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Floyd's camp still hopeful for Pacquiao megabout


Hope springs eternal, and for Leonard Ellerbe, a close associate of unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr., somehow, a fight with boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao is still very much possible. Notwithstanding the accusations made and a lawsuit filed, Ellerbe said he remains hopeful of finding a way for a deal to be made.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“We’re still trying to make a deal," said the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mayweather Promotions in an interview with FanHouse. “We’re still ready, willing and able to try to make a deal. We feel that this is the biggest fight in the history of boxing. We want to give this fight to the fans." Negotiations for the March 13 bout reached an impasse following disagreements by both parties on the drug-testing procedures to be used. The matter got even worse when Pacquiao filed a lawsuit against Mayweather Jr., his father Floyd Sr. and Golden Boy Promotions executives Richard Schaefer and Oscar De La Hoya for suggesting that he’s been using steroids in his previous fights. Ellerbe clarified that he didn’t accuse the Filipino boxing champion of taking performance-enhancing drugs. “From Day One, I've never accused Manny Pacquiao of anything. All that I've said is that we want to ensure that there is a level playing field because this is what the fans deserve. “Boxing has a great opportunity to be out front before the whole world and to say, 'We have a wonderful sport, and this is a clean sport, and we have the two best fighters in the world going head-to-head to find out and to prove who is the best.' Check out egos at the door The Mayweather Promotions official added that they already acceded to the terms of the Pacquiao camp for a hefty penalty in case either one of the fighters exceeds the 147-pound welterweight limit, ditto with the use of the 10-ounce gloves. “On our side, we checked our egos at the door. That’s why we asked Richard Schaefer to represent us in these negotiations. So we’ve done everything on our part to try to make this fight come to fruition. Now, the other side just has to check their egos at the door and make a deal and give the fans what they deserve."

We’re still trying to make a deal. We’re still ready, willing and able to try to make a deal. We feel that this is the biggest fight in the history of boxing. We want to give this fight to the fans.
– Leonard Ellerbe, adviser to Floyd Mayweather Jr.
For the nth time, Ellerbe insisted that only Pacquiao’s refusal to undergo random, Olympic-style drug testing is keeping the fight from happening. “I just think that at the end of the day, Manny Pacquiao will put his country on his back and eventually step up to the plate and agree to the random blood and urine testing. Because there is nothing out there that could do that could remotely come close to being involved in the biggest fight in the history of the sport," he said. Ellerbe added that a word of advice from people close to the world’s pound-for-pound king could help convince Pacquiao to agree to their demands. “Manny Pacquiao has a lot of smart people around him. (Top Rank president) Todd duBoef has done a good job with not allowing their company's emotions get involved with trying to make a deal. I have every expectation that Freddie Roach and the people around him will explain to Manny that he has way more to lose than to gain by taking another fight." A Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, according to Ellerbe, will also decide once and for all, who’s really the best fighter in boxing today. “Floyd has been ready, willing and able to show the fans why he's been the best fighter in the world for over a decade. Manny Pacquiao thinks he's the best, but Floyd knows that he's the best. The only way to settle this is in the ring." - GMANews.TV
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