Manny Pacquiao: Why a Floyd Mayweather Fight in May Won't Happen

Floyd Mayweather will make a quick return to the boxing ring on May 5, 2012, and although his opponent for that fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas has yet to be determined, you can bet it will not be Manny Pacquiao.

It seems Mayweather wants his opponent to be PacMan. His trainer, Leonard Ellerbe, told ESPN the following:

"We're looking to make the biggest fight possible and everyone knows what that fight is, the little fella."

I think it's clear that "the little fella" is Pacquiao, and as much as a fight between two of the sport's best fighters in recent memory is what everyone wants, it is not going to happen in May.

After Mayweather's knockout over Victor Ortiz on September 17, some suggested Money May might return to the ring sooner than normal because of the controversy surrounding his knockout of Ortiz.

After Pacquiao faces Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12, he may not want to return to the ring so soon.

Yes, the money involved in a fight against Mayweather would be massive and maybe impossible to ignore, but that extraordinary amount of money is always going to be there.

If Pacquaio were to lose to Marquez, then his next fight probably would not be in May and likely would not be against Money May.

Mayweather is going to try to fight Pacquiao as soon as possible. He's already 34 and his time as an elite fighter is running out.

Pacquiao would be smart to wait as long as possible while Mayweather gets older. Whether you agree with that strategy or not, it would not be surprising to see PacMan use it.

When Mayweather fights next May, it will not be against Manny Pacquaio; there are still too many differences between the two to work out before that happens.