After months of negotiations and oft-contentious discussions, it appears that the Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather superfight will finally happen. Or, at least that’s what Manny thinks.
“I will fight Mayweather next year,” said Pacquiao on Thursday evening according to Boxing Scene and ESPN.
Top Rank head honcho Bob Arum, says Mayweather agreed to split the purse and associated income 50/50 while Manny agreed to “Mayweather’s unusually stringent performance-enhancing (PED) testing requirements.”
Both fighters have tune-up contests coming up over the rest of 2011. Pacquiao is facing Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12th and Mayweather will face Victor Ortiz on September 17th.
No details have emerged as of yet as to whether HBO or Showtime would receive the rights to this superfight.