Mayweather, 39, has been retired for over a year but has been showing signs of wanting to fight for the 50th time professionally in recent weeks. The ‘Money’ man also turned up at Pacquiao’s fight on Saturday night, sparking more rumours a second helping of their much-publicised 2015 event is on.
“Floyd called us and asked for tickets. It’s a great sign,” Arum told TMZ Sports. “I’d love for the fight to happen. I’d make it 75% that it happens. I feel like (Floyd is) getting the itch to come back.”
At the post-fight press conference to Pacquiao’s victory over Jessie Vargas, where the Filipino regained the welterweight crown and his place as number one boxer on the planet, Arum was respectful of the way Mayweather has handled the situation.
“As far as we’re concerned and as far as what he’s telling us, he’s retired and I respect that,” Arum pointed out.
“He called and he said he wanted to come to the fight… He was very, very nice. He didn’t just show up and barge in. he called and asked if he could come.”
Despite recent grumbles from fans who were rightly disappointed at paying almost one hundred dollars to see a semi-fit Pacquiao lose against Mayweather the first time around, there’s growing interest in seeing the pair go at it again.
The fact Mayweather has been out of action for another year, coupled with Pacquiao looking as good as he has since 2009 means any gap may have closed further and the Filipino Senator has a better chance than any before him of claiming the most famous ‘0’ in the sport.
Should the fight go down, most likely on May 6 at the MGM Grand or T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Mayweather and Pacquiao would easily stand to make tens of millions of dollars each whist potentially living up the expectations of the once-disgruntled pay-per-view buyers.
