Floyd Mayweather Continues Playing Foil to Pacquiao by Supporting Gay Marriage

After Manny Pacquiao came out and told Examiner.com that he was against same-sex marriage, he's instantly become a controversial figure.

Now Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao's nemesis, is capitalizing on the opportunity to shift fans to his side.

Mayweather tweeted on Wednesday:

"

I stand behind President Obama & support gay marriage. I'm an American citizen & I believe people should live their life the way they want.

— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) May 16, 2012"

Pacquiao has come under fire after his comments. Examiner writer Granville Ampong suggested that Pacquiao had cited Leviticus 20:13, which was a big reason why things have gotten out of control.

Leviticus 20:13 reads: “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."

Pacquiao responded with a statement on Wednesday, via Politico, saying, "I didn’t say that, that’s a lie… I didn’t know that quote from Leviticus because I haven’t read the Book of Leviticus yet."

The statement also read "I'm not against gay people" and "I only gave out my opinion that same sex marriage is against the law of God.”

It's not exactly a surprise that Mayweather is looking for knockout punch against Pacquiao after his latest statements. Both boxers' camps have battled back and forth trying to negotiate a superfight, which has led many fans to take sides.

Mayweather, who has proven to be a marketing genius throughout his career, is trying to shift public opinion to his side. And given the gravity of the situation, he has to be licking his chops. This is just the ammunition Mayweather needs to pressure Pacquiao into a deal on his own terms. Pacquiao has more to gain by defeating Mayweather than the other way around.

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