Last week, promoter Bob Arum led you to believe that's he's seriously entertaining offers from three investment groups interested in staging the mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Initially, he declined to reveal the names of any of them, but when FightHype.com disclosed the identity of one group, Big InterSports Group, Arum quickly leaked the name of another, Falcon Hawk Entertainment, as well as details of their meeting, to his favorite boxing scribe of choice. What Arum didn't mention, however, was the fact that an offer from Big InterSports Group CEO Carl Harris had already been presented to Michael Koncz and Top Rank Promotions nearly 8 months ago. He also failed to mention that Falcon Hawk Entertainment President Donny Rucker had already been turned down, not once, but twice before. It's unclear as to exactly who the third investment group is, however, judging from the offers and individuals involved in the other two, it wouldn't come as a surprise if they too have no real shot of getting involved in an event that needs no investors to begin with. Now, the latest word from Bob Arum is that the May 5th date that Mayweather has selected for his ring return may be too soon for Pacquiao, who suffered a cut over his right eye in his last bout.
"Nobody has a date for anything. That's nonsense. The question is if a Floyd Mayweather-Pacquiao fight can be arranged. That's fine. It doesn't necessarily have to be on May 5. I mean, if Floyd wants to fight Pacquiao, maybe another date is preferrable, given the fact that Pacquiao had a serious cut in the last fight, so there's no magic in May 5 as far as we're concerned," Arum would tell reporters at the post-fight press conference following last Saturday's clash between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. Wait a minute! Is Bob Arum implying that the May 5 date is no good because the cut that Pacquiao suffered in his clash with Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12 may not heal in time to allow him to prepare for a fight 6 months later? Seriously? Is this the same Bob Arum who was initially looking to shove Margarito back into the ring on July 17, just 8 months after having surgery to repaire a fractured orbital bone? I mean, I know Pacquiao's cut required 28 stitches, but surely it's not that serious to where he'll be sidelined that long, is it? Pacquiao certainly didn't seem to think so immediately following his controversial decision over Marquez. "Let's make it happen on May 5," Pacquiao would boldly state. "Let's give the people a good fight."
It seems like somebody is already planting the seed for a new excuse as to why the mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao won't be taking place on May 5, 2012. My guess is that ultimately, the final excuse will have something to do with an offer being rejected due to a difference of opinions on the date. Arum has already expressed his anger that Mayweather selected the May 5 date, as well as MGM Grand as the venue, prior to either side ever entering into negotiations. Lately, he's been dropping nuggets about the investors suggesting different dates. With this latest news about the "severity" of Pacquiao's cut, don't be surprised if a week or so from now, Arum is telling everyone that he had a "wonderful" offer from one of the investors who was interested in staging the fight on a different date, but in the end, Mayweather's insistance on fighting on the May 5th date will prevent them from moving forward.
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