More people are doing their best to make the dream bout happen between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
In a report by International Business Times, a group of investors from the United Arab Emirates is willing to pay as much as $200 million to have the two boxing superstars fight in a welterweight match.
M. Akbar Muhammad, one of the principals in the group, initially offered $110 million, which is the biggest in the history of boxing.
Muhammad said in an article by Boxing Scene, "I've been instructed by the group to do whatever it takes to bring this long-awaited and eagerly anticipated fight to fruition. There's absolutely no doubt that each fighter, individually, will receive more money than any other boxer has in the past."
He added in the same Boxing Scene report, "The combined purses offered are approaching $200 million. And, rest assured, we have the resources to do just that."
Considering how Mayweather seemed to have been dodging a fight against Pacquiao in the past, the consortium also offered that Mayweather Promotions, LLC will be the lead promoter and form a partnership with the UAE investment group.
The group seemed to be siding with Mayweather. In the same Boxing Scene report, Muhammad said, "We want to be a part of Mr. Mayweather's historic march to 50-0, no matter where the fights might take place." He added, "I started my boxing career working with Muhammad Ali, the greatest of all time. Now I'm coming full circle, hopefully, to work with Floyd Mayweather, the best ever."
The National reported that Muhammad long wanted to make a fight happen between Mayweather and Pacquiao. He reportedly said in 2011 that he wanted to sponsor either a Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather fight in the Middle East.
International Business Times in the same report stated that Muhammad hoped that the staggering offer will entice both fighters to actually step into the ring against each other. He said that the funding is already in place and that there is no ambiguity about the ability and motivation about his group. He said, "All this is the result of three years of effort on the part of many persons."
Should the group be successful in putting both fighters in the ring soon, there is a big possibility that the match will be held in the Middle East, particularly in Dubai, based on the same report by The National.
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