Dodge Floyd: Jr avoiding Pacquiao, to retire anew

The mega-fight everyone wants to see may not push through again this year after the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. is planning to take a “year or couple of years off" from boxing. Mayweather’s plan of going into retirement was uploaded at YouTube. The interview took place when 18-year-old cancer patient Armando Carral, through Make A Wish Foundation, visited him at his boxing gym on June 2 in Las Vegas. “I don’t know what the future holds. I might take a couple of years off," Mayweather said when asked a number of times if he would finally agree of fighting three-time Boxer of the Year Manny Pacquiao. “I want to spend more time in my boxing gym, feeding the homeless and doing things that are positive. That’s what we are going to do at the Floyd Mayweather Foundation," Mayweather added. Mayweather’s decision of going into retirement again made several boxing writers comment that the flamboyant fighter is actually dodging a fight with the seven world division champion Pacquiao. Pacquiao was supposed to fight Mayweather on March 13 but negotiations for the planned bout between two explosive fighters broke down after both parties failed to agree on the drug testing protocol to be used by both boxers. Mayweather wants to use an Olympic style random drug testing while Pacquiao does not want blood to be extracted from him two days before the fight. Pacquio, who won as representative of Sarangani’s lone legislative district, recently agree to Mayweather’s 14-day condition, but the latter answered quickly by demanding that they take test closer to the fight. Aide from the drug testing protocol, the purse split is another issue that needs to be settled with Pacquiao’s camp pushing for a 50-50 share while Mayweather's demanding for having the higher pay per view buys -- a 60-40 split up. Top Rank Promotions president Bob Arum said in case Pacquiao’s planned November 13 bout with Mayweather won’t push through, the Filipino boxing icon can choose other fighters in his final match before he finally retires and concentrate with his legislative duties. Pacquiao can set his sights of winning his eighth title in different divisions if he decides to have a rematch with Miguel Cotto, who defeated Yuri Foreman, to claim the World Boxing Association (WBA) light middleweight title. If ever Pacquiao decides to fight Cotto, he needs to go up in weight between 148 and 154 pounds. Antonio Margarito is also eyeing a 12-round slugfest with Pacquiao. While Pacquiao was in New York preparing to receive two awards from the Boxing Writers Association America (BWAA) – the Filipino boxing icon was also chosen as BWAA’s Fighter of the Decade – Mayweather was in Los Angeles performing with rapper 50 Cent at a concert. Pacquiao winning the Fighter of the Decade award did not sit well on Mayweather, according to BWAA president Jack Hirsch. Pacquiao defeated Mayweather for the Fighter of the Decade award. Hirsch said that Mayweather thinks that he is much qualified to receive the Fighter of the Decade award since he remains undefeated after 41 fights with 25 of those wins coming by way of knockout. Hirsch said that he was surprised that most of BWAA’s members voted for Pacquiao to be the recipient of the first Fighter of the Year award that cemented his status as the reigning pound-for-pound king. One of boxing’s elite Pacquiao’s twin knockout wins over Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto last year secured for him the top awards given by the BWAA, which is considered as the Oscars for boxers around the world.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Pacquiao now joins boxing Hall of Famers Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield as the only boxers to win the BWAA’s Fighter of the Year award three times. And what a fitting way for Pacquiao to be feted than being awarded by the man who beat Ali, boxing great Smokin’ Joe Frazier, who 39 years ago dismantled the man called as "The Greatest" in the first fight of their epic trilogy. Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach also received his fourth BWAA Trainer of the Year award. – RCJ/Jon Perez, GMANews.TV