The clock is ticking on Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao's negotiations for a May 2 super fight according to Top Rank CEO Bob Arum when he spoke with ESPN last week. Arum, who has had many back-and-forth encounters through the media with Mayweather and his camp expressed concern that there won't be enough time to properly promote the event.
"The thing that really concerns me is that we are running out of time for May 2," Arum said. "If you want to drag this out a little longer then move the fight to later in May -- May 30 is a good date -- or go in June. We agreed to go on May 2 because that is the date Mayweather is hung up on, but if we're going to go on May 2 we need to get this done."
Showtime Sports executive Stephen Espinoza isn't nearly as concerned about time running out as Arum though, and indicated there are backup plans in place if Pacquiao talks fall through.
"There is urgency to get this done and get it going, but we're not in a panic mode in terms of the calendar right now," Espinoza said while telling The New York Daily News that Mayweather is fighting May 2 regardless of the opponent.
"His first choice by far is Manny Pacquiao. If it becomes clear that that fight is not achievable, then he would move on to either Amir Khan or Miguel Cotto. He's made it clear to us that Pacquiao is still his No. 1 priority, and that's where all our energy is focused."
The constant delays have many of boxing's biggest stars in flux. The talks likely cost boxing fans a coveted matchup between Cotto and Canelo Alvarez; they were expected to fight May 2, but Cotto's financial demands created an obstacle, and eventually Alvarez's team walked away from the table and signed on to fight James Kirkland instead.
Khan would also like to fight in the spring, but has seen some potential opponents lock into other fights while he awaits an outcome on Mayweather and Pacquiao. He has already had talks with Pacquiao and his team, so that fight is more likely to happen than Mayweather-Khan.
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