Pacquiao-Mayweather: Half-lies and half-truths

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – Boxing fans and the sports world were sent into a whirlwind frenzy last week after Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. met face to face for the first time – lighting up the flickering chances of the mega fight to happen. 

But not all are sure what really happened when the two shook hands and gave each other a short civil hug thereafter. 

Boxing website Fight Hype said it was Mayweather who initiated the contact. But it was not to finally strike a deal to fight Pacquiao. Rather, it was his way of telling everybody to shut up and stop all the lies about a fight contract. 

Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s right hand man, did not even bother to refute what the boxing website reported. 

So are Top Rank’s Bob Arum and Pacquiao’s camp telling lies when they said Manny had already signed the fight contract? 

For Mayweather, that cannot be because there is no contract, he insists. 

Well, somebody is either telling a lie or stating some half-truths.

(RELATED: Pacquiao-Mayweather deal could be finalized in a few days – Arum)

From the facial reaction of Pacquiao in that chance encounter in the middle of a Miami Heat game, it was obvious he was not pleased with what Mayweather told him.

Did Pacquiao lie when he said he already signed the fight contract? 

I have been bashed by friends of Pacquiao for my biting stories of him. 

But this time, I will rise to defend him. 

The worst case scenario is that he was telling his side of the half-truth. 

There are several layers of contracts that he and Top Rank sign whenever he fights. Only a stupid lawyer will refute that as given. Right Jeng? 

What he may have signed is something between him and Top Rank. That document could include a lot of “SUBJECT TOs.” 

It could be a term of reference (TOR) for the fight to happen – an agreement between him and Bob Arum prior to the signing of the main document that is the actual fight contract.  It could also be his points of reference for the negotiations.  

Until they show everybody the contract that Pacquiao allegedly signed, Mayweather will be holding the high ground as far as public perception over that disputed ‘non-contract’ issue. 

Pacquiao may have been party to the elaborate public relations and media plan that Top Rank hatched to force Mayweather into the corner.

He gave Mayweather until January 31 to sign the ‘contract.’ 

Obviously it backfired because, now, Mayweather is somewhere in Jamaica enjoying his piña colada with no fight deal in sight.

Worse, Pacquiao may have been misled by Top Rank or Michael Koncz. 

Mayweather scored some points over that but he will lose them all if he still refuses to fight Pacquiao – whether it is May 2 or sometime in November or in the future. 

He may also be telling us half lies when he said there is no fight contract to sign. 

Of course there was none because the terms were still being discussed with so many areas to cover up until he met Pacquiao in the latter’s hotel suite following the Heat game. Not the least was the fight purses for both fighters. 

All he said was there is no contract.  But it does not mean there are no negotiations even if he kept swaying in the lullaby of the Caribbean sunset.

With all the above stated, one can always argue that the glass is either half-empty or half-full. 

Welcome back to the circus. – Rappler.com