HBO denies obstructing Mayweather-Pacquiao bout

MANILA, Philippines – HBO Sports, which holds the exclusive rights to air Manny Pacquiao’s fights, says it is not a roadblock to the highly anticipated bout between the Filipino icon and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather’s fights, in contrast, are televised by HBO’s rival network Showtime, and it has been reported that only network issues are keeping the megabout from happening.

A Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown, if finalized for May 2, won’t be the first time HBO and Showtime will be collaborating. In 2002, the two rival networks came to an agreement to jointly air on pay-per-view the tussle between heavyweights Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.

Tyson then was under contract with Showtime while Lewis had a deal with HBO.

For the planned clash between Mayweather and Pacquiao – expected to be the richest in boxing history if it materializes – HBO has gotten the blame for being an impediment.

In his Michigan Live column, veteran Scribe David wrote that for the super fight to push through, Pacquiao has to put pressure on HBO.

“It is incumbent on both sides to stay at the table, but the fact that Time Warner/HBO has little reason to push for Mayweather-Pacquiao this year remains, even while CBS/Showtime has every reason to deliver it, and until the former gets shoved into the negotiating inferno by Pacquiao and/or his promoter Bob Arum, the fight won't get made," Mayo wrote.

“And inevitably, because Mayweather plans to fight May 2 regardless who it is, and Pacquiao's backup plan if he doesn't fight Mayweather on May 2 is an alternate date of May 30, guess who has to walk away from the table first,” he continued.

Mayo’s commentary, along with those of other boxing scribes, prompted HBO to issue a statement defending itself from claims of being an obstacle to the bout between two of boxing’s biggest stars.

“We are not an impediment to this fight,” HBO said in a statement. “We stand ready to go. The principals need to agree to terms and come to a deal.”

Turning a Mayweather-Pacquiao duel into reality has never been this close, especially after the two fighters personally met at halftime of the NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. After exchanging numbers with Pacquiao, Mayweather followed up on that encounter by visiting the fighting congressman in his hotel in Miami.

Pacquiao’s camp has chosen to keep mum on negotiations, saying if a deal is finally reached, the announcement will come from Mayweather himself and no one else.