Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a current titlist in both the welterweight and 154-lb. weight class. For years many fans have wanted Floyd to step into the ring with his longtime rival Manny Pacquiao, and the WBC recently made Manny the top contender for the welterweight strap.
The move seemed designed to force Mayweather's hand in finally taking the bout, despite it being several years removed from the peak hype. That move by the WBC doesn't seem to have budged "Money," who seems ready to vacate his title.
"Everybody's talking about the title he's the mandatory. He can have the belt! A belt don't make me. A belt doesn't define Floyd Mayweather."
Mayweather went on to say that Pacquiao is 1-2 in his last three fights, including a vicious knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez, a man Mayweather nearly shut out years prior. Floyd pointed out too that Pacquiao's pay-per-view numbers are dipping, meaning he's no longer the financial titan of his prime.
"Here's the Manny Pacquiao story. Manny Pacquiao was at welterweight. He lost to Timothy Bradley, no matter how you cut it, how you slice it, he lost to Timothy Bradley. He got knocked out by Marquez. He came back and went the distance with a lightweight. And now all of a sudden, he's the mandatory for my title," Mayweather said. "But like I said before, put him in front of me, I'll beat him."
Indeed the renewed push for this fight seems to be coming almost entirely from Pacman's side. He is currently in a two-front battle over unpaid taxes against the IRS and the Philippines government. He owes $50 million in his home country, which has frozen his assets, and the IRS is claiming another $18 million.
Pacquiao did dominate Brandon Rios in his last fight, but Mayweather is looking more and more like a pipe dream. Pacquiao's likely next fight will be against Timothy Bradley.
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