Skip to main content

Floyd calls Manny and the mega-fight gets put on hold

Phil D. Jay 
WBN Editor
Rivals agree to clash later as dates unworkable

WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has told Dyan Castillejo of Filipion TV network ABS-CBN that he spoke to rival Floyd Mayweather on the phone recently to verbally agree a meeting between the two.

Pacquiao, 33, confirmed that the fighters are happy with the way things are being played out amidst what has become a media frenzy and that they will delay the fight until a later time when it suits both parties.

The Filipino Congressman stated: “It went OK. The talk about negotiations proceeds forward.”

When asked by Castillejo to reaffirm that he had spoken directly to Mayweather, Pacquiao then said: “Yes. We said that 50/50 was approved and there’s no problem. [We can fight] anytime. It is in your hands but we will wait if that’s OK with you."

It now means that a November date could be aimed for as promoter Bob Arum has suggested and upon Mayweather’s release from prison, the neogtiations can continue for the two-belt unification clash that everyone wants to see.

Popular posts from this blog

The Tragedy of Billy Collins Jr.

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor  Collins after the fight Williams Ray Collins Jr. or Billy Collins Jr. as he became known, was born to a boxing father in Antioch, Tennessee in 1961. His father William Sr, once fought Welterweight Champion Curtis Cokes and wanted his boy to follow in his footsteps, so decided to train Billy himself. Collins Jr. turned pro in 1981, a welterweight, just like his father before him and impressively won his first 14 professional contests, 11 by knockout with eight inside the first three rounds. It was 1983 and Billy was matched up against Puerto Rican journeyman Luis Resto on the undercard of Roberto Duran v Davey Moore at Madison Square Garden in a ten rounder. Resto wasn’t known for his punching power but Billy took a sustained beating for the full ten rounds, his face, badly damaged and his eyes were almost shut. After the fight, which Resto won on decision, Billy’s father shook Resto’s hand and noticed there wasn’t much padding in his gl...

WBN Legends: John Conteh

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor John Conteh was born and raised on the tough streets in Kirkby, Liverpool in 1951, he first walked into the Kirkby Club at the age of 10 and was hooked from day one. After over 50 amateur fights and winning National Titles at Middleweight and Light-Heavyweight, John aged 19, travelled to Edinburgh, Scotland for the 1970 Commonwealth Games and duly came home with the middleweight gold medal after beating Titus Simba in the final. After a successful amateur career, John turned pro in an eight-rounder against Frenchman Okacha Boubekeur and knocked the little known 27 year-old out in a blistering first round. Nine more knockout wins followed either side of one solitary points victory against Tony Burwell in Nottingham, five of which were in the first two rounds. John then took his impressive record into a match-up with American Eddie Duncan (5-1-1) in September 1972 and despite dominating the “The Big E”, Conteh lost by ¼ of a point in a contentious ups...

WBN Remembers: "Gypsy Boy" Ernie Smith

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor  (picure by boxrec.com)  After almost a year and a half without one of boxing’s great journeymen, World Boxing News is looking back at the 161-fight career of Worcestershire warrior Ernie Smith, concentrating on his contribution in the ring, rather than the tragic way his life ended out of it. Smith turned professional at super-featherweight in 1998 at the Park Hall Hotel in Wolverhampton, losing a six rounder against Welshman Woody Greenaway.  One month later, Ernie was thrown in with an unknown prospect by the name of Gavin Rees (former world champion and current British Lightweight Champion) who he also took the distance over four rounds. The “Gypsy Boy” then managed to string together a four fight unbeaten run together in early 1999 and ended the year winning five out of his twelve contests, but by this time had already delved into the journeyman pool of boxers with a record of 5-8-1. After settling at the welterweight limit, Ernie ga...