MANILA, Philippines – Top Rank Inc. chief Bob Arum says he has “no idea” about negotiations reportedly ongoing for a rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Reacting to a recent report by Agence France Presse, which claimed Pacquiao is in talks with Mayweather, Arum said he is clueless.
"I have no idea what he's [Pacquiao] talking about," Arum told Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports.
The AFP report, however, had no direct quote from Pacquiao specifying that the talks are happening. The wire agency got hold of Pacquiao in Doha, Qatar, site of the AIBA World Boxing Championships.
The same report quoted Pacquiao as saying that his comeback opponent will be known by November or December.
It could be Amir Khan, Timothy Bradley, Terrence Crawford or even Juan Manuel Marquez.
But as far as Arum is concerned, Mayweather is out of the picture, that’s why the veteran promoter just said he’s leaving it to Pacquiao
"He said it, not me. But I have had no talks with anyone about that. None. Zero. Not one,” Arum continued.
“Mayweather is retired and I take him at his word. But second, you know there is no way that Mayweather is ever going to fight in the Gulf, even if he did decide to fight again, so it's all [expletive]," he added.
Pacquiao, for his part, said he will fight before next year’s elections wherein he is eyeing a Senate post.
"I will fight anybody, anywhere," Pacquiao told AFP. "I am going to fight probably before the election.”
"The election is coming next year, May, and before that I will probably have one fight," he further said.
Mayweather defeated Pacquiao last May 3 in boxing’s richest fight ever. – Dino Maragay