Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum (pictured above, at right) told reporters during a national conference call at midnight on July 16 that Floyd Mayweather's time had passed to make the Nov. 13 mega-bout with seven-time champ Manny Pacquiao, who was to defend his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) crown against Mayweather.
The negotiations, said Arum, had been ongoing for the past two months, with HBO President of Sports, Ross Greenburg, acting as the intermediary between himself and Mayweather's manager, Al Haymon, exclusive of anyone else from Mayweather's camp. That meant, in particular, CEO Richard Schaefer and president Oscar de la Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, which has been acting on Mayweather's behalf.
But on Monday, Mayweather's adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, issued a statement denying that the talks have ever taken place, mentioning that "either Ross Greenburg or Bob Arum is not telling the truth," and adding, "but history tells us who is lying." In the absence of Mayweather's consent, Arum said that he would move on with plans for Pacquiao to pursue his record eighth crown in as many different weight classes against either WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champ Miguel Cotto, or WBC No. 1 contender, Antonio Margarito.
Arum discussed the recent developments with FanHouse in this Q&A:
FanHouse: So, what do you make of all of this?
Bob Arum: This is Alice In Wonderland Time. This is preposterous. It's almost like dealing with people who have lost their minds. It's totally bizarre. I mean, how do you answer to something like that?
Well, Floyd Mayweather's people are denying that a negotiations has ever taken place.
Well, Richard Schaefer has said for seven weeks that there was a gag order in place when he was asked about the negotiations. If there are no negotiations, then why or how is there a gag order and where did it come from?
So from your standpoint, all you know is what Ross has told you right, because you never have spoken directly to Al Haymon or anyone else from Floyd Mayweather's camp, correct?
All that I know is what Ross has told me. I haven't talked to anyone else. Of course Ross is not lying. Are you crazy? I talked to him today.
And what did Ross Greenburg say?
What Ross told me is that he said, 'take it easy.' He said, 'don't go crazy. Take it easy,' and 'we're still trying to make the fight.' That's what he said to me, word, for word. I guess that he thought like I would go off at this kind of stupid thing.
By we, Ross meant whom?
By we, he meant him and Al Haymon.
So your notion is still to try and go ahead and make either Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto unless Floyd Mayweather returns, accepts the terms and makes a deal?
I'm going ahead. I talked to the Cotto people today. I'm talking to the Margarito people tomorrow. By the end of the week, I'll have a deal.
Read More: WBO Golden Boy Promotions Boxing Rumors HBO FanHouse Exclusive Top Rank Promotions Al+Haymon, Antonio+Margarito, Bob+Arum, Floyd+Mayweather, Leonard+Ellerbe, Miguel+Cotto, Oscar+de+la+Hoya, Richard+Schaefer, Ross+Greenburg
0
No comments:
Post a Comment