Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao: What's The Real Deal?

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

I'm going to start out by saying I got all of this information from sources inside the boxing community, but some of what I am going to write is second hand and other things are speculation. I will also note that I live in Los Angeles so my sources are all here and not in Las Vegas or any other places around the country so take it for what's worth.

I will try to make clear what parts are rumors and what parts are actual facts and hopefully people will check their own prejudices at the door and not bombard me with silly nonsense on my profile.

Boxing promotion is a very difficult art. It relies on a little hucksterism, a little slight of hand, a little luck and a whole lot of money to make it work. But when it works, it really works.

There's really nothing like a great boxing show to stir the imagination.

In the case of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao the imagination has now been stirring for almost a year in some circles and most certainly since last December when the Pac-Man sent Oscar into retirement.

This one looks like a classic, two fighters in their prime, almost the same weight, and two different styles that could make a great fight.

So, let's look at the real time-line and try and sort this out for the many confused people out there.

It really all started when Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was in negotiations to fight a second time against ODH.

I'm not sure how many people really wanted to see this fight. Oscar looked like a beaten man in the second half of the first fight and he didn't look all that great against Stevie Forbes.

But Oscar wanted it and it was going ahead. Until Floyd pulled a surprise and announced his retirement.

At that point Pretty Boy and the Golden Boy had to scramble. He had already said he only wanted to fight a couple of more times and needed a name fighter for one last big match.

This is when they approached Manny Pacquiao and his handlers. Manny was just coming off a set of fights that make a boxer legendary. Eight fights with a trio of future Hall of Famers in the lightweight classes.

The Pac-Man went 6-1-1 in eight fights with Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez. Big fights and for the lighter weight classes big draws as well.

A lot of people thought the idea of a Pacquiao-De La Hoya fight was ridiculous. Manny was coming up two weight classes and 12 pounds to take the fight. But Freddy Roach thought they had a chance so they Manny went ahead with the match.

And although it had the appearance of freak show to some in the boxing community, fans hooked in and the match sold tickets. Lots of tickets.

This is when things start getting a little weird. Suddenly the news came out that Floyd, Jr. was secretly in training and wanted to fight again.

Considering Floyd had barely announced the retirement, word that he was already in training came as a surprise even to regular PBF watchers. I mean, even Brett Favre takes some time off.

People figured their had to be a reason for Floyd's change of heart.

This was when news of the Pretty Boy's IRS problems surfaced. Now, PBF has always maintained he doesn't owe anything. But he's also followed up that statement with things about I just pay slower than other people.

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