Manny Pacquiao is scheduled to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against Chris Algieri on Nov. 22 in Macau, China. But this early, the Filipino boxing icon is already thinking about his next fight in 2015.
Pacquiao, who holds a 56-5-2 fight record with 38 knockouts, said in a recent interview that he is still eyeing a showdown with reigning pound-for-pound king, Floyd Mayweather Jr., next year.
"I do have one specific goal and that is to give the boxing fans the fight they have always asked for," Pacquiao told The Philippine Star, referring to the super fight against Mayweaher. "I want that fight too. I believe good negotiations could produce the fight."
However, Pacquiao admitted that the fight won't happen if the other party remains unwilling to negotiate with his camp. The two camps previously engaged in numerous meetings to arrange the bout, but they failed to find a common ground to make the fight happen.
"It is impossible to negotiate when you are the only one sitting at the table," Pacquiao added. "Two fighters who want to fight each other have never been kept from fighting each other."
Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, also said that he wants the former pound-for-pound king to face Mayweather after the Nov. 22 fight against Algieri. But like Pacquiao, the Hall of Fame trainer is also unsure if the big-money fight will happen next year.
Roach pointed out that they have been showing willingness to face Mayweather over the past several years, but the unbeaten champion remains uninterested in facing Pacquiao.
The 54-year-old trainer added that Mayweather, who holds an unblemished 47-0 record with 26 knockouts, is still unwilling to work together with Top Rank Promotions, who handles Pacquiao's career.
Mayweather also wants the fight to be staged at MGM Grand in Las Vegas under Showtime pay-per-view. Pacquiao is under contract with Showtime's main rival, HBO Sports.
"I don't know if it'll ever come off. I hope it does because I know Manny can beat him," Roach told Joaquin Henson of The Philippine Star about the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. "But from what I hear, Mayweather refuses to work with Top Rank and will only fight at the MGM because they pay him to fight there."
