Pacquiao vs Mayweather: Talks Begin

by James Slater - The fans want it, the two fighters appear to want it, and now the two key promoters are to begin talks to try and get the fight done. I'm talking, of course, about the eagerly anticipated would be mega-fight between pound-for-pound rivals Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Junior.

Dan Rafael over at ESPN.com confirmed in a recent news article that promoters Bob Arum, representing Pacquiao and Richard Schaefer, representing Mayweather, will meet today in Las Vegas and begin talks that they hope will result in a deal being thrashed out for what could well be the fight of the decade.

This is obviously great news, even if the beginning of preliminary talks doesn't mean it will be in any way easy making the fight. But, fingers crossed, Schaefer and Arum WILL be able to reach a deal.

Schaefer does sound a touch more upbeat than does Arum.

"Floyd and me want to see if we can get the fight done," Schaefer told ESPN.com. "The fact that I am flying to Las Vegas to meet with Bob shows you how serious our side is about making the fight. Bob and I will approach this without egos and try to get it done under fair terms. Floyd gave me his marching orders and I will see today how it goes and report back.."

Arum, as experienced as can be in the matters of deal making, said he isn't sure yet whether or not his meeting(s) with Schaefer will result in a fight being made.

"I can confirm I am meeting with Richard, but I am not going to talk about the specifics," Arum said. "It's a meeting where we will try and make the fight. Whether it can be made or not in this meeting, I don't know. We'll see what we will see."

The mood amongst those people who dearly wish to see a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight should be optimistic right now, as the two promoters talking at least means both fighters are interested in the fight. Though accusations flew claiming Mayweather and/or Pacquiao were afraid of taking the fight, this is clearly not the case. Both proud fighters know how very important this fight is.

All we can do now is hope the two negotiators can negotiate. And, according to Rafael, Schaefer says he hopes he and Arum can make the fight quickly, and not get bogged down in weeks and weeks of going back and forth.

Wouldn't it be fantastic, not to mention hugely surprising, if the most talked about fight of the last year or so was made in a relatively effortless manner? Then, the two fighters' signatures on the contract, fans everywhere could concentrate on simply looking forward to the forthcoming ring action. Pacquiao-Mayweather always was too good a fight not to happen.

eastsideboxing.com