by Adrian Dy, GMA NEWS
Fresh off a victory that saw him claim the World Boxing Association super-welterweight championship Saturday night (Sunday, PHL time), Floyd Mayweather Jr. threw worded jabs at Bob Arum in the post-match interviews, saying that the Top Rank promoter is preventing a much-awaited battle between him and Sarangani congressman Manny Pacquiao.
“Bob Arum is in the way,” the undefeated Mayweather said. “He’s stopping the fans from getting what they want. Let’s give the fans what they want.
Mayweather believes that Arum, among other Pacquiao advisors, dissuaded Pacquiao from accepting a flat $40 million dollars to fight him, with the boxer known as “Money,” picking up all the pay-per-view profits.
Versus Cotto, whom he defeated via unanimous decision after 12 rounds, Mayweather earned a record $32 million before pay-per-view money, the largest purse so far in boxing history.
Since turning down the offer of a flat fee, Pacquiao has since offered various splits of the prize pot, including a 70-30 split to the winner, all of which were refused by the Mayweather camp.
Mayweather went on to say, “I tried to make the Pacquiao fight and that didn’t work, so I fought Miguel Cotto instead and gave the fans a great fight.
“I want to fight Pacquiao but he has to take the test, and I’ll fight him.”
Mayweather wants Pacquiao to submit to Olympic-level drug testing, having said multiple times that he believes the Philippine champion has taken steroids as he went up weight divisions without losing power.
Said Mayweather during a press conference before the fight with Cotto, “I’m going up in weight but I’m not walking through no damn fighters. [Pacquiao] is 106; now he decides to walk through [Miguel] Cotto? Cotto can’t knock down [Shane] Mosley, but can he?
“People say, ‘We don’t give a f--- if he’s taking or not; we just want to see that fight. We don’t give a f--- about your health.”
However, Pacquiao had long agreed to such testing, something Mayweather seems oblivious to as he repeatedly brings it up when asked about the chances of a Pacquiao bout.
“Cotto didn’t have the problem taking the random blood and urine tests,” Mayweather said. “Why shouldn’t Pacquiao? If he’s the best, take the test.” — ELR, GMA News
