By Edward Chaykovsky

WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao doesn't believe Floyd Mayweather Jr. was ever serious about fighting. After years of failed negotiations, Mayweather actually spoke to Pacquiao on the telephone last month - and offered the Filipino boxer a flat fee of $40 million dollars - with Mayweather keeping 100% of the pay-per-view revenue. Pacquiao shot the offer down, and had his adviser, Michael Koncz, present a counter-offer of a $50 million dollar guarantee, with 45-45 split - and the winner would grab the final 10% .

Mayweather held firm on his position of a $40 million dollar flat fee and eventually moved forward to finalize a fight against WBA 154-pound champion Miguel Cotto, scheduled for May 5th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao reached an agreement to fight unbeaten Timothy Bradley on June 9, also at the MGM Grand.  

“He talks, he says all this, but you know what: He doesn’t want the fight. I want the fight. I’m the one who has wanted this fight all along. He offered me $40 million, and no pay-per-view [money],” Pacquiao told Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports. 

“No pay-per-view. Can you believe that? Would you do that? Come on. What would he say if I offered him $50 million – not $40 million, $50 million – and said ‘No pay-per-view. Take this money and be happy, but no pay-per-view.’ He wouldn’t do it, either.”