Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather: Bob Arum Not Ruling Out Superfight

By Troy Sparks

Top Rank Promoter Bob Arum made the offer of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. superfight through a third party, according to Fanhouse.

Ross Greenburg, from HBO Sports, has been working since May to arrange negotiations between the Pacquiao and Mayweather camps.

When he mediated the discussions on July 16 between Arum and Al Haymon, who represented Mayweather, they thought it would be a wrap.

There was one problem: Mayweather didn't respond to the deadline Top Rank gave him to accept the offer.

Team Mayweather CEO Leonard Ellerbe said no offer was made, and that statement was concurred by Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.

Arum called Ellerbe's claims of no offer made "preposterous" and "totally bizarre."

You may ask yourself why Greenburg got involved with the arrangement for Arum and Haymon to talk.

He's not stupid. The network knows there's a rainbow of unclaimed cash out there.

HBO may get a drop in the bucket with the Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarita fight.

It will be a waterfall flowing with milk and honey if Mayweather agrees to fight Pacquiao.

For Mayweather to back up his claim as the best fighter in the world, he'd have to prove it.

The Pacquiao matchup will solidify his legacy if he wins.

Then, if he wants, after he wins the fight, he can chill in the shade and count his cash.

How do we know if negotiations took place?

Greenburg said both sides talked. Ellerbe said it didn't happen.

Arum tried in vain to set up this superfight through a conference call.  Now he has to try something different.

It basically means the following observations:

Arum will wait on Mayweather because he wants this fight to occur.

Mayweather will negotiate on his own terms, since he's in charge of making his own decisions.

Greenburg will hyperventilate after the deal is finalized, because millions of dollars will rain down from heaven.

Oscar de la Hoya will wait for the Brinks truck to back up in his driveway, since he benefits from this deal and Mayweather is under the Golden Boy umbrella.

Fans will be willing to pay $59.95 to watch on pay-per-view and thousands to see it in person.

Arum has control over Pacquiao and Margarita since he promotes both fighters.

We know Pac-Man's bout with Margarita is "safe." 

Arum won't hesitate to speed up talks with the Mayweather camp if Floyd agrees to negotiate.

Just give Mayweather some time to relax and holler at him next year.

Arum thought Mayweather wasn't ready to fight yet, but his side thought he should lace up the gloves and get back in the ring anyway.

For good measure, Arum took a shot at de la Hoya for his comments that Margarita shouldn't regain a license to fight in the U.S.

Was Margarita really aware that whoever wrapped his hands slipped something in there?

Whether he speaks good English or not, he knew whether one hand felt heavier than the other.

So Vegas is probably out of the question for the Nov. 13 fight.

Floyd ain't going to Mexico to watch the fight.

I'd be surprised if he went south of the border to watch it.

Maybe Arum is patient with Mayweather because he used to promote him.

Ellerbe thinks Arum is full of it because he can no longer make money off Mayweather.

Claims of Mayweather making some $120 million after leaving Top Rank by Ellerbe is one reason why Arum can't control Mayweather's situation.

We'll see if this circus act of cat and mouse will continue.