Manny Pacquiao has said a fight against Floyd Mayweather is “near” as he has agreed to Mayweather’s demands for drug testing.
"(The fight) is near. The negotiations are nearly finished," Pacquiao told reporters during a break from a session in the Philippines’ parliament, Sky Sports reports.
Pacquiao said his potential opponent is also keen to make the fight happen.
"We agreed that this fight has to happen. We are ironing out the kinks. He (Mayweather) said he wants the fight to push through."
Pacquiao’s comments come shortly after Mayweather told a TV interview no deal had been signed but he was “hopeful” one would be reached.
Pacquaio said he has agreed to Mayweather’s drug testing demands.
"We agreed to their demand. In fact, I suggested a $5m fine if I test positive for drugs," he said.
The fight has been talked about for several years, since the two were the undoubted pound-for-pound kings, but seemingly destined never to meet. Pacquiao is now 36, and Mayweather 37 – although the latter’s record remains unblemished at 47-0.
Much of the allure of the bout has been dulled by the passing of time since then – neither is considered any more to be at their peak, with Pacquiao in particular having dropped from his indomitable best and Mayweather – but the bout would still have the potential to be the biggest in the sport’s history.
Negotiations for the fight have previously fallen through, with Mayweather demanding a larger share of the purse and Olympic style drug testing often cited as stumbling blocks.
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
