Manny Pacquiao recently inked a two-year extension with Top Rank Promotions, which will likely kill the possibility of the long-dream showdown between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Mayweather previously said that he will not face the Filipino boxing icon unless he splits up with Top Rank Promotions, saying that the he will not do business with Bob Arum again.
But in a recent ESPN report, Pacquiao's camp reiterated that the super fight can happen whether Pacquiao is with Top Rank Promotion or not as long as Mayweather is really interested in fighting him.
Michael Koncz, Pacquiao's adviser, took a swipe at Mayweather, saying that the reigning pound-for-pound king is just making a lot of excuses, but is really not willing to face Pacquiao, possibly because he is afraid that the former pound-for-pound king has the tools to hand him the first defeat of his career.
"I don't believe Floyd not fighting us has to do with Bob," Koncz said. "Why did he wait until he exhausted all other excuses before saying he wouldn't fight Manny if Bob was involved? First he brought up the drug testing, he wanted Manny to sign with him. Then he wanted to pay Manny only a flat fee of $40 million for the fight instead of sharing a percentage. And now he can't fight Manny because Bob would be involved?"
Pacquiao, who is coming off a dominating unanimous decision win over Timothy Bradley in their rematch, has been expressing willingness to face Mayweather, but the undefeated champion looks firm in his stance.
With Mayweather out the picture, Pacquiao, who is expected to fight again before the end of the year, will likely face his nemesis, Juan Manuel Marquez, in a fifth showdown.
Marquez, who knocked Pacquiao out cold in their fourth showdown in December 2012, recently scored an impressive unanimous decision win over Mike Alvarado, which made him the top contender for Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title.
The 40-year-old Mexican is playing coy on the proposed fifth showdown with Pacquiao, but Marquez will likely eventually decide to face his Filipino nemesis.
Previous reports indicated that Marquez is looking to make history by becoming the first Mexican to win five titles in as many divisions, and fighting Pacquiao is the only realistic option at this point to reach his goal.
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