Bob Arum has been constantly singled out as the main reason why Floyd Mayweather Jr. has not decided to fight Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and now he has had enough.
Arum reiterated that Top Rank and Pacquiao have agreed to the terms set forth by Mayweather and bares that key executives from networks like Leslie Moonves of CBS and Richard Plepler have already joined the party.
To date, no progress has been made as Mayweather continues to buy his time and stall negotiations. And while fans wait despite their apprehensions for the mega bout to take place, Arum could not hide his frustration on the way things are going.
Regardless, Arum clarifies that he is not pinning the blame on manager Al Haymon and Showtime Sports VP Stephen Espinoza. The root of the problem is Mayweather and no one else.
With everyone on the same page, all that is left is Mayweather's signature to get the fight on. Though this is perhaps the closest to which the fight could progress, many believe that the tiff will not happen at all.
"This is something that is totally strange," said Arum, the Top Rank promotions CEO who works with Pacquiao. "There is one guy to blame. And that's Floyd Mayweather" says Arum in an interview with the Denver Post.
And just like most critics, Arum believes that Mayweather is holding back since he has a hard time fighting southpaws. Pacquiao has long been known to be a left-handed boxer and Arum believes that this is one reason for the holdup.
"He doesn't want to fight southpaws," Arum said of Mayweather. "The worst possible opponent for him is Pacquiao. "He's afraid to lose."
As the blame game continues, the Mayweather-Pacquiao remains unresolved. And as many believe, the fight will forever remain as it is – up there.
