According to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, last weekend's clash between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto has generated 1.25 million pay-per-view buys, the highest of any boxing fight this year. The total is made up of 650,000 cable and 600,000 satellite homes. It should be pointed out that the fight set an all-time record for buys in Puerto Rico with a total of 110,000, a record that was no doubt set due to the fact that Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto was defending his title against the Filipino icon. While the numbers are impressive, they likely aren't big enough to make Floyd Mayweather Jr. back down from his stance that he deserves the bigger piece of the pie when it comes to a future showdown with Pacquiao.
If anything, the 1.25 million buys for Pacquiao vs. Cotto could have just hurt the likelihood of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao happening any time soon. Mayweather's own bout with Marquez generated an even 1 million buys, so the numbers generated by Pacquiao vs. Cotto will likely be nothing special to the undefeated multi-division champion. Mayweather has already come on record stating his belief that he was able to generate 1 million buys all by himself, without the help of a legitimate dance partner like Cotto, who brings his own following. That being said, don't expect Team Mayweather to back down from their demands for the bigger percentage.
Likewise, don't expect Team Pacquiao to settle for anything less than an even cut. Pacquiao nearly walked away from a fight with Oscar De La Hoya, which at the time would have been his biggest payday ever. When he was offered 70/30, he demanded more and got it. He also almost walked away from another big payday with Ricky Hatton. Originally agreeing to a 50/50 split, he later changed his mind, demanded more and, once again, he got it! Indeed, negotiations will be long and if anyone thinks that 1.25 million buys is going to make Floyd Mayweather Jr. agree to anything less than the 60/40 he's already demanding, they've got another thing coming.
As such, don't be surprised if Mayweather's next bout does indeed take place in the UK some time early next year (likely some time around March) against an opponent yet to be determined.
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