MACAU: Manny Pacquiao, his promoter and his trainer all threw down the gauntlet to Floyd Mayweather after the Filipino boxer comprehensively battered the latest challenger to his world welterweight crown into defeat on Sunday.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been wanting this fight, it has to happen,” said the eight-weight world champion at the Venetian Macau after knocking down Chris Algieri six times on his way to a huge points victory.
“The fans deserve it. It’s a good thing that we talk about that fight. It’s time to say yes,” added the World Boxing Organization welterweight champion.
His promoter Bob Arum and trainer Freddie Roach were even more direct in calling out unbeaten light middleweight champion “Money” Mayweather, who competes with Pacquiao for the moniker “best pound-for-pound boxer in the world”.
Mayweather and his promoters have previously found reasons to avoid the fight, but the 82-year-old Arum, who has been trying to secure the match for almost four years, said “enough is enough”.
“No excuses. Manny knocked Algieri down six times in one fight. That’s twice as many knockdowns as Mayweather has had in all his fights in the last 12 years,” he taunted.
“All they have to do to is pick up the telephone. I’ll be at the phone. Manny will be at his phone,” added Arum. AFP
