World Boxing Council welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. issued two daring statements on his official Twitter account, @FloydMayweather, on January 10 for Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao, Agence France-Presses reports.
"Manny Pacquiao I'm calling you out let's fight May 5th and give the world what they want to see," he said in one Tweet, then followed it up with, "My Jail Sentence was pushed back because the date was locked in. Step up Punk."
Mayweather, like Pacquiao, is a contender for the title of best pound-for-pound champion. He is set to serve a sentence of 90 days in jail for domestic battery, the Associated Press reports. He currently has a 42-0 record in the ring with 26 knockouts, while Pacquiao has a 54-3 record with two draws and 38 knockouts.
Pacquiao said in an interview with PhilBoxing.com posted on January 10 that he is prepared to fight Mayweather. “I‘ve said this over and over before, and I’m saying this again. I want Floyd Mayweather Jr. to be my next opponent, and I haven’t changed my choice despite recent developments," he is quoted as saying.
Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, has removed Mayweather from his possible list of opponents this year, but Pacquiao said he would convince him to put Mayweather on priority.
"Whoever the fans want me to fight, I will face him atop the ring. I don’t choose fights. It is my promoter who does because it’s his job. My job is to fight; everybody must realize that."
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(Photo of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. by DEWALT POWER TOOLS FIGHT NIGHT CLUB 2010 via Wiki Commons; photo of Manny Pacquiao courtesy of PEP.ph)
