Legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather and his camp have announced that the star will return to the ring Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, but they have yet to announce who the opponent will be.
While there are plenty of options for potential challengers, the money involved and the contract details that must be hammered out take time.
Some fans will complain about another set of fight negotiations involving Mayweather dragging on, but the patience that the fighter's camp has shown over the years proves the fighter has surrounded himself with shrewd businessmen.
Mayweather’s adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, told ESPN about the long process of hammering out the details of a fight when a star like Money is involved:
Any time you're talking about tens of millions of dollars it's always a process. Floyd is the biggest thing in sports, so when he comes out, he's coming out with a bang. So we don't rush to do anything. But we are going on May 4 and it's going to be a spectacular event.
As much as the boxing world wants to know now what the plans are for the top name in boxing, the legend is in no rush to reveal his plans until it benefits him.
This delay in the announcement of the May fight is likely just another business tactic used by the Mayweather camp to maximize the payout from a fight. But this is all setting the stage for an epic 2013 for the multiple-weight-class star.
Nothing is confirmed, but the most logical next fight for Money would be interim welterweight champion Robert Guerrero. While many fans want to see a potential fight with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, the Mayweather camp could be creating a deal that would encompass two fights in 2013.
Dan Rafael of ESPN.com offers a wild possibility that could map out the rest of Mayweather’s year if Guerrero gets the May fight:
There's been a lot of discussion about Alvarez perhaps being on the May 4 undercard. My belief since all this began is that the only way Alvarez would agree to go on the undercard is if he had a done deal to face Mayweather in the fall (he also said he will fight in September), as long as they both win in May.
If this deal for two fights in 2013 is a legitimate option, it would take a long time to get done considering all the rematch clauses and financial details, and that could be a huge reason for the delay.
Either way, the patience shown by Mayweather and his camp when it comes to the booking of his fights ensures that his legacy stays intact while maximizing his financial value.
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