Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum is not too thrilled about the upcoming showdown between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Marcos Maidana on May 3 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Arum said that the upcoming Mayweather-Maidana showdown will be a boring fight, and that fight fans should boycott the fight. And if the fans do so, Arum believes that Mayweather will stop ducking opponents.
In an interview after Pacquiao's unanimous decision victory over Timothy Bradley on Sunday, Arum said that he is still optimistic that the Pacquiao vs Mayweather super fight will eventually happen.
Mayweather previously expressed no desire in facing the Filipino boxing icon, but Arum pointed out that the reigning pound-for-pound king will have a sudden change of heart if the fight fans pressure him to do so.
"The only people that can make Floyd Mayweather fight Manny is the public if they boycott the nonsense on May 3rd. That's when the fight will happen. Without any pre conditions on any side. That's what the public should do. You want that fight? Tell your readers not to buy it on pay per view and not to buy tickets for it," Arum said.
Arum said that Pacquiao and his camp are ready to sit down with Mayweather and his representatives anytime, but he quickly added that it could only take place after the Grand Rapids native's upcoming bout against Maidana.
"There is no other [options]! We are prepared tomorrow - well [Mayweather] has a fight, a so called fight - we are prepared to sit down at a table with his people any time to work out the conditions to the fight," Arum stressed.
It is still unclear, though, whether or not the fight can actually be staged this year as Pacquiao is reportedly planning to face Juan Manuel Marquez in a fifth showdown if the Mexican boxing icon emerges victorious in his next fight.
Marquez, who will face Mike Alvarado on May 17 at The Forum in Los Angeles, previously turned down numerous offers to face Pacquiao again, but the 40-year-old Mexican is reportedly itching to win Pacquiao's World Boxing Organization welterweight title.
