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Manny Pacquiao and his promoter are putting out the word they want the long-awaited Floyd Mayweather fight. It’s a bout even casual boxing fans have been hoping for since 2009.

But after being teased about the match for so long, everyone’s cautiously optimistic. After six years of fits and stops will this thing finally happen? Nothing’s guaranteed, but the odds look good. By our count, there are 15 reasons why Mayweather vs. Pacquiao can happen.


Photo: WENN

Pacquiao is 36, and Mayweather is 37. Unless they’re hoping to promote a geriatric match, this is a now or never proposition. As Mayweather would say, Time is money.”

It’s just too much money to pass up. Rumor has it, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao would break the pay-per-view revenue record of $150 million.

Manny Pacquiao

photo: WENN

Manny and Top Rank Promotions are on the same page, which clears a major hurdle.

Floyd Mayweather

photo: WENN

In early 2013, Floyd Mayweather signed a six-fight contract CBS and their subsidiary network, Showtime. There are two fights left on that contract, and it’s in everyone’s best interest to make one of them with Pacquiao.

Top Rank Promotions has already reserved the May 2 date Mayweather has insisted on, along with a host of other aspects of the fight. It doesn’t mean a fight will happen this summer, but it’s an act of good faith.

Manny Pacquiao

photo: WENN

According to ESPN’s Dan Rafael, “The sides are so far along that they have drafted contracts.”

Manny Pacquiao

photo: WENN

After the issue of drug testing turned Pacquiao off to their previous bout, Pacquiao has subjected himself to random testing by the United States Anti Doping Association.

Floyd Mayweather

photo: WENN

This potential fight would rake in too much money to only happen once. Mayweather and Pacquiao could potentially triple the pot by agreeing to a rematch or two.

Top Rank promoter BOB ARUM

photo: WENN

CBS/Showtime (who Mayweather has a contract with) and HBO (who Pacquiao has a contract with) are willing to work together on a joint, pay-per-view telecast. There is a precedent with 2002’s Mike Tyson versus Lennox Lewis bout.

Manny Pacquiao has reportedly agreed to take 40% of the purse, which leaves “Money” Mayweather with a 60% split. Queue up the Money Team memes.

Floyd Mayweather

photo: WENN

Mayweather is the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, while Pacquiao is third. Since neither of them can square up with Heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko, who else are they going to fight?

Floyd clearly has too much free time on his hands.

Manny took to Instagram and said he wanted to give the fans what they want, and he didn’t want his son Jimuel to think of him as a coward for not taking the Floyd fight.

Floyd Mayweather

photo: WENN

Given that they’ve been talking about it since 2009, it certainly seems like Manny and Floyd want this as bad as we do.

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