by David P. Greisman
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer continued to push back against reports that the negotiations for a fight between Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez include a demand that the bout must take place in Mayweather’s division at 147 pounds rather than at Alvarez’s division at 154 pounds.
Alvarez’s trainer told boxing writer Erika Montoya that Mayweather wants the fight at 147. In addition, Floyd Mayweather Sr. said earlier this week that the fight would need to take place at welterweight, according to an article by Chris Robinson of krikya360.com.
Schaefer wouldn’t divulge any details of the negotiations, but he did say that there’s no way that these trainers, or anyone besides him and boxing adviser Al Haymon, could know what’s being said in these negotiations.
“There were two people in the room when we are discussing the fight. Nobody else. No trainers. No fathers. No brothers. No fighters. No managers. There was Al Haymon in the room, and I was in the room,” Schaefer said May 17, speaking in Atlantic City to David P. Greisman of krikya360.com and Tim Starks of Queensberry-Rules.com.
“And unless there was like a mouse or a fly who knows how to speak, it’s impossible,” he said. “Where do those people get all that stuff from? The only people who know what’s going on is Al Haymon and me — and Al Haymon doesn’t speak, as we all know. I don’t speak about this fight either.
“Because if you speak about the fight, and you guys are going to write about the fight when these people put these rumors out there, Schaefer said. “The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight never happened because everybody put out those stories, and then egos came into play, and before you know, the whole thing blew up. We’re going to avoid that this time. I’m working hard on getting this fight done.”
David P. Greisman is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow David on Twitter @fightingwords2 or send questions/comments via email at fightingwords1@gmail.com