Manny Pacquiao finally brought an end to all of the posturing between his camp and Floyd Mayweather's camp by making crystal clear comments about a potential super fight. Mayweather is now in the spotlight as boxing fans await a response.
Ever since the idea of an encounter between the two biggest draws in the sport arose, it has been turned into a media relations battle as both guys attempted to make it look like they weren't the reason a deal didn't get done.
Pacquiao bucked that trend by stating his willingness to take a smaller portion of the revenue, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.
"I'm waiting for that fight to happen," said Pacquiao, boxing's only eight-division world champion. "I don't know what's the reason why that fight has not happened. ... It's OK for me if he gets a higher percentage than me."
Rafael reports Pacquiao told Mayweather he felt comfortable accepting 45 percent of the money. He also put an end to the ongoing talk that he wasn't going to accept random drug testing by saying it wouldn't be an issue in finishing negotiations.
Now that the boxing world knows exactly where Pac-Man stands on the key issues, the ball is in Mayweather's court. The undefeated American has to either accept the terms, or something close, or become the scapegoat for the fight not happening.
It seems like a good deal for him. He gets the bigger share of what should be a massive amount of money generated by the long-awaited fight and the testing will ensure a clean fight, something everybody should have wanted from the start anyway.
He doesn't have to make a decision immediately. Pacquiao is already scheduled to face Juan Manuel Marquez in early December and nothing will be decided until after that fight happens, so Mayweather has time to weigh his options.
That said, it's hard to imagine him coming out of the situation in a positive light if he doesn't agree to a deal. Pacquiao is clearly prepared to make it happen, and the fans are waiting anxiously for a fight that will make boxing mainstream again for awhile.
Both guys are gigantic draws, so it would be difficult for Mayweather to make a strong case to get a bigger portion of the money, especially since both guys are already set to make a mind-boggling amount.
And Mayweather should have no trouble getting back up to full strength for a fight that would probably happen sometime in the middle of 2013, if they agree to terms after Pac-Man's next bout.
In other words, all of the overused excuses have been eliminated. Mayweather is on the clock, and he needs to decide whether to fight or walk away.
For the fans' sake, hopefully he chooses to fight.
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