By Rick Reeno - BoxingScene.com spoke with Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer to shed some light on the return date for Floyd Mayweather. There were conflicting reports over the weekend. Speaking to BoxingScene on Sunday night, Schaefer confirmed Mayweather's return for the date of March 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Schaefer was representing Mayweather in the failed negotiations to make a fight with Manny Pacquiao. The two sides were unable to reach an agreement on the cut-off date for random drug tests. Both sides made concessions but in the end they couldn't finalize a deal. Mayweather held firm to a 14 day cut-off on the random tests, while Pacquiao held tight on a final proposal for a 24 day cut-off. After weeks of trying to make Mayweather-Pacquaio a reality, Schaefer was obviously disappointed with the final outcome.
"Life goes on. I know it's not the fight the fans wanted to see, but life goes on and the sport of boxing goes on. I hate that it's not going to happen but we all have to move on. Floyd Mayweather made some real concessions, especially in the last week when agreed to the 14 days. You don't always get everything you want under the Christmas tree," Schaefer said.
"It's a blow for the sport of boxing and a setback but life goes on and the sport of boxing will go on. Nobody is happy about it but life goes on with March 13. I do hope that eventually one day the fight will happen."
Top Rank quickly lined up another opponent in Joshua Clottey. They closed the deal on Sunday to stage Pacquiao-Clottey on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Schaefer is exploring several possible candidates for the Mayweather fight.
"Floyd is definitely going to fight on March 13. We are working on a few potential opponents for Floyd Mayweather. Hopefully in the next few days we will have something more concrete. I'm really pleased to see that the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is fully behind us and fully behind Floyd Mayweather," Schaefer said.
Because Shane Mosley is fighting Andre Berto on January 30, he is obviously not an option for March. Schaefer has spoken with Mayweather's advisers Leonard Ellerbe and Al Haymon about the possibility of a Mosley clash for a later point in 2010.
"I started to have conversations with Al Haymon and Leonard. March 13 is one fight and there will be others. Shane is considered by most as the best 147-pounder out there. He has a tough fight on January 30 against an undefeated champion, Andre Berto. I'm very excited about that fight and there is a lot at stake, including a possible fight with Mayweather," Schaefer said.
The aftermath of Mayweather-Pacquiao has created a very interesting scenario where arguably the two biggest stars in boxing will headline competing pay-per-view events on the same night.
The promoters have made their decisions. Which way will HBO go? Nobody knows at the moment.
Both Golden Boy and Top Rank are speaking with HBO. Neither side has received their commitment, yet. Top Rank CEO Bob Arum told BoxingScene that he plans to move forward with or without HBO's support.
"I know Top Rank is talking to HBO. I know we are talking to HBO. We will have to see what their position will be and how things will shape up," Schaefer said.
Arum told BoxingScene on Sunday afternoon that he would be willing to revisit a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao fight in the fall - but only if Mayweather drops his demand for Olympic-style random drug tests. If that's the position that Arum and Pacquaio plan to take, Schaefer doesn't see how a deal can possibly get done. Whether they revisit the deal in the fall, or negotiate in 2011, Mayweather will likely demand a binding clause for random drug tests.
"I don't see anything changing. I've read their statements. I just don't see that happening but I'm not the one lacing up the gloves and getting in the ring. I don't think these issues that are there are suddenly going away in the fall. I just don't see that happening," Schaefer said.
Source: boxingscene.com
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