Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s Team Says Deal to Fight Pacquiao Nearly Done
The biggest and richest fight in boxing history is closer than ever to happening as an influential figure on Floyd Mayweather's camp said that the American boxer's team is "putting it together" to finalize things for his match against Manny Pacquiao.
According to Sam Watson, a longtime confidant of Mayweather adviser Al Haymon and one of the few people in the boxer's inner circle, the final details are being worked out and an announcement for a May 2 fight will soon be made.
"They're putting it together now," said Watson at a news conference at the Rockefeller Center last Wednesday. "They're going to do a Showtime-HBO [joint pay-per-view] like they did the last time with Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson. They're working on the monies now and everything they've got to work on to make it happen."
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Watson spoke in behalf of Haymon, a legend in the boxing industry and described by TheGuardian as "a Salinger-level recluse who rarely ventures in public," yet is regarded as one of boxing's most powerful figures and credited for helping Mayweather become one of the world's highest paid athletes. Though Haymon did not attend the news conference, Watson said that he was in the building.
"He's here, but you don't see him," said Watson.
It was previously reported that both camps have been talking and that both fighters have agreed that if a fight between them was to take place, it should happen at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It has also been said that Pacquiao agreed to a 40 percent share of the biggest prize in boxing history, as Mayweather stressed that he wants 60 percent of the pie.
Watson also said that he believes the fight will happen.
"I believe it's going to happen. I believe that everybody involved wants it to happen. I know Floyd wants it," he said.
