Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

LOS ANGELES—The biggest fight of the 21st century will have to wait until after May when the Philippine national elections are over, according to Manny Pacquiao’s lawyer Frank Gacal.

Pacquiao is focused on fighting in the political arena rather than setting a date with boxing destiny, a showdown with former Pound-4-Pound King Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"As of last night, Manny said he doesn’t want to fight in April or even May. There will be no fight. Maybe it will come after the elections," said Gacal to Philstar.

Reports in recent days have surfaced that a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Jr. bout, one of the most anticipated fights of the year that pits two of the best fighters in the world against each other, is nearly complete with the date being set either on March 13 or May 1.

Reports from Yahoo! and ESPN quoting unnamed sources said Top Rank President Bob Arum has come to terms with Mayweather Jr. (40-0, 25 KO) and has flown to the Philippines to get an agreement with the current Pound-4-pound king Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KO) to seal the deal.

The AP reported Mayweather Jr. has not signed a deal.

But Gacal said the People’s Champ informed him that a fight in March or May would be too soon.

"Everything will depend on the developments after the elections. But again, as of last night, the March 13 and May 1 dates for Pacquiao’s next fight are out," said Gacal.

Pacquiao is currently in the Philippines where the boxing champ has begun his campaign for a congressional seat against businessman and brother of the incumbent Roy Chiongbian. Both men are vying to represent the southern province of Sarangani.

Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach believes that a mega fight against Mayweather Jr. in March or May also would be too soon.

A week after Pacquiao’s bout against Miguel Cotto where the Filipino champion scored a TKO victory, Roach told the Asian Journal that he and Pacquiao would need more time to prepare for a fight against Mayweather Jr.

"There’s no way it’s going to happen that soon," said Roach in a previous interview with AJ. "There won’t even be enough time to promote the fight and I want Manny to rest."

Roach recently confirmed that sentiment to the LA Times.

"March 13 is too fast a turnaround," Roach told the Times. Roach is in England preparing his other fighter Amir Khan. "Manny has a broken [right] eardrum. I’d like to have more time. I hope the fight happens, yes, but I want us to be in the best possible shape."

It seems inevitable that a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Jr. bout would happen. Both men would draw the attention of boxing and casual fans around the world in a fight that should be the biggest moneymaker of this generation.

Most boxing pundits expect a Pacquiao-Mayweather Jr. match to generate more than $100 million in revenue.

( www.asianjournal.com )

( Published December 4, 2009 in Asian Journal Orange County p.1 )