Given the unprecedented success of Floyd Mayweather against Manny Pacquiao, indications from Sin City are that the world will be watching a rematch between the Filipino and the American in the autumn.
While both camps were playing down the rematch in public post-fight, behind the scenes the plans will already be under way. That may well disappoint two British fighters, Amir Khan and Kell Brook, who is the holder of the only other world welterweight title Mayweather does not hold – the International Boxing Federation strap.
Khan has claimed that the manager of the unbeaten Mayweather approached him at the MGM Grand Garden Arena after the fight to “get it on” this year. The fighter’s trainer and father, Floyd Mayweather Snr, called the Briton “an easy opponent”.
Khan was in Las Vegas for the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight
The race to face Mayweather Jnr in his retirement fight began in earnest only minutes after his unanimous points victory over Pacquiao. But while promoter Eddie Hearn, also in Las Vegas, might be pressing Mayweather’s team to unify the welterweight belts against his charge, Brook, he is realistic enough to admit that the Mayweather-Pacquiao return is still the sport’s biggest superfight.
Hearn told Telegraph Sport on Monday that he believed a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch was more likely than a contest with either Briton.
Pacquiao arrives back in the Philippines late on Tuesday, with the nation in a state of collective disappointment, but they will clamour for ‘the National Fist’, as he is known, to make one more assault on Mayweather.
No one really knows when Mayweather and Pacquiao will fight next. September may be too soon. November would arguably be better to assign the promotion a bigger lead-in. Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, also told Telegraph Sport that the Filipino may require shoulder surgery, after going into the fight with an injury, and, of course, with the pain-killing injection rejected by five commissioners from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, less than two hours before the fight was due to start.
Mayweather puts Manny Pacquiao under pressure
Even though Mayweather outboxed Pacquiao convincingly, there was enough in the fight, along with the issue of the damaged shoulder of the Filipino, to build another promotion around the two fighters.
Hearn said on Monday: “I don’t think Mayweather’ll fight Brook or Khan. He wants to keep that zero on his career record, but he has just earned a massive amount of money and Khan and Brook are nowhere near big enough fights. There’s still no bigger fight out there for Mayweather than another one with Pacquiao.”
Khan (left) believes he has the skills to defeat Mayweather
Khan, though, is not giving up hope of a Mayweather fight. “I’m in a position where I could face either but I want Mayweather,” said Khan, who claimed that Mayweather’s manager, Leonard Ellerbe, had approached him after the fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, asking him to “get it on”.
Khan, 28, who meets Chris Algieri in New York on May 29, said that he had also been invited to fight Pacquiao. “I think Mayweather’s team want the fight,” Khan said.
However, the problem for him is that Mayweather has said he intends to retire after one more fight. If that is in September, Khan, a Muslim, will not have enough time to take in a full camp after fasting during Ramadan.
Arum told Telegraph Sport that Khan turned down offers to face Pacquiao last year.
Mayweather reiterates his boast as TBE - The Best Ever
Floyd Mayweather Snr believes his son should end his Showtime contract “with an easy fight” such as Khan. “Yes, that’d be a good fight for him. My son would beat him. It would be easier than Pacquiao. Khan has a pretty decent jab but all the technical things, he can’t do.”
Mayweather criticised those who had booed his son. “If I was in his shoes, it would bother me. My son should be treated better. Sometimes, he’s so good that people don’t appreciate it. They won’t appreciate him until he’s gone.”
Everybody wants a piece of Mayweather
Should Mayweather win his next fight and equal heavyweight Rocky Marciano’s record of 49-0, his ego will draw him back.
There is a new stadium being built by the MGM Grand Resorts, which will completed some time in 2016. The likelihood is that Mayweather will be the man to christen the venue with a fight night, which could take him to a record-breaking 50-0. Don’t back against it. Legacy is a huge thing for Mayweather.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...Ive-been-asked-to-fight-Floyd-Mayweather.html
While both camps were playing down the rematch in public post-fight, behind the scenes the plans will already be under way. That may well disappoint two British fighters, Amir Khan and Kell Brook, who is the holder of the only other world welterweight title Mayweather does not hold – the International Boxing Federation strap.
Khan has claimed that the manager of the unbeaten Mayweather approached him at the MGM Grand Garden Arena after the fight to “get it on” this year. The fighter’s trainer and father, Floyd Mayweather Snr, called the Briton “an easy opponent”.
Khan was in Las Vegas for the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight
The race to face Mayweather Jnr in his retirement fight began in earnest only minutes after his unanimous points victory over Pacquiao. But while promoter Eddie Hearn, also in Las Vegas, might be pressing Mayweather’s team to unify the welterweight belts against his charge, Brook, he is realistic enough to admit that the Mayweather-Pacquiao return is still the sport’s biggest superfight.
Hearn told Telegraph Sport on Monday that he believed a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch was more likely than a contest with either Briton.
Pacquiao arrives back in the Philippines late on Tuesday, with the nation in a state of collective disappointment, but they will clamour for ‘the National Fist’, as he is known, to make one more assault on Mayweather.
No one really knows when Mayweather and Pacquiao will fight next. September may be too soon. November would arguably be better to assign the promotion a bigger lead-in. Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, also told Telegraph Sport that the Filipino may require shoulder surgery, after going into the fight with an injury, and, of course, with the pain-killing injection rejected by five commissioners from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, less than two hours before the fight was due to start.
Mayweather puts Manny Pacquiao under pressure
Even though Mayweather outboxed Pacquiao convincingly, there was enough in the fight, along with the issue of the damaged shoulder of the Filipino, to build another promotion around the two fighters.
Hearn said on Monday: “I don’t think Mayweather’ll fight Brook or Khan. He wants to keep that zero on his career record, but he has just earned a massive amount of money and Khan and Brook are nowhere near big enough fights. There’s still no bigger fight out there for Mayweather than another one with Pacquiao.”
Khan (left) believes he has the skills to defeat Mayweather
Khan, though, is not giving up hope of a Mayweather fight. “I’m in a position where I could face either but I want Mayweather,” said Khan, who claimed that Mayweather’s manager, Leonard Ellerbe, had approached him after the fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, asking him to “get it on”.
Khan, 28, who meets Chris Algieri in New York on May 29, said that he had also been invited to fight Pacquiao. “I think Mayweather’s team want the fight,” Khan said.
However, the problem for him is that Mayweather has said he intends to retire after one more fight. If that is in September, Khan, a Muslim, will not have enough time to take in a full camp after fasting during Ramadan.
Arum told Telegraph Sport that Khan turned down offers to face Pacquiao last year.
Mayweather reiterates his boast as TBE - The Best Ever
Floyd Mayweather Snr believes his son should end his Showtime contract “with an easy fight” such as Khan. “Yes, that’d be a good fight for him. My son would beat him. It would be easier than Pacquiao. Khan has a pretty decent jab but all the technical things, he can’t do.”
Mayweather criticised those who had booed his son. “If I was in his shoes, it would bother me. My son should be treated better. Sometimes, he’s so good that people don’t appreciate it. They won’t appreciate him until he’s gone.”
Everybody wants a piece of Mayweather
Should Mayweather win his next fight and equal heavyweight Rocky Marciano’s record of 49-0, his ego will draw him back.
There is a new stadium being built by the MGM Grand Resorts, which will completed some time in 2016. The likelihood is that Mayweather will be the man to christen the venue with a fight night, which could take him to a record-breaking 50-0. Don’t back against it. Legacy is a huge thing for Mayweather.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...Ive-been-asked-to-fight-Floyd-Mayweather.html
