Five Reasons Why Mayweather Vs. Pacquiao May Still Not Take Place

This article is part I of a two-part series covering the prospect of a Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao superfight.

If it’s all about the Benjamins, then this fight would have already taken place. Neither fighters stands to make more money in any single fight than if and when they fight one another. In fact, their pairing would most likely yield the biggest collective payday for two men who have ever entered the squared circle.

Manny Pacquiao is slated to fight Juan Manual Marquez in the third installation of a series that should have ended before this year. And Floyd Mayweather will be fighting the capable, but still somewhat green, Victor Ortiz next month in a fight that is taking place a few years too soon (for Ortiz). These are all nice fights but mere appetizers to a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown.

Many think the aforementioned fights will lead to the latest installation of the Fight of the Century (Mayweather-Pacquiao). But until I see Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Boxing meet, greet and sign a contract, I ain’t holding my breath.

Before I forget what I am writing this article about, let me get back to the point, and state the five reasons why Mayweathe-Pacquiao may still not take place:

#5 Bob Arum. It seems like decades ago that 1) Bob Arum once promoted Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and touted that 2) "the Pretty Boy" would be better than Sugar Ray Leonard. Little did we know that the second part of the previous statement would eventually prove more true. Ever since their nasty split several years ago, Arum and Mayweather have had very little nice to say about each other.

#4 Al Haymon. To put it bluntly, he and Mr. Arum (above) do not like each other. At least, that’s what I have heard and read. And the last time I checked, when people don’t get along, they tend not to want to sit down to break bread.

#3 Money. No, Floyd’s other nickname will not get in the way of this fight. But the split over the purse and pay-per-view earnings will be contentious to say the least.

#2 Blood. Money and blood don’t mix. If you think the money split issue is a barrier, Mayweather’s insistence that Pacquiao submit to Olympic-style blood testing may as well be Fort Knox. It’s also complicated by a "not-so-little" defamation of character lawsuit that Pacquiao and his team have levied against Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions.

And the #1 reason why Mayweather vs Pacquiao may not take place in the foreseeable future is Ego. Basically, the egos of all parties involved is the main culprit in this unfortunate series of events.

The nation’s most popular sport (NFL) avoided a work stoppage not too long ago.

Let’s hope that Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Boxing take a hint, and not let Mayweather–Pacquiao slip away.