Manny Pacquiao Sees ‘Big Possibility’ He’ll Fight Mayweather

April 27 (Bloomberg) -- Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao said there’s a “big possibility” he’ll fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. should both come through their respective challenges next month.

Pacquiao is campaigning for a seat in the Philippine Congress in elections scheduled for May 10, nine days after Mayweather fights Shane Mosley for the World Boxing Association welterweight title in Las Vegas.

“There’s that big possibility,” Pacquiao said in an interview yesterday in Manila when asked whether the fight would go ahead if Mayweather beats Mosley and he is elected. “My mother wants me to retire from boxing; it’s 50-50 at this point.”

A fight between Pacquiao, holder of the World Boxing Organization welterweight title, and the undefeated American would be among the sport’s biggest draws, pairing two fighters ranked as the top two pound-for-pound boxers by The Ring magazine. Talks for the bout collapsed earlier this year when the two sides couldn’t agree on drug-testing procedures.

The Filipino went on to defend his WBO belt against Ghana’s Joshua Clottey on March 14.

Pacquiao, 31, said March 22 that he was considering ending his career without fighting Mayweather. He has said he doesn’t need to face the 33-year-old American to cement his legacy in boxing, where he has a 51-3-2 record with 38 knockouts.

Pacquiao won his first world title as a flyweight in 1998 and 11 years later defeated Miguel Cotto for the welterweight title he still holds. He lost a bid for the Philippine legislature in 2007 and is running again in this year’s election.

A Mayweather fight would be his last before retiring, Pacquiao said yesterday. “I will discuss this with the entire family,” he said.

Author: Matthew Brooker and Clarissa Batino

Source: Bloomberg.com