Arum, GBP to reopen talks

MANILA, Philippines - Whatever happens on May 1 in Las Vegas, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said he’s open to reopening negotiations with Top Rank chief Bob Arum regarding Manny Pacquiao’s next fight.

But Schaefer, in a conversation with boxing chronicler Michael Marley, said only after the May 1 showdown between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Shane Mosley will talks with Arum start.

Mayweather and Mosley are both under Golden Boy, and whoever wins the fight, set at the MGM Grand, can take on Pacquiao, still fresh from a 12-round demolition of Joshua Clottey in Dallas.

“Come May 2, it’s a different story. Then we can talk about the May 1 winner fighting Pacquiao but not before. I will not talk about any other fight until that fight is over,” said Schaefer on behalf of GBP.

Pacquiao has expressed willingness to fight Mayweather or Mosley, as well as his trainer, Freddie Roach, who was also reportedly interested in a battle with Venezuelan knockout artist Edwin Valero.

A fight with Mayweather could be the richest fight of all time and both boxers may earn no less than $30 million each.

It’s not certain, though, if Arum is still interested in talks with Schaefer following the aborted negotiations for the Pacquiao-Mayweather super-fight that was supposed to have taken place this month.

Arum was furious when Schaefer pulled out of a meeting with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones as they negotiated for the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, and the question is will he ever do business with Schaefer again.

Talks for a Pacquiao vs Mayweather eventually fell apart due to the drug-testing procedure.

But if Mayweather gets past Mosley, and takes away the latter’s WBA welterweight crown, then the road leads nowhere but a showdown with Pacquiao, the WBO welterweight king and reigning pound-for-pound champion.

Schaefer also told Marley that a Pacquiao fight with either Mayweather or Mosley can take place anywhere, even at the Cowboys Stadium, which drew a crowd of nearly 51,000 for the Pacquiao-Clottey show last Saturday.

“I am sure it was pretty good, at least from what I read. I am sure it was good for the sport overall. I took my family out to dinner Saturday night so I didn’t see it live. Pacquiao is a good fighter. You can’t blame Pacquiao if the other guy didn’t want to fight. I am sure that Pacquiao came to fight,” said Schaefer.

“My goal is to maximize the money for the fighters who all have limited time in their boxing careers. A fight can take place in Dallas, in Las Vegas or anywhere else. We know such a fight would do a huge number in Vegas and we can see what others might offer. As a promoter, my obligation is to maximize the money,” he said.