PACQUIAO SAYS WBC-WBA WELTERWEIGHT FIGHT WITH MAYWEATHER ON

By REY DANSECO

Manny Pacquiao informed the Philippine public that his title fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. is on.

When asked in a live telecast program “Balita Pilipinas Ngayon” of Philippine television network GMA 7 on Friday if the WBC-WBA welterweight title fight would took place as expected on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, Pacquiao replied “Yes, it’s positive”.

Mayweather’s signature is the only thing they are waiting before making a formal announcement.

“Pirma na lang (ni Mayweather),” said the hard-hitting Filipino prize fighter.

Pacquiao once became more universally recognized champion when he was a title holder of WBC and IBF belts.

Pacquiao became only the pound-for-pound king beginning 2008 when the WBC champion Mayweather hanged up his gloves after his demolition of Ricky Hatton in December of 2012.

From 2006 to 2007 during Mayweather’s P4P reign, Pacquiao was behind him being the WBC International super featherweight champion.

In 2008 when Mayweather was resting, Pacquiao took the American’s position following his split decision win over archrival Juan Manuel Marquez to become the new WBC super featherweight champion.

The Filipino star defended the gold and green belt against David Diaz with 9^th round stoppage in June 2008.

Pacquiao capped the year with impressive annihilation of Oscar De La Hoya. He won the first and special WBC Diamond Championship belt.

After Mayweather returned in the business when he tough Marquez a neat boxing lesson in September 2009, he was put behind Pacquiao for three years until the unbeaten Californian Timothy Bradley upset the Filipino congressman with controversial decision and Marquez knocked him out with lucky right hand punch both in 2012.

Pacquiao was already the P4P king when he captured the less regarded IBO super lightweight title from Ricky Hatton and WBO welterweight belt from Miguel Cotto in 2009.

Pacquiao took his 8^th world title in different division, the vacant WBC World super welterweight title, when he mauled the bigger Antonio Margarito at Cowboys Stadium in Texas in 2010.

With Mayweather’s WBA title would be on the line, Pacquiao gets the chance to become undisputed world champion.

Mayweather wanted to keep his unbeaten run intact and he believed beating Pacquiao will solidify his status as one of the greatest boxer of all time.

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