Los Angeles TV station KTLA was on hand yesterday at Manny Pacquiao's official victory party at The Highlands in Hollywood, California. With the boxing world buzzing about a potential showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao was asked whether or not he wanted to face the undefeated multi-division champion in his next bout. His reply was simple, "For the record, yeah!"
Mayweather recently questioned whether or not the Filipino icon truly wanted to face him, despite the fact that both his promoter Bob Arum and his trainer Freddie Roach have repeatedly stated that Team Pacquiao is open to negotiations. "Tell Manny Pacquiao to be his own man stop letting everyone, including his loud-mouth trainer, talk for him. If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight me, all he has to do is step up to the plate and say it himself," stated Mayweather.
Well Floyd, there you go! Manny Pacquiao has, for the record, stepped up to the plate. Now, before any of you get too excited and start thinking this means the two sides will rush into negotiations, keep in mind that we'll have to wait for Floyd's response to this latest development. I get the feeling it will sound something like, "Like I said before, he didn't say my name! He didn't say my name! If he wants to get his ass tore up by Floyd Mayweather, tell him to say, 'I want to fight Floyd Mayweather.' Tell him to say my name. I want to hear my name come out of his mouth!"
With the juvenile back-and-forth that Floyd has already begun in the media, it's a wonder if negotiations will ever get off the ground.
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