Reports: 'Unresolved issues' holding back Mayweather-Pacquiao deal

The negotiations for the much-anticipated megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather seem to have reached yet another road block.

 

A Yahoo Sports article said "sources on both sides on Friday said a problem had developed that set talks back significantly," dousing cold water on the buzz created by the chance meeting between the two fighters last week in a Miami Heat game.

 

"There are issues that should be solved in 10 minutes, but it's a slow dance," Bob Arum told ESPN.com on Monday. "We send one draft to their side and their lawyer sends back a draft with something else that's an issue. And there doesn't seem to be any urgency about it on their side. It's terrible."

 

The Top Rank promoter has repeatedly said that Pacquiao has agreed to all the terms of the fight as demanded by Mayweather, including a 60/40 split in favor of the American boxer, a drug test, the May 2 fight date, and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as venue.

 

"There are unresolved issues on both the fighter deal and the network deal. (The fighters are) on the same page regarding basic deal points but there are lot of meaningful items still unresolved," an unnamed source told ESPN.com.

 

Because Mayweather is connected to CBS while Pacquiao is with HBO, telecast and replay issues is an expected concern between both networks. HBO, for its part, released statement saying that they are not in any way a hindrance to making the bout a reality.

 

"We are not an impediment to this fight. We stand ready to go. The principals need to agree to terms and come to a deal," HBO Sports said.

 

Arum, meanwhile, expressed worry in sealing the deal in time for the set date in May 2 with the negotiations presently stalled.

 

"The thing that really concerns me is that we are running out of time for May 2," he 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." — Marisse Panaligan/JST, GMA News