Top Rank Chair Bob Arum yesterday said that Manny Pacquiao "has agreed to terms for a May 2 bout" with Floyd Mayweather Jr., adding that the "only thing in the way of the long-awaited fight occurring is Mayweather's approval," according to Kevin Iole of YAHOO SPORTS. Arum said that Mayweather's reps "have also agreed to the deal but have not been able to get Mayweather's agreement." Sources said that not only have the sides agreed "for the fight to be May 2 at the MGM, but also on a 60/40 purse split that would favor Mayweather." Iole reported Mayweather "could make" in the range of $120M, and in order to "pay the astronomical salaries the fighters will command, ticket prices will be scaled at an all-time high." The top ticket at the MGM Grand Garden "is expected to go for $5,000 so that the arena can be scaled to produce" a $40M live gate. That gate figure "would be virtually double the existing record gate of $20,003,150" at the MGM for the '13 Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez bout. Mayweather has an "exclusive contract with Showtime and Pacquiao is obligated to HBO." It is "not immediately clear which network will broadcast the fight, though it is expected that both will be involved" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/13).
LES IS MORE: ESPN.com's Dan Rafael noted Arum "has been negotiating the bout for the past couple of months" through CBS President & CEO Les Moonves. Mayweather has "two fights left on a six-fight contract" signed in '13 with CBS and subsidiary Showtime. Arum said that Moonves "has been acting as a go-between in trying to hammer out Mayweather's end of the deal with adviser Al Haymon." Top Rank "initially wanted to go in June to leave May 2 open for another major fight it is trying to finalize -- middleweight champion Miguel Cotto against former junior middleweight titlist Alvarez, a date Alvarez desperately wants to fight on because it is Cinco de Mayo weekend and he is Mexico's most popular active fighter." But Top Rank "gave in on the date, one Mayweather has insisted on" (ESPN.com, 1/13).
