|
 Mayweather, in remarks to Showtime TV last Friday, said Pacquiao
was not worthy of a 50-50 split in his proposed showdown, which
would likely become the highest grossing pay-per-view bout in
history if the match were made.
Eight-division world champion Pacquiao appeared ready to accommodate
the undefeated American.
"Mayweather can get the amount he wants. As early as January this
year, I challenged him to a charity fight. Until now, he has not
agreed to it. So, money is not the issue in our fight," Pacquiao
said on his official website.
"This fight is about legacy, this is about making the fans happy
and, above all, this is for the good of boxing."
 The two champions, boxing's top drawing cards, have danced around a
possible clash for roughly five years, with disputes over purses and
drug-testing preventing a match being made.
"We are ready. Let's make it happen. May 2. Mayweather versus Manny
Pacquiao. Let's do it," the 37-year-old American, who fights at
welterweight and light-middleweight, said.
As befits their familiar verbal sparring, Pacquiao promised he would
deliver an exciting fight despite the supreme defensive skills so
often displayed by Mayweather (47-0).
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"He has reached a dead end. He has nowhere to run but to fight me,"
Pacquiao (57-5-2) said. "I will try my best to make this a thrilling
and entertaining fight.
"But I doubt if he's gonna engage me in a slugfest. You all know his
fighting style. Most of his previous fights, if not all, induced us
to sleep."
The 35-year-old Pacquiao dominated Chris Algieri in November to
retain his WBO welterweight title in his last bout, while Mayweather
won a unanimous decision over Marcos Maidana to retain his twin WBC
titles in September.
(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by John O'Brien)
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