Mayweather dares Pacman to a bout

MANILA, Philippines - With his jail sentence postponed, Floyd Mayweather Jr. challenged Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao to a showdown on May 5 in what could go down as the richest in boxing history.

“Manny Pacquiao I’m calling you out let’s fight May 5th and give the world what they want to see,” Mayweather posted on his Twitter account @FloydMayweather.

The flamboyant American fighter was supposed to start serving his sentence last Jan. 6 after pleading no contest to a domestic violence case. But a Las Vegas judge moved the date to June to allow the boxer to push through with his planned May fight – hopefully against Pacquiao.

Pacquiao has gone on record about his desire to face Mayweather next, even agreeing to the latter’s demand for an Olympic-style drug testing plus taking a lower share of the pot.

But while Pacquiao has indicated his preference to take on Mayweather after another controversial win against Juan Manuel Marquez last November, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum is looking at June 2 or June 9 for his prized ward’s ring return, saying the cut Pacquiao suffered against Marquez has not yet completely healed.

Arum also said Mayweather can serve his sentence in June and prepare for the Pacquiao clash in November.

Arum, who flew in from Las Vegas via Vancouver yesterday morning, has given Pacquiao four names to choose from for his next fight with Mayweather not in the list.

They are Miguel Cotto, Tim Bradley, Lamont Peterson and Marquez.

But the latest Mayweather dare should alter the entire Pacquiao equation.

“My jail sentence was pushed back because the date was locked in. Step up Punk,” he tweeted.– Dino Maragay/Contributor