Al Bello - Getty Images
Floyd Mayweather Jr's jail sentence is a big roadblock to making a May fight with Manny Pacquiao. But what if Bob Arum helps out? (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Ronnie Nathanielsz of Manila Standard Today reports that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum may possibly go before Las Vegas judge Melissa Saragosa to try and get Floyd Mayweather Jr's jail sentence further pushed back, so that a fight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao can happen in late May or early June.
Arum indicated he was ready to go before judge Melissa Saragosa and request that she push back the incarceration date so the fight, which the world wants to see, can take place.
The belief is that the judge, who postponed Mayweather’s incarceration from Jan. 6 to June 1 to allow him to keep his contractual obligations for a May 5 fight, is likely to grant the request.
This would be a pretty bombshell piece of news if true, and would make the fight, dare I say it, very possible. Very, very possible.
Mayweather said yesterday via Twitter that the date of his scheduled fight (May 5) can't be changed, and says he has his guaranteed money in order and challenged Arum to contact Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions or adviser Al Haymon.
The biggest sticking point right now appears to be the date. If Arum really helped get the sentence delayed again, which it already was earlier this month, that's a serious move, and if successful, the ball would be entirely in Floyd Mayweather's court -- if he's willing to fight Pacquiao on May 5 and report for his sentence on June 1, a similar four-week arrangement to fight Pacquiao later and report to jail later should be reasonable on paper.
The article also mentions Dubai as a potential host for the fight, but we've heard about Dubai five hundred times and it never hosts a fight, so I'm choosing to ignore that. Freddie Roach says he thinks Cowboys Stadium would be best for the fight in the States, but you'd have to sell so many tickets there to equal a Vegas gate that it doesn't actually make sense. There are only so many high-priced tickets you can sell in Cowboys Stadium.
Anyway, this could all amount to nothing, but it has been reported, and if Arum really did make a move on this, that would be big time. And would do more than anything ever has to show that Arum and Team Pacquiao want this fight.
0 recs | 25 comments
This gets nuttier as it goes on
cyke - January 18, 2012
Not sure why a judge would further delay this if they weren’t going to fight in Vegas and help their economy.
giff82 - January 18, 2012 via mobile
Good point.
Though, I would love for this fight to be in Texas, I think they could likely sell the stadium out, probably with 100,000 people. Though you can’t charge the same prices as you would for Vegas, I’m certain the extra 80,000 tickets can make up for it and more. I heard someone estimate that the average ticket for MGM would be 1200 for this fight, roughly 20,000,000. Even at 100 dollars a ticket in Texas, that’s 10,000,000 but certainly there will be tickets ringside still in the thousands of dollars. I guess it is way more hassle but I love the idea.
RyanSexton - January 18, 2012
They won't
pakinpower - January 18, 2012
You know, since we’ve gone this far, let’s put ALL the cards on the table. If Mayweather beats Pacquiao, he gets his sentence reduced further; if he gets a knockout, he gets out of jail free.
Come on, Nevada, if you don’t do it, I’m going to have to write a horrible, horrible screenplay with this idea!
El Destruyo - January 18, 2012
lol do it
“in a world with no rules… you have to make your own”
nickfoxx - January 18, 2012
Damnit. Better get Bryan Cranston on the phone. If he ain’t playing Freddie Roach, I’m taking myself off the project.
El Destruyo - January 18, 2012
I don't understand why there is talk of other cities
Mayweather’s next fight can’t leave Vegas.
Craig111 - January 18, 2012
Vegas or Bust!
A fight of this magnitude has to happen in VEGAS, Texas holds more people but the Cowboy stadium and Texas won’t make nearly as much money as VEGAS would. All the casinos and hotels also get packed, plane tickets get bought, closed circuit tv tickets get sold its a money making extravaganza the likes you don’t understand….TEXAS only has the stadium an after a certain capacity the tickets will be dirt cheap anyway and all the actors and other stars won’t make a weekend out o it like they will for Vegas. Cheapest seat in Vegas will be 700-1000$ easy
BOXING MACHINE - January 18, 2012 via mobile
wtf?
on what basis would arum have standing to ask a judge to delay the sentence of another person? this nathanielsz guy can’t actually be a journalist, because it seems like a pretty obvious question to ask. it seems like that request would have to come from Floyd, who has given no indication that he’d like to ask to postpone the date any further. .
Sentimental - January 18, 2012
I don’t know if the info is correct or no but Nathanielsz is definitely not the most credible source in the world.
Apprentice - January 18, 2012
No way Mayweather leaves Vegas for the fight. Mention of other cities only sets up Arum’s next way out. Seriously, i dont understand why Pac cant go on the 5th of May.
RRod806 - January 18, 2012
LMAO
Another classic Bob Arum lie.
He has no legal authority to go before any judge on Floyd’s behalf because he is not Floyd’s counsel and can’t speak for Floyd in any legal capacity whatsoever.
Bob, you’re not willing to talk to Floyd or his ppl directly but your willing to talk to the judge? lol This is pathetic and wishfull thinking!
KidChocolate - January 18, 2012
the fight has to be in las vegas, because one of the reason floyd is not in jail it’s that his may 5th fight would be beneficial to las vegas, and the judge take that in consideration… if arum try to move the fight to another place maybe his request will be denied…
EL CIERTO (VEN) - January 18, 2012
If Arum is serious about building the outdoor arena then the judge may grant them the extra time
First off the only way the judge would allow this is if the fight is made in Vegas. The whole reason the sentence was moved was because super fights do so good for the economy.
The possibility of an out door arena in vegas would be wonderful for the economy. Think about it.
1) They estimate $7million to build it. Thats an extra $7mill + multiplier effect to the economy (Multiplier effect is an economic concept that if you spend money on an economy the overall benefit will be multiplied as those who are employed by the construction will then further their income and spend more as a result, then as they spend more others income will increase causing those people to also spend more… So on an so forth.) So the 7 Mill may seem small but its not when you consider all the employment that will be needed in these tough economic times.
2) Who says the outdoor arena will only be used for boxing? Can imagine certain artists that would love to preform in vegas infront of a 40’000 crowd.
3) If the 40’000 sells out thats a possible extra 25’000 people that could possibly travel to vegas for the fight, ending up staying in hotels and further boost the economy (obviously a lot of the exrtra people attending in the outdoor arena may already be local residents, but every little helps.
In conclusion i think IF arum is serious about this and IF he shows evidence for an out door arena then the judge SHOULD agree to move it back, then POSSIBLY we MIGHT have a fight if they can SOME HOW agree on all the other factors for this fight.
(P.s if Arum actually does this i might forgive him for all the pain he has caused boxing fans)
TheBod - January 18, 2012
One Problem...
As mentioned earlier, Arum has no legal authority to go before any judge on Floyd’s behalf because he is not Floyd’s counsel and can’t speak for Floyd in any legal capacity…period. Its pure posturing!
KidChocolate - January 18, 2012
it’s Las Vegas, anything can happen, right?
EL CIERTO (VEN) - January 18, 2012
it doesnt have to be an actual court proceeding
he could just talk to her, and if she seems amenable, then floyd’s legal team can file the actual bullshit necessary to get another hearing
nickfoxx - January 18, 2012
wait -
floyd’s going to guantanamo???
Sentimental - January 18, 2012
IT'S USELESS ANYWAY...
Arum wants to delay Floyd’s sentence for what? Floyd HAS to fight on May 5, period!
He has “contractual obligations” to fight on May 5th. The MGM Grand wants him to fight on May 5th. That’s Cinco De Mayo weekend and that’s a very big weekend for the MGM and they want him to fight on that date.That’s the whole reason the judge decided to delay his lock up date to avoid any legal action from MGM!
KidChocolate - January 18, 2012
tbf i remember saying earlier that maybe this fight could happen in may and they have a card up their sleeve but tbh i really didnt think this was it i mean if this is genuinely true then the only way these two arent getting in the ring is if one of them retires through injury
sparky_mufc - January 18, 2012
Write it down, take note, I’m still saying May 2009.
Sammlung - January 18, 2012
NOVEMBER
Jot it down.
pakinpower - January 18, 2012
Wow.
What a fascinating circus of manipulative media blurbs by everyone involved in this fight.
younggunzvt - January 18, 2012
The article is basically rubbish
in regards to the exact terms Floyd’s lawyers negotiated his extended freedom before serving.
The people at TR don’t know what exactly his lawyers told the judge or what they promised.
Nor do they know exactly what the judge is expecting.
If Floyd promised the court a Mayweather Pacquiao fight, the pressure is on him to make it happen. If he simply said he was set to fight on that date (but did not commit to any one partner) then we will all just have to wait to see what he does.
He is still the boss.
pakinpower - January 18, 2012
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