRIL 16, 2009
Bob Arum says he's unsure about the idea of matching Manny Pacquiao with Floyd Mayweather at 147 pounds.
As rumors of Floyd Mayweather's return to boxing continue to grow, fans and media alike become infatuated with the idea of a mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao. Promoter Bob Arum, however, tells several members of the media that he's unsure about the possibility of matching Manny Pacquiao with Floyd Mayweather in a welterweight bout. "The question with a Mayweather fight is at what weight? That's the big question. At 140, I don't think there's any problem making that fight. If Floyd wants to come in at a higher weight, I don't know. A catch-weight is a possibility also. But none of that has been discussed and I won't let anyone discuss it until after this fight," Arum explained. "But he could go **** himself. Tell him that! **** Mayweather. Pacquiao's the big attraction. He has to come to us if he wants it. If he doesn't come to us, there's dozens of other guys we can fight."
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APRIL 17, 2009
More sources reveal that Floyd Mayweather is indeed coming out of retirement to face Juan Manuel Marquez.
After spending just a little over a year in retirement, sources revealed that Floyd Mayweather has already picked an opponent for his comeback, Juan Manuel Marquez, who officially challenged Mayweather during an interview after his title-winning victory over Juan Diaz. "If Floyd Mayweather is the best, then I want to fight the best," Marquez said during the post-fight interview on HBO. "I want to move up [to welterweight]. He is the best and I want him."
MAY 2, 2009
Floyd Mayweather officially announces his return.
Several hours before Manny Pacquiao was scheduled to face off against Ricky Hatton, Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions held a press conference where Floyd Mayweather officially announced his return to the ring to face Juan Manuel Marquez. "That's right. I'm back and you can all get ready for another chapter of the Mayweather experience," said Mayweather. "I told my CEO Leonard Ellerbe from the start that I wanted to come back fighting the best fighters out there and Juan Manuel Marquez is one of the best in boxing today."
MAY 2, 2009
Pacquiao impressively defeats Ricky Hatton via knockout.
After just 2 rounds, Manny Pacquiao literally brings an end to Ricky Hatton's career, dropping him in the first round before rendering him unconscious in the second.
MAY 4, 2009
Freddie Roach says he's not interested in Pacquiao fighting Mayweather at 147 pounds.
Although Manny Pacquiao is confident that he can fight as a welterweight, his trainer Freddie Roach says that he's not interested in fighting Floyd Mayweather at 147 pounds any time soon. "At the right weight? No problem. At 147? Forget it," Roach said. "Manny doesn't need it. Manny's best weight is 140."
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MAY 7, 2009
Rumors surface that Mayweather wants a 60-40 split in his favor to face Pacquiao.
Despite the fact that he has yet to face Juan Manuel Marquez and negotiations for a Pacquiao fight have yet to begin, rumors already begin to surface that Floyd Mayweather expects a 60-40 split in his favor in order to make a fight with Manny Pacquiao a reality.
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MAY 15, 2009
Roach says Mayweather is not getting a 60-40 split.
Again, although negotiations have yet to begin, trainer Freddie Roach makes it clear that a 60-40 split in Mayweather's favor is not going to work. "Both fighters have egos. Mayweather wants a 60-40 split. He's not going to get that with Manny. I know for sure Manny won't accept anything like that," Roach stated during an interview.
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MAY 22, 2009
Roach reiterates that Mayweather is not getting a 60-40 split; says they don't plan on waiting for him to make Pacquiao's next fight.
During an in-studio appearance on ESPN's Friday Night Fights, trainer Freddie Roach reiterates to host Brian Kenny that Mayweather will not be getting a 60-40 split in his favor. Furthermore, Roach makes it clear that they don't plan on waiting around for the outcome of Mayweather's bout with Marquez to make a decision on their next move. "But the thing is we're not going to wait for this guy though. If something else comes up for us; he chose to fight somebody else. We're the top dog right now. If he wants to make the kind of money he's talking about, he has to fight Pacquiao because Pacquiao's the draw right now, not Floyd Mayweather...The hardest thing with Mayweather, he wants the 60/40 he's talking about, you know. Pacquiao's the number one guy. 60/40 our way will work. 60/40 his way, it's not happening."
MAY 27, 2009
Mayweather says Pacquiao is not getting a 50-50 split.
During an online chat with his fans, Floyd Mayweather makes it clear that Manny Pacquiao will never get a 50/50 split of the purse against him. "Pacquiao will never get 50/50. It'll be a cold day in hell before that happens," Mayweather stated, pointing to his pay-per-view numbers as proof that he's indeed the bigger draw. "We deal with facts. When he fought Oscar, he did 1.25 [million]. When I fought Oscar, we did 2.5 [million]. Against Hatton, they did 800 [thousand] and change. I did 930 [thousand] for the same fight. I did over a million in the UK and they did less than half of that."
MAY 31, 2009
Arum calls Mayweather delusional and says he may not even get a 50-50 split.
"You can tell Floyd Mayweather that Bob Arum said he's delusional," remarked promoter Bob Arum when asked what he thought about the rumors that Mayweather wanted a 60-40 split in his favor. "Floyd is not the attraction. Manny is the attraction. Floyd's got no idea what he's talking about," Arum continued as he countered Mayweather's comments about being the bigger draw. "Even a 50/50 split with Floyd Mayweather is nonsense."
MAY 31, 2009
Pacquiao names potential future opponents, but leaves the final decision up to his team.
In a feature column at PhilBoxing.com, Manny Pacquiao updated his fans on who his next opponent may be. Revealing that he had a number of options, including Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel, and of course Floyd Mayweather, Pacquiao insisted that he would not back down from any of them, but would not choose one in particular, instead leaving the decision in the hands of his team. "There's a lot of opponents who want to try and fight me because of my rank as the number one pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. I will not back down nor choose anyone. Just as long as my team chooses wisely and everything is fair and right, I will not back down," he commented.
JUNE 14, 2009
Mayweather's bout with Marquez postponed due to an injury.
Floyd Mayweather's July 18 return to the ring to face Juan Manuel Marquez is postponed due to a rib injury sustained by Mayweather while training. "I am extremely disappointed that this fight has to be postponed," said Mayweather. "I was training very hard and looking forward to getting back in the ring on July 18th."
JUNE 14, 2009
Arum reveals plans were already in the works for Pacquiao vs. Cotto; fight nearly finalized.
Shortly after Miguel Cotto won a controversial decision over Joshua Clottey, his promoter Bob Arum revealed that he already had preliminary discussions with the Puerto Rican champion about a potential fight with Pacquiao. "I would like for him [Cotto] to fight Manny Pacquiao...That would be a tremendous fight and I hope we can get it done for November," Arum stated. "I talked preliminarily with the Cotto people face-to-face at a meeting in Tampa when he was training for the [Joshua] Clottey fight...I laid out everything. Hopefully we'll have their answer and get it resolved with them by the end of the week. Both guys want to fight each other. When that happens, generally it can all come together."
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JUNE 18, 2009
Mayweather's bout with Marquez rescheduled for September.
After receiving clearance from his doctor, Floyd Mayweather's bout with Juan Manuel Marquez is officially rescheduled for September 19.
JULY 14, 2009
Mayweather offers to pay step aside money to Marquez; reiterates that a 50-50 purse split with Pacquiao won't happen.
During a conference call to promote his return to the ring, Mayweather offers to pay step aside money to Juan Manuel Marquez if Manny Pacquiao is willing to fight him. "If Manny really does want to fight me, all he's got do to is say it. We can pay Marquez to step aside, we can pay him $1 million. Is you ready? Let me know," Mayweather commented. He also made it clear that if the fight does take place, he will not be splitting the purse 50-50 with Pacquiao. "Bob Arum wants 50-50, that's why we'll never get that fight...We don't like to negotiate our personal business, but everybody knows [Pacquiao] is not going to get a 50-50 with Floyd Mayweather," he reiterated. "He hasn't done anything that I haven't done. He just followed behind me. It's like a T-bone steak. I eat all the meat off the steak and they threw him the bone...He hasn't called me out. I'm not hard to find. I ain't worried about him. With or without him, I'm comfortable. I'm happy. He don't make me. I don't chase opponents. Opponents chase me. The biggest fight in boxing is Mayweather versus anybody."
SEPTEMBER 15, 2009
Floyd Mayweather Sr. makes first insinuation that Pacquiao may be using PEDs.
Just days prior to Floyd Mayweather's first fight back since retiring, his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., shares his opinion about Manny Pacquiao to Josh Slagter of the Grand Rapids Press. "My honest opinion, I believe he's on some kind of supplements. Pacquiao, he is, if you see him now, he starts doing his stuff like this [shaking his head] all in front of the TV, you know what that's about...personally, myself, I don't think he can beat Lil Floyd with steroids in him or not. I just don't think he got...he don't have that kind of talent. He don't have that kind of skill, you know. Whatever he got in him, that's what they doing right now, man," Mayweather Sr. commented, suggesting that Pacquiao's recent success may be due to his use of "supplements".
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SEPTEMBER 19, 2009
Mayweather dominates Marquez.
Not even close! Floyd Mayweather dominates Juan Manuel Marquez, winning nearly every round on all three scorecards and limiting Marquez to landing only 69 punches out of 583.
OCTOBER 7, 2009
Bob Arum suggests Floyd Mayweather's next fight should be with Shane Mosley.
With Manny Pacquiao already scheduled to face Miguel Cotto in November, promoter Bob Arum suggests that Floyd Mayweather should fight Shane Mosley next. "The fight that should be made is Mayweather and Shane Mosley, but Mayweather won't take that fight. He won't take any fight where there is any possibility where he might lose," Arum would tell Rick Reeno of krikya360.com. "Money is secondary with him. He will not take a chance like a normal fighter. He cares more about his legacy and being able to retire undefeated so he could say that he never lost a fight." Arum also made it clear that he would not entertain anything less than a 50/50 split of the purse if they began negotiations after the Cotto bout. "If I start hearing 60/40, that just tells me to hang up and move on to the next guy," Arum added.
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NOVEMBER 14, 2009
Pacquiao dominates Cotto.
Manny Pacquiao continues his assault on the welterweight division, dropping Miguel Cotto twice before ultimately stopping him in the 12th round.
NOVEMBER 15, 2009
Golden Boy Promotions given green light by Mayweather to begin negotiations.
Less than two hours after Manny Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto on November 14, 2009, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer contacted the President of HBO Sports, Ross Greenburg, to inform him that he had been given permission by Floyd Mayweather to begin negotiations for a potential showdown. "He plans on meeting next week with Bob to make the Mayweather fight," revealed Greenberg just minutes after the phone call.
NOVEMBER 17, 2009
Multiple venues begin vying for the fight.
Reports begin to surface regarding a number of venues already vying for the chance to land the biggest financial fight in boxing history.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009
Rumblings about purse split issues surface again.
In an interview with Adam Smith of Sky Sports, Mayweather against states that should a bout with Pacquiao come to fruition, he deserves to get the lion's share of the purse. "I deserve the bigger piece of the pie. I've done more, I've been around the sport longer and I've been dominating longer. And nobody has beaten me yet. Like I said before, they trying to build a fighter to beat me. They built Ricky Hatton up, undefeated; it didn't happen. They constantly build these fighters up. It's not going to happen. When God wants me to lose, that's when I'll lose," Mayweather remarked.
NOVEMBER 22, 2009
Rumblings about purse split issues continue to grow.
Speaking to David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press, Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe reiterated their belief that Mayweather deserves the lion's share of the purse should a bout with Pacquiao be made. "Floyd has proved himself the undisputable champion and numbers don't lie. If the fight happens, he deserves the lion's share of the purse," Ellerbe stated.
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NOVEMBER 30, 2009
Disagreements arise regarding the date: March, May or September?
Negotiations would hit another minor bump in the road after Pacquiao confirmed his decision to run for Congress in the May 2010 general elections. HBO was hoping to target May 1st as the date for the potential showdown, but Pacquiao's candidacy for the May elections would've made it difficult for him to properly train for his toughest challenge inside the ring. Pacquiao was willing to fight sooner, in March, but Mayweather preferred the later date. Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, would reveal that promoter Bob Arum informed him that the bout would likely be pushed back to September.
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DECEMBER 1, 2009
Reports surface claiming that the bout is nearly finalized after Mayweather agreed to terms.
According to Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, sources informed him that the much-anticipated clash was already nearly finalized and reportedly set for March 13, 2010. No specifics details on the purse split, weight, or gloves were given, but Mayweather apparently agreed to all terms for a March 13 showdown, and Cowboys Stadium, the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the New Orleans Superdome were all venues said to be in the running to host the mega-fight at the time.
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DECEMBER 2, 2009
Arum travels to the Philippines to finalize details with Pacquiao.
According to sources, despite a few "minor" details that still needed to be ironed out, Mayweather had agreed to the biggest hurdles at the time, the purse split and the date of the bout, prompting Bob Arum to fly to Manila to meet with Pacquiao in-person to finalize their end of the deal.
DECEMBER 3, 2009
Freddie Roach and Bob Arum disagree on the date of the bout.
"March 13 is too fast a turnaround. Manny has a broken eardrum. I'd like to have more time," stated Freddie Roach when asked to comment on the status of negotiations. Roach seemed reluctant for Pacquiao to face Mayweather in March so soon after his November clash with Miguel Cotto. Arum, however, insisted that the fight must take place sooner rather than later due to Pacquiao's plans to run for Congress. "I am not here to interfere with his political life and March 13 doesn't.if he lets Mayweather off the hook now by not agreeing to the March 13 date because of politics here in this country, then we are never going to get him (Mayweather) in the ring," Arum explained.
DECEMBER 4, 2009
Pacquiao agrees to March 13 date, provided some "very minor" additional requests are met.
After meeting with Arum, Pacquiao agreed to terms for a March 13th clash. "I had a meeting this morning and we went over all the points and now I have to go back to the United States and sit with the Mayweather people and finalize some very minor aspects and then we'll have an announcement sometime next week," Arum proclaimed. Pacquiao's advisor, Michael Koncz, would reiterate that there were still some minor details that needed to be ironed out, stating, "Manny has some additional requirements, requests, which Arum didn't think was a problem." The "minor details" would be revealed later.
DECEMBER 4, 2009
Freddie Roach claims Mayweather wants to fight at 154 pounds with 10 oz. gloves.
According to Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach, the "very minor" details that still needed to be ironed out were the weight limit and glove size, as Mayweather allegedly only agreed to fight at 154 pounds with 10 oz. gloves. "There's always negotiations, like he [Mayweather] wants 10 oz. gloves, we want 8 oz. gloves, stuff like that; the weight he wants is 154 lb., we want 147, so there's some issues, but I think it can be solved. It's a tough fight because his style does give us difficulties, and we need to draft a plan for a new strategy. Yes, it's a tough fight, but it's a fight Manny wants."
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DECEMBER 5, 2009
Pacquiao allegedly signs a contract to face Mayweather.
According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, Manny Pacquiao officially signed a contract to face Floyd Mayweather. Just one day prior, it was reported that although both sides had agreed to initial terms, there were still some "minor details" that needed to be ironed out. According to Rafael, however, those details were apparently resolved and the Filipino icon allegedly put pen to paper to face Mayweather on March 13 in a welterweight (147-pound) bout using 8 oz. gloves for an agreed upon 50-50 split of the purse.
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DECEMBER 5, 2009
Pacquiao denies ever signing a contract to face Mayweather.
Oops! At least that's probaby what Dan Rafael of ESPN was thinking after just reporting that Pacquiao had indeed signed a contract to face Mayweather. "We haven't signed anything, although we think that that is a formality. But that won't happen until the end of negotiations," Pacquiao's advisor Michael Koncz would explain to Lem Satterfield of AOL Fanhouse. Pacquiao himself would confirm that statement. When asked directly if he had signed any contracts, Pacquiao replied, "No, because there are still some things that need to be negotiated. That would be premature and foolish. Nobody ever brought us a contract to sign. We agreed to everything in principle, but there are still some finer points that need to be negotiated." Those "fine points" would later be revealed.
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DECEMBER 7, 2009
Pacquiao requests $10 million per pound weight penalty.
Fearing that Mayweather may not make the agreed upon welterweight limit of 147 pounds, one of the "minor details" and "fine points" that Team Pacquiao requested was a weight penalty that would force Mayweather to pay $10 million for every pound over the maximum allowable weight. "Our concern is that Floyd might come in at 150 lbs during the official weigh-in (on the eve of the fight). Of course, we will not let this pass. We will put that particular provision in the contract," Pacquiao's lawyer, Franklin Gacal, explained. Without hesitation, Mayweather would agree to the request.
DECEMBER 9, 2009
A rift begins to grow over the venue: Cowboys Stadium or MGM Grand?
According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, Dallas Cowboys Stadium was no longer in the running as a potential venue after Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer canceled a planned trip with Bob Arum and HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg to meet with Dallas Cowboys officials to discuss a proposal to bring the megafight to the stadium. "I'm not going to Texas. I'm not going to do the fight in Texas. I'm not going to waste my time," was Schaefer's only explanation to Arum.
DECEMBER 10, 2009
Arum voluntarily removes himself from negotiations; blames Richard Schaefer.
Upset with Richard Schaefer's last-minute cancelling of their meeting with Dallas Cowboys officials, Bob Arum relinquishes negotiating duties to his stepson, Top Rank President Todd DuBoef. "I am so emotionally sick over this thing that I wash my hands of the negotiations completely. And I gave it Todd to save this thing. I told him that he can deal with them. I'm not dealing with them anymore. Todd DuBoef will be talking to them. As I said, I wash my hands completely of this whole thing.I think that Richard Schaefer must have an agenda, because I just don't deal with people that way. I feel totally humiliated. I really don't think that Floyd Mayweather has anything to do with it. Do I know for sure? No. But I can't see why Floyd would have an agenda here. I just can't see that," said Arum, placing blame on Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer.
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DECEMBER 11, 2009
Freddie Roach reveals rumor about a request for Olympic-style drug testing, but says they will agree.
In a video titled "Boxing Legend Freddie Roach Updates Us On Pacquiao" uploaded to YouTube on DECEMBER 11, 2009, Freddie Roach reveals the first hint about Mayweather's request for Olympic-style drug testing, telling roving reporter Elie Seckbach, "I hear negotiations are a little shady. Schaefer and them are unhappy about something. They want Olympic-style drug testing. I said, 'Yeah, no problem.' I said, 'Whatever you want.' Since we excepted that, now they're running scared again."
DECEMBER 12, 2009
Mayweather's request for Olympic-style drug testing is officially revealed.
The first reports of Mayweather's request for Olympic-style drug testing began to surface as Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe explained their stance that both fighters be subjected to random blood and urine testing in the weeks leading up to the March 13 fight. "Al and I made sure this will be implemented. It is going to be done. It's not a one-way thing, it's both fighters who are subject to testing. And this is not Floyd saying this. This is me and Al. This is one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport and the fans deserve it to be fair. Floyd's got nothing to do with this. It's our job to protect him and give him the best chance to be successful," Ellerbe would comment.
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DECEMBER 13, 2009
Michael Koncz says request for Olympic-style testing is a laughing matter and suggests they have no problem with it.
Speaking to Lem Satterfield of AOL Fanhouse, Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz, suggests that Mayweather's request for Olympic-style drug testing is a laughing matter and they have no concerns whatsoever about it. "Our reaction is, 'So what?' We know Manny doesn't take any illegal drugs or anything. And none of this is getting under Manny's skin or anything. I'm here with Manny, and to him, it's like a joke. It's a laughing matter," said Koncz. "It's something foolish anyway. Why would we be concerned? We know he doesn't do any of that ****."
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DECEMBER 19, 2009
MGM Grand reported as venue for March 13 bout.
Mulitple sources named the MGM Grand Garden Arena as the venue to host the mega-fight. Plans were already being made to announce the bout at a JANUARY 6 press conference in New York, followed by another press conference on JANUARY 8 in Los Angeles.
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DECEMBER 22, 2009
Golden Boy press release reveals Pacquiao is unwilling to agree to random Olympic-style blood and urine testing.
After reports had surfaced that both parties had agreed to all terms, Golden Boy Promotions released a press release revealing that Pacquiao was unwilling to comply with the Olympic-style drug testing requested by Team Mayweather. "Todd told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight. He, Pacquiao, would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference and after the fight," Schaefer would explain in the press release. Both Mayweather himself and Leonard Ellerbe were also quoted in the press release, reiterating their concern that "an elite athlete like Manny Pacquiao" would refuse an opportunity to ensure a "level of fairness" and a "level playing field" in a fight of this magnitude.
DECEMBER 23, 2009
Infuriated Bob Arum declares the fight is off; blames Mayweather.
Furious with Mayweather's unwillingness to change his stance on random blood testing, Arum declared the fight was off and that Pacquiao would be facing a different opponent. "We're going in a different direction. What I believe is that Floyd never really wanted the fight and this is just harassment of Pacquiao. We appeased Mayweather by agreeing to a urine analysis at any time, and blood testing before the press conference and after the fight. Mayweather pressed for blood testing even up to the weigh-in. He knew that Manny gets freaked out when his blood gets taken, and feels that it weakens him. This is just harassment and, to me, just signaled that he didn't want the fight," Arum would tell David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press as he explained why he immediately rejected the request for random blood tests. "Nevada has stringent drug testing, right before the fight and after the fight. This is all a bunch of hooey and nonsense...Manny Pacquiao doesn't know anything about drugs. This is just typical nastiness by wise guys like (adviser Leonard) Ellerbe and Mayweather. They're just wise guys. I don't think Schaefer's to blame. I think he got ****** in by it," he continued, this time making sure to place full blame on Team Mayweather as opposed to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who was handling the negotiations at the time.
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DECEMBER 23, 2009
Arum issues first deadline for Mayweather to accept Team Pacquiao's terms.
Not long after declaring that the fight was off, Arum had a change of heart and offered Mayweather a 24-hour take-it-or-leave-it deadline to accept Team Pacquiao's terms for drug testing. "Manny has told me he doesn't want to be harassed. We're not jumping through hoops for Mayweather. I'm not going to take this," Bob Arum would remark, referring to Mayweather's request for random Olympic-style drug testing. Instead, Arum explained Pacquiao would only agree to blood tests more than 30 days before the fight and right after the fight. Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, would tell Lance Pugmire of the LA Times that he had no problems with the blood testing so long as they ended either 1 week or 72 hours before the bout. Leonard Ellerbe also revealed to Lance Pugmire that, according to officials at USADA, Pacquiao would not have to give a blood sample the day before the bout during the weigh-in. Despite agreeing that USADA wasn't likely to request a sample the day before the fight, Arum stood firm on his position, insisting that if Floyd Mayweather did not drop his demands for Olympic-style drug testing, the highly-anticipated clash would be off and Pacquiao would move forward to face a different opponent. Arum also instructed members of his staff to begin "working on another fight with Manny." Names that were tossed around included Yuri Foreman, Paulie Malignaggi and Juan Manuel Marquez.
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DECEMBER 23, 2009
Top Rank press release sent out explaining Team Pacquiao only willing to agree to 3 non-random blood tests.
Just hours later on the same day, Top Rank sends out a press release explaining their position on Mayweather's request for random Olympic-style drug testing. In it, Arum clarified that Pacquiao was willing to submit to as many random urine tests requested, but as far as random blood tests are concerned, he was only willing to subject himself to 3 tests: one in JANUARY, one 30 days from the bout (no later than February 13), and immediately after the fight. "Let's be very clear on the real issues we differ on. It's not about being tested. Manny is onboard with that since it's such a major concern of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. It's about who does the testing and the scheduling of the procedures. Manny will submit to as many random urine tests requested. Regarding the blood tests, he will subject himself to three tests; one given in JANUARY during the week the fight is formally announced, one thirty days from the fight, no later than February 13, and the final one immediately following the fight, in Manny's locker room. The major issue related to the testing rests with which independent agency will administer these tests. The United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) cannot do it because they will not amend its procedures to accommodate the blood testing schedule we have outlined. USADA, under its guidelines, would have the right to administer random blood tests as many times as they want up to weigh-in day and that is ludicrous," Arum explained.
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DECEMBER 23, 2009
Team Mayweather stands firm on request for random blood testing leading up to the bout.
That same day, Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe confirms that Team Mayweather is standing firm on their request for random Olympic-style blood and urine testing. "You got a superstition of getting pricked and with taking blood, but you got tattoos all over your body. Which one is it? You're afraid of needles, but you got tattoos all over your body," he commented, referring to Bob Arum's suggestion that Pacquiao "gets freaked out" when his blood is taken.
DECEMBER 25, 2009
Pacquiao announces plans to sue the Mayweathers and Golden Boy Promotions.
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr., Jr., and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard. I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc., to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world," said Pacquiao, who made the decision to file a lawsuit shortly after Team Mayweather refused to budge on their demand for random Olmpic-style blood and urine testing. Despite the timing of his decision, Pacquiao claimed he had been contemplating filing the lawsuit ever since Mayweather Sr. first made the accusations regarding his use of PEDs back in September, but he chose not to at the time to avoid being distracted as he prepared for his November bout with Miguel Cotto.
DECEMBER 25, 2009
Arum declares that the fight is officially off and Pacquiao would target Paulie Malignaggi instead; blames Schaefer again, not Mayweather.
"This fight is absolutely off. That's our position, period, is that we're moving on to Malignaggi. And if Mayweather loses this fight, and all of this money, then he has only one guy to blame, and that's Richard Schaefer. This is not Mayweather. This is Richard Schaefer," remarked Arum, still fuming over the press release sent out by Golden Boy Promotions 3 days prior, as he directed full blame back to Richard Schaefer. Despite the efforts of HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg to bring both sides together through mediation, Arum, who voluntarily removed himself from the negotiation process nearly two weeks prior, was no longer willing to continue working towards an agreement as long as Schaefer was still involved. "I called up Ross and I said, 'I'm not going to take part in any mediation or anything. I'm not going to deal with Richard Schaefer on instructions from my client. He's demeaned and libeled my client for no damn reason. And I'm just not going to take part in it. If they want to come back and have someone else represent them -- [Mayweather's adviser] Leonard Ellerbe -- or anybody else they want, then we can sit down and do this the right way with the Nevada Athletic Commission having complete jurisdiction over everything," Arum explained, reiterating that the only testing they would agree to was the testing already done by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. "Then, we would agree to pre-fight testing, urine analysis, blood-testing, whatever it took to get this fight done," said Arum. "But we'd only do it with the Nevada Athletic Commission. But for now, Manny has asked me to move on to Malignaggi."
Probably the biggest weakness of humankind is our tendency to distort reality and fact in our own biases and perceptions and propagate false narratives. It's sad really
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