Manny Pacquiao Vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fight Likely Set for May: Report

The long-awaited megabout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. will finally push through this year, according to the Philippines' GMA News Online. Pacquiao's wife Jinkee said her husband personally confirmed to her that the fight may be held on May 5 or June 5.

Fans have been demanding the bout since 2009. Since then, Mayweather himself has been pushing for Pacquaio to step in the ring with him as well. His most ardent pressing began on Jan. 11, with a couple of tweets that read Manny Pacquiao I'm calling you out let's fight May 5th and give the world what they want to see, and My Jail Sentence was pushed back because the date was locked in. Step up Punk.

The jail sentence Mayweather refers to is the 87-day sentence at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas that he must start serving on June 1 after a plea deal on domestic-violence charges. ESPN reports that the judge in the case, Melissa Saragosa, delayed the beginning of the sentence from Jan. 6 to June 1 after Mayweather's attorney, Richard Wright, successfully argued for it, saying that date would give Mayweather enough time to heal from any injuries he might suffer on May 5.

Mayweather also recently called Pacquiao in the Philippines to press him for the fight.

In an email to ESPN anchor Stan Verrett, Mayweather provided details of the conversation: I called him and asked him about us fighting May 5 and giving the World what they want to see. I also let him know we both can make a lot of money. He ask about a 50/50 split and I told him no that can't happen, but what can happen is you can make more money fighting me then you have made in your career. I also let him know I'm in control on my side but he needs to get on the same page with his promoter so we can make this fight happen.

The email continued: I told him to tell his promoter that he only wants to fight Mayweather and that this fight will be the biggest fight in history. His manger came to my boxing gym a few months ago and we spoke about getting the defamation of character lawsuit dropped against me and about both fighters taking the random blood and urine test. I spoke to his manager again last night about the same thing. The call last night lasted 15 or 20 minutes. I mainly spoke to his manager he got on and off the phone real quick.

By virtue of Mayweather's email and Pacquiao's confirmation to Jinkee, May 5, not June 5, would then be the more plausible and sensible fight date. But what can't be determined yet, despite all the makings of the richest fight in boxing history, is just how much each fighter will take home. Mayweather doesn't want a 50-50 purse split, while Pacquiao does.

GMA also reports that Miguel Cotto, Tim Bradley, Lamont Peterson, and Juan Manuel Marquez were among the fighters that were included on Pacquiao's short list of opponents. But now it seems like Mayweather has catapulted his name to the top of that list and will stick there for the long haul.