Koncz: Pacquiao, Mayweather resolved issues in private meeting

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz has confirmed the closed-door dialogue with Floyd Mayweather Jr. to discuss both men’s long-awaited showdown in the ring.

Pacquiao and Mayweather initially crossed paths during an NBA game at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla. on Wednesday, January 28 (PH Time) before he personally decided to visit the Filipino boxing icon at his hotel.

“We did not know that Floyd was going to be at the basketball game. In fact, we were supposed to fly home yesterday, but we had a problem with our tickets and we’re flying tonight, so Manny decided that he wanted to go to the basketball game,” Koncz revealed in an interview with BoxingScene.com.

Koncz reveals that he approached Mayweather first and asked the unbeaten American boxer if he was interested in meet Pacquiao, which this generation’s two most decorated pugilists did at courtside during the halftime of the Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks game.

“That wasn’t a staged thing. I approached Floyd and chatted with him a little bit, and asked ‘hey, let’s go to the Manny side and take a picture.’ I said that we didn’t have to discuss anything that it would be great for the media. So he chatted to me about being misinformed and this and that, and said he would come over at halftime,” he revealed.

“Then he came over, repeated what he repeated to me, and then that was it.”

After both fighters exchanged numbers, Koncz says Mayweather took the initiative to call Pacquiao for a private dialogue at his hotel suite in Miami.

“Then we got a call later that night, asking me if he could come to our hotel to speak with me and Manny, which we allowed. He was very pleasant, very professional. He indicated he was very eager to make the fight, which I believe as of last night he is. Whether or not that’s the same tomorrow I don’t know,” he shared.

(RELATED: ‘Stop Lying,’ Mayweather tells Pacquiao at Heat game – report)

Earlier this month, Pacquiao 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, the renowned Pinoy southpaw also accepted the demand of a random pre-fight drug testing.

Still standing as the crucial point of the negotiation would be securing the pay-per-view network partner as Mayweather maintained on several occasions that that the bout should be aired on Showtime, while Pacquiao is hooked with HBO.

Koncz disclosed that Pacquiao and Mayweather discussed the broadcasting terms between the high-profile television networks.

“The major discussion revolved around broadcast issues. Manny and I both told him ‘if those are the only issues, those are simple and we can have those fixed in the morning.’ And in fact I’ve confirmed that they’ve been resolved,” he pointed out.

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.

Koncz likewise noted that Mayweather put Showtime head honcho Stephen Espinoza on the phone while having an extensive chat with Pacquiao regarding the mega-fight.

“Espinoza was on the phone last night. Floyd put him on the phone with us. I told Floyd, and Manny agreed, if those [broadcasting items] are the only issues then no problem. We can take care of it,” he quipped.

Koncz confidently stressed that the marquee match-up will come into fruition as the two parties have resolved their differences.

“This morning Manny instructed me to get on the phone. I talked to Arum. Arum had conversations with [HBO CEO Richard] Plepler and [CBS CEO Les] Moonves and those issues are resolved now,” Koncz said. – Rappler.com