MANILA, Philippines – HBO, an American cable television network known for broadcasting high-profile boxing matches since the 1970’s, denied the allegation that it obstructs the negotiation for the mega-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The Time Warner-owned company released a press statement on Tuesday, February 3 to clarify its position in the ongoing talks of the long-awaited showdown between this generation’s two decorated pugilists.
“We are not an impediment to this fight. We stand ready to go. The principals need to agree to terms and come to a deal,” the statement read.
Last month, Pacquiao already gave his approval to the terms that were presented to him by Mayweather for a 12-round encounter on May 2 (May 3 in PH) at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, with a 60/40 purse split that would favor the sport’s pound-for-pound king.
Aside from the date, location and purse split of the heavily-hyped confrontation, Pacquiao also accepted the demand of a random pre-fight drug testing.
However, the 37-year-old Mayweather has yet to commit to a marquee match-up that has been more than five years in the making.
Still standing as the crucial point of the discussion would be securing the pay-per-view network partner as Mayweather maintained on several occasions that the bout should be aired on Showtime, while Pacquiao is hooked with HBO.
Both companies were able to work together when Lennox Lewis faced Mike Tyson in 2002, and the heavyweight championship clash turned out as the highest grossing pay-per-view during that moment in time, earning 1.95 million buys in the United States and generating a revenue of $106.9 million.
When Pacquiao and Mayweather had a much publicized chance meeting at an NBA game before having a closed-door chat at the Filipino’s hotel suite in Miami last week, Michael Koncz disclosed that the two touched the topic about the broadcasting terms between HBO and Showtime.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum recently stated that the Pacquiao-Mayweather duel is inch-by-inch coming into fruition courtesy of the coincidental meeting, but the unbeaten American immediately dismissed the 83-year-old promoter’s claim.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao reportedly eyes an in-ring return on May 30 in case the negotiation for the super-fight falls through once more. – Rappler.com
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