by Hans Olson
According to reports by ESPN, Bob Arum and Top Rank will not pursue a super-fight with Floyd Mayweather this May, instead opting to negotiate a fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.
According to Dan Rafael’s ESPN report, both Leonard Ellerbe and Richard Shaefer were notified of this through an email from Daniel Weinstein, a retired federal judge who has mediated in the past with all parties in an attempt to settle varying issues relating to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
Although Arum denied having knowledge of the email later in Rafael’s story, he also indicated his intention of a fourth fight with Marquez. “We are pursuing a fourth fight with Marquez,” Arum told Rafael. “As far as doing anything definitively, we aren’t ready to do anything definitively. When we are ready to make a determination of what we are going to do, we will do it. We are not going to do this in the press. We will do what is in the best interest of ourselves and our client and make a decision when it’s time to. If we decide we want to do a rematch with Marquez, there is no reason to sit down with Mayweather. If we want to explore a Mayweather fight, we will sit down with them. But I’m not going to sit down with them just because it’s a good show.”
This all leads us back to Floyd Mayweather. Where does he go from here?
It’s absolutely unfortunate that many fans, media, and industry types have continually accused Floyd Mayweather of ducking Manny Pacquiao. The truth of the matter, is that Floyd Mayweather is not the one holding up this fight from happening. Even with Arum and co. supposedly having agreed to unlimited USADA drug testing, we are still no closer to a super-fight between Floyd and Manny.
Honestly, I don’t necessarily disagree with Manny Pacquiao fighting Juan Manuel Marquez for a fourth time. The fight this weekend was highly controversial, many feeling that Pacquiao was given a gift decision. I stated in my post fight opinion piece that I would be far more interested in a fourth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez, along with a Floyd Mayweather/Sergio Martinez fight. So this is not an inditement on the decision Bob Arum is making here. This is just an inditement on the many who have criticized, insulted, and defamed Floyd Mayweather over the last few years.
What can Floyd Mayweather do at this point? If he were to force a hard stance and really push for a fight with Pacquiao, many would say he’s only fighting Pacquiao when Pacquiao appears vulnerable. If Floyd weren’t to fight him now, there are those who will still say Floyd is ducking Manny.
Neither appear to be the case with this recent development.
Floyd Mayweather will continue to be the number one fighter in the world pound for pound. Without Manny Pacquiao, Sergio Martinez is the toughest challenge out there. Let’s hope that fight can be made. If not Sergio, I’d be okay with an Amir Khan fight. Unfortunately, most fans won’t be satisfied with either.
But only this time, it is clear as day whose fault it is.
Boxing Insider’s Hans Olson can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @hansolson.
