Pacquiao Says Mayweather Won't Fight Him

NFL News - October 31st, 2009 - Written by John

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been beaten up in the media recently for choosing questionable opponents in his fights, and rarely testing himself against the boxing greats of today.

On Friday, those murmurs got louder.

Super Featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao told reporters that he doesn't believe Mayweather wants to fight him, instead calling Mayweather a businessman who doesn't fight for pride or responsibility. Pacquiao is currently in Los Angeles training for his November fight against Miguel Cotto, a fight that will likely be under the microscope with the recent comments. Mayweather has already asserted himself as a heavy-hitter when it comes to drawing pay-per-view customers. In early September, over a million viewers watched him march right over Juan Manuel Marquez. A bout with Pacquiao would have pay-per-view salivating over the potential ratings, but the Filipino believes Mayweather sees it as too much of a risk.

"I don't think it's going to happen," Pacquiao said on ESPN.com. "I'm sure he doesn't want to fight."

The Mayweather camp is giving the company line of waiting to evaluate potential opponents and denied that the fighter is avoiding champions. Who ever wins the Pacquiao-Cotto fight would be the likely target and there is a possibility that Pacquiao won't even make it past that. He is the favorite in the fight with speed and agility only really seen in Mayweather. But Pacquiao told the Associated Press that he doesn't believe it will even matter and that Mayweather doesn't strive to be the best.

"Boxing for him is like a business," Pacquiao said. "He doesn't care about the people around him watching. He doesn't care if the fight is boring, as long as the fight is finished and he gets (plenty of) money...I want people to be happy. You have a big responsibility as a boxer."

Another possibility for Mayweather is Sugar Shane Mosley, a Jr. Middleweight fighter who has only lost five times in his nearly 20-year career. Mosley was quick to challenge Mayweather as soon as his fight with Marquez was over and hasn't quieted since.

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