Arum: Mayweather turned down $65 million offer to fight Pacquiao in Singapore

Rick Chandler

Jun 6, 2011, 3:01 PM EDT

23 Comments

There’s avoiding a fight, and then there’s turning down $65 million for a fight. The former is strategy, the latter is lunacy. That’s what Floyd Mayweather Jr. reportedly said to the prospect of a fight with Manny Pacquiao in Singapore, according to Bob Arum, the head of Top Rank Promotions. If true, Mayweather’s behavior has now been upgraded from “ducking” Pacquiao to “running, screaming like a Girl Scout.”

Arum told boxing reporter Elie Seckbach that as recently as last week, “legitimate people in Singapore” offered Mayweather $65 million to fight Pacquiao, and that Mayweather turned them down.

“You know, one thing about Floyd, Floyd knows boxing. And Floyd knows style. That’s why Floyd was always reticent about fighting a southpaw. And a southpaw like Manny Pacquiao he wants no part of, because even if he protects himself with the left hand, Manny is going to bang him with the right hand.”

“Anyone with any smarts at all knows that [Mayweather's] record is really 48-1, because he’s already lost to Manny Pacquiao by ducking him.”

Of course all of this comes from a man who has the most vested interest in all of vested interests, so one shouldn’t take it as gospel. Still, it’s entertaining. Because when it comes to Mayweather-Pacquiao, pinning Mayweather to the ropes and pounding him with charges of being a sissy is the only real action we’re going to see.

If Mayweather is smart, he’d do this: Tell Pacquiao he’ll fight him if Pacquiao does a condom commercial.

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Manny Pacquiao wants to ban condoms in the Philippines [Off the Bench]

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drmonkeyarmy - Jun 6, 2011 at 7:49 PM

That is quite a sum of money to turn down if true. However, fighting him in Singapore almost ensures a decision going against Mayweather Jr. As well all know, Floyd is not knocking anybody out, so maybe that played a role.

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- drmonkeyarmy - Jun 7, 2011 at 7:55 AM
  
  So you guys think that Mayweather could actually get a decision in a Southeast Asian country?
  
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sasquash20 - Jun 6, 2011 at 8:37 PM

What a bitch! Mayweather has been fighting stiffs his whole career. Guy is a stone cold bitch!

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- rbmilionz1 - Jun 7, 2011 at 5:02 PM
  
  Stiffs? You need to check Floyd’s track record. Diego Corrales, Luis Castillo, Carlos Baldomir, Zab Judah.
  
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  - cjkrew32 - Jun 7, 2011 at 5:59 PM
    
    @rbmillionz1 apparently sasquash20 is too busy hiding in the woods with instead of watching boxing.
    
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luvbrothel - Jun 6, 2011 at 9:41 PM

Why is it that we only hear Arum’s rumblings? $65 million is just a bit far-fetched, don’t you think? Remember, all Mayweather wanted was Olympic style testing during training. That was it. Pacquiao’s camp refused. What’s the big deal with a tester showing up unannounced and taking a sample? Pacquiao demanded pre-determined dates and times for the tests, which of course, virtually renders them useless. And then all the Pac-roids run around saying Mayweather is scared. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. In fact, its really retarded. Love is truly blind, eh?

The real deal here is that Mayweather is a supreme athlete. He dwarfed Marquez by over 20 lbs. Pacquiao can barely make 146. Arum said he wouldn’t take a Martinez fight because after making weight, Martinez would rehydrate over 165 and that just ‘WOULDN’T BE FAIR’. Arum’s words, not mine.

$65 million? Tomorrow, it will be $200 million. This is a sham.

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- wackyjabber - Jun 6, 2011 at 11:10 PM
  
  Pacquiao has agreed to the drug tests ages ago. Where have you been? On the other hand, Little Floyd needs to take some tickles test. Only his fans are blissfully unaware that he needs some. BTW, why is Little Floyd silent on the $65M issue? It seems only the gullible fans and making up excuses for him. Pity!
  
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  - luvbrothel - Jun 7, 2011 at 1:26 AM
    
    Pacquiao NEVER agreed to Olympic style tests. You guys have been smoking too much cucumber envy.
    
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  - drmonkeyarmy - Jun 7, 2011 at 7:53 AM
    
    I agree with luvbrothel on this one. The Olympic style drug testing was never agreed upon. All you ever hear out of Arum is Floyd is ducking us, blah blah. Truth of the matter is Manny has been ducking any opponents that would give him problems. Marquez has been begging for a 3rd fight for awhile now, but Manny elected to fight some stiffs instead. Martinez has been begging for a fight as well. Although I don’t blame Manny for not taking that fight…Martinez would roll him. Furthermore, like I said above Singapore would be a mistake for Mayweather. He will never get a decision there. Problem is, the media has been banging the Manny drum for awhile while slamming Mayweather and the gullible fans buy it.
    
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  - wackyjabber - Jun 7, 2011 at 2:26 PM
    
    http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/Chat-with-Manny-Pacquiao-110910
    
    “…I told Floyd I will take any test he wants. I’ll even stop the fight in the middle to take a test. I’ll do anything. But I know he won’t sign to fight me.”
    
    After this, Floyd upped his price to $100M.
    
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  - rbmilionz1 - Jun 7, 2011 at 5:13 PM
    
    Manny said that in the interview but Freddie Roach already admitted that they did not agree to take any special drug tests. He stated this before the Mosely fight on youtube. Google Freddie Roach on drug testing Shane Mosely to hear it for yourself.
    
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  - drmonkeyarmy - Jun 7, 2011 at 6:20 PM
    
    Of course he said he in an interview, it is all public relations. He portrays himself like such a good guy, but it is an act. I heard the respected Teddy Atlas tell a story on Friday Night Fights that Manny met with Golden Boy and they gave him a boat load of cash money as an advance. You know for signing with them. Then he turned around and signed with Arum and never returned the money. I’m talking hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yeah, great guy. Just because the media hype him and talk smack on Floyd doesn’t make it all true.
    
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  - wackyjabber - Jun 8, 2011 at 8:16 AM
    
    @rbmilionz1 This is what the guy himself is willing to do just to fight Floyd. It came straight from his mouth. Would you prefer that Roach said “Yes” and Manny said “No?” Manny believes that the NSAC tests are sufficient and does not require more from his opponents. Floyd should require blood testing from Ortiz and all his future opponents (if ever) to be consistent. BTW, what has happened to Floyd’s announcement that he will clean up the sport of boxing? What has he done since then?
    
    @drmonkeyarmy Teddy Atlas is respected? HAHAHAHAHAHA! Now, that’s funny! BTW, he has not produced the phantom email he talked/wrote about. Teddy Atlas is a joke. He has made so many wrong predictions in boxing (especially Pacquiao bouts) that he is known as the Nostra-dumb-ass among boxing writers and commentators. Teddy Atlas is respected? HAHAHAHAHAHA! (Excuse me!) HAHAHAHAHAHA!
    
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cleanslaton - Jun 7, 2011 at 10:53 AM

$65 million? ‘Money Mayweather’ needs a new nickname if he won’t take that much.

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- eddiedrumz - Jun 10, 2011 at 6:15 PM
  
  if he is turning down that kind of money and he is holding out for more –when they do eventually fight what is the PPV price going to be> A $100.00 bucks?
  
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bigbake2k - Jun 7, 2011 at 6:17 PM

riddle me this….have you ever heard of a guy packing on 40+ pounds of muscle in professional boxing, and going from a relatively unknown boxer amongst the experts during the first part of his career, getting knocked out and losing to guys that are barely over 100lbs, and then suddenly knocking out guys 50 pounds heavier than the guys he couldnt beat when he first turned pro? This is what brought questions about him taking steriods, because you just dont see guys going from ordinary to extraorddinary in boxing. Every champion boxer in history had sucess all through thier career and were well know from an early age. Pacman came out of nowhere. He is a grreat boxer, but the questions about him are fair game just by the nature of his ariival seemingly out of nowhere. If you can name a guy thats packed on that much muscle legally and became successful in boxing, let me know, and im not talking about gaining weight, beccause of old age, I;m talking about pure muscle, because Pacman has very little fat…..I’ll wait..lol!

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bigbake2k - Jun 7, 2011 at 6:30 PM

The 65mil talk is just promoters trying to sell there guy as the true pound for pound. Boxing is entertainment, and you cant trust every website or blog that posts things about second hand information. Bob arum is about as trustworthy as Don King when it comes to the words that come out of his mouth, and thats why Floyd left his camp and became his own promoter. Pacman has many flaws, and uses high volume punching to compensate for his lack of defense. If you know anything about mayweather, or have watched him fight, you know he picks his punches and breaks fighters down, so a fighter with no defense like pacman will be open season for mayweather to box like boxers do and win the fight with skill. If you hate on mayweather, beacause he doesnt knock everyone out, remember that the sport is called “boxing,” and even in the olympics the scoring goes by who connects more, and not power shots, so appreciate the craft, or watch ufc if you want to see caveman fighting and knockouts. As for the trash talking and flamboyant attitude, Ali was the worst of all at talking trash, and everyone in boxing, fans included still refer to him as the greatest of all time. The man backs up his talk, so I see no wrong in what he does. What will your excuse be if he beats pacman??…only time will tell.

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bigbake2k - Jun 8, 2011 at 11:25 PM

@wackyjabber-words dont mean jack unless you sign on the dotted line and agree to the terms on paper, so I’m pretty sure mayweathers camp sent over a contract for pacman to sign that included the olympic style random drug testing, and pacman declined to sign the contract. What has mayweather done to clean up the sport you ask???…..IMPLEMENT OLYMPIC STYLE RANDOM DRUG TESTS AS A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL HIS FIGHTS GENIOUS!!!…he cant go in the rule books and change it with the wave of a wand, so in the mean time, he will do his part and require it for all his fights..mayweather has NEVER touched canvas, or taken a loss….as I said before, pacmans offense is his defense, so all you have to do is let him throw his wild shots and pick him apart, which is what mayweather is a master at. I hope this fight happens, so people will take notice of the boxing skills mayweather possesses, because I cant understand how people that watch these two fighters fight would think that pacman can walk through the greatest technical boxer of our time.

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- wackyjabber - Jun 13, 2011 at 12:06 AM
  
  You’re “PRETTY SURE” Mayweather sent a contract to Pacman? According to Mayweather, no negotiations ever happened. The Mayweathers were exposed to be liars when Ross Greenburg of HBO said negotiations did happen. Only the gullible still believe the Mayweathers. Now you’re PRETTY SURE Mayweather sent a pre-signed contract to Pacman? If he did, it probably demands that he gets $100M. You are making up stories to defend your idol. Except for Floyd fans, boxing fans are PRETTY SURE he is afraid of Pacman.
  By the way, GENIUS is not spelled with an O. Obviously you are not a genius (not surprising for a Mayweather fan).
  Floyd has not used his clout to hold a hearing about changing rules. The PED issue was only as a way to weasel out of the first negotiations. Floyd never expected Pacman to accept the bout because he thought Pacman would be too busy campaigning for a seat in congress. When he realized Pacman was willing to fight, he panicked. Have you seen the videos where Floyd had been asked why he is avoiding Pacquiao? He gets nervous, stutters and avoids the issue. Does it sound like he really wants to fight Pacquiao?
  You and other Floyd fans should demand that he sign the contract to fight Pacman. No more excuses! The boxing fans watching Berto vs Ortiz chanted “Fight Manny!” at Floyd. Floyd knows that even non-Pacman fans know he is avoiding the fight. Only his fans (which he keeps insulting) refuse to see that.
  
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eddiedrumz - Jun 10, 2011 at 6:12 PM

Mayweather would turn down a fight for $65M if it were held in MSG, Yankee Stadium or any other place in the world. Floyd just does not want to fight Manny, period. Mayweather know he would lose and lose badly. Floyd takes too much time off. Coming back and beating Mosley is one thing but to take that amount of time off and ten fight a world class fighter like Pacquaio is something different. Floyd holding out for for money illustrates fully that he knows he would lose–so just wants the biggest payday possible to risk stepping in the ring with Pacquaio. If Floyd wants that best P4P title he simply is going to have to step up and take a risk. Ali-Frazier, Leonard-Hearns, Hagler-Hearns, Pryor-Arguello and even
Tyson-Holyfield–just to name a few all took the risks to try and cement themselves as greats and for the fans to see the historic bouts. Come on Floyd $65M is a lot of cash to turn down. All us boxing fans are waiting….

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y2keith - Jun 13, 2011 at 5:39 PM

I can’t say i’m a die hard fan of either but in reading the different posts there is definitely a lot that is unclear. I did some looking around though and did find that Pacquaio never did agree to the Olympic style drug testing. So i’m more inclined to side with floyd. I mean it just doesn’t make any sense to me and none of the Pac fans evr address it. Everyone is at odds on who’s ducking who but if I honestlty thought my oponent was cheating i.e. doping I’m not sure I would fight either, whatever the sum. If you say to someone, i’ll fight you IF you agree to random drug testing, and hey says no…. even though there is however many millions in potential earnings, that doesn’t seem a tad bit suspicious to any Pac fans??? Mayweather is on record as saying he would fight IF they agree on Olympic style drug testing and from all i’ve read that was the only hang up on making the fight happen. So if Pac wants the fight so bad, why doesn’t he just get the tests????

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- wackyjabber - Jun 13, 2011 at 6:10 PM
  
  @y2keith The following link is for the interview Pacman did in November 2010. He agreed to blood tests–no time limit. It was after this that Floyd increased his demand to $100M. Is he making the unreasonable demand just so he does not have to fight Pacman? You figure it out.
  
  http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/Chat-with-Manny-Pacquiao-110910
  
  One pattern I notice is that Floyd lies low or declares he is semi-retired (taking it easy, giving full attention to his foundation, not taking a second fight for the year so he will not get into a much higher income bracket, etc.), but after Pacquiao announces his fight with another boxer he either announces his own match or comes out of hiding to post a video telling his gullible fans how he is going to beat Pacquiao. Watch the following video and decide if Floyd really wants to fight Pacman. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PKDBlJncuo&feature=related
  
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bigbake2k - Jun 13, 2011 at 7:57 PM

@wackyjabber- I notice that you think interviews are actual hard facts, but anyone who has a brain knows that paperwork is the only thing that would solve all this back and forth stuff about who signed or said what. I also notice that like many pacman fans, you neglect to address the issue about how pacman put on 40 plus pounds of pure muscle and started knocking top notch boxers out in higher weight classes, when he couldnt do the same to guys that were barely over 100lbs in the beginning of his career. You show me one boxer that has gained 40lbs of pure muscle in any sport over his career, and wasnt connected with steriods, and like I said before, nobody gains muscle after adulthood just purely do to age, so how does this guy naturally gain that much muscle and power????….by the way, of course mayweather would ask for 100 million when dealing with Bob Arum, because Arum is going to try to take him for as much as he can anyway… the guy is undefeated, and has never touched canvas. I wont make a comment that throws an umbrella over all the pacman fans, I’ll just say that you (wackyjabber) represent the type of person that probably watches ufc fights and thinks that the ufc is how “real men” fight, which means that you have the mental capacity of a neanderthal. Boxing has its own rules, and is totally different from the ufc. In boxing, you would never see a guy like Kimbo Slice come from backyard brawls straight to the big leagues, because it takes more skill to be a champion in boxing. Show paperwork that proves your satement about pacman, or just keep posting irrelevant interviews that dont mean a thing when it comes to hard evidence. We will see what you have to say about Mayweather when he beats pacman. I’m sure you will entertain us with a bunch of interviews, because interviews are CLEARLY hard evidence…lol!

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