In the aftermath of Manny Pacquiao’s TKO of Miguel Cotto on Saturday night, the Times reports that the Yankees are interested in hosting a potential Pacquiao–Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight at Yankee Stadium perhaps as early as May. That is, assuming the two of them fight at all.
For their part, the Yankees have made no secret of wanting to use the stadium for non-baseball events, and they’ve shown a particular interest in reconstituting old-timey traditions like college football and boxing. Plus, back in September, Yankees COO Lonn Trost pretty much said he’d like to see such a fight take place in the Bronx.
But Bob Arum, the chairman of Pacquiao promoter Top Rank, openly dislikes Mayweather (though Arum says that won’t interfere with business). And Floyd Mayweather Sr. said over the weekend that he’d advise his son not to fight Pacquiao, even though he believes he’d defeat him. Tim Smith of the News suggests that the “mega-egos” on both sides — particularly with regards to the distribution of the revenue — could prove to be the biggest hurdle. But he also argues that the fight could define the legacy of either fighter, which might be incentive enough for it to happen.
Or at least, that’s how HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg, who’s practically salivating at such a fight, sees it. In the Times, he describes the bout as being worthy of a “Super Bowl-type stage,” and in the News, asks the obvious question: “If you’re an athlete, do you say that you don’t want to play in the Super Bowl?” We’d have to think that all parties involved would have to admit that he’s got a point.