To talk to Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s advisor, Leonard Ellerbe, is to be reminded of the superiority complex that has defined that camp for years.
Logic would have most assume that, on the heels of Manny Pacquiao’s two-knockdown, unanimous-decision triumph over Timothy Bradley on Saturday in Las Vegas, Mayweather might be intrigued by the possibility of a rematch. After all, Mayweather’s victory over Pacquiao last May generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and $437 million in sales.
Here’s what Ellerbe told The Times on Wednesday about the reaction to Pacquiao’s victory:
“Doesn’t mean anything as far as I’m concerned,” Ellerbe said. “Floyd’s retired. He’s been very adamant about that, and there’s been zero discussions about coming out of retirement and I hope he stays retired. We haven’t had one conversation about Manny Pacquiao. [Mayweather’s] retired. There’s nothing to talk about.”
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Nothing to talk abut … save this.
Because this type of “disinterest” is old hat to Ellerbe and Mayweather. Ellerbe told me they didn’t really know who Miguel Cotto was, less than two years before Mayweather fought him in 2012.
Ellerbe said Mayweather is “100%” content promoting his fighters, including Ashley Theophane, who was beaten by Adrien Broner earlier this month.
Sorry, we’ve seen this act, and don’t believe this is anything more than posturing by Mayweather’s camp.
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Of course, Pacquiao announced his retirement Saturday, and with an approaching May 9 election for a Senate seat in the Philippines, perhaps he will find the public-service work so inspirational he won’t fight again.
But at least his promoter, Bob Arum, has said the success of the first Mayweather-Pacquiao fight deserves further conversation about whether a rematch is possible. The first fight grossed more than $600 million, the largest revenue-generating one-day event in sports history.
After Pacquiao’s loss, he blamed a right shoulder injury he sustained in training camp for an uncharacteristically poor performance.
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Showtime Executive Vice President Stephen Espinoza, who is close to Mayweather and whose network had a six-fight deal with him from 2013-15, said, “There aren’t any conversations or negotiations ongoing and there won’t be any conversations or negotiations unless Floyd decides he’s coming out of retirement.
“If Floyd decides he’s going to un-retire, he’ll let us know and he’ll let us know who he wants to consider as his opponents, but unless that happens, he’s retired and there’s no conversations to be had.”
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. celebrates after defeating Manny Pacquiao for the WBC welterweight championship at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 2, 2015. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. lands a punch in the eighth round against Manny Pacquiao during their welterweight title fight on May 2, 2015. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao trade blows during their welterweight title fight on May 2, 2015. (John Locher / Associated Press)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. enjoys the moment after beating Manny Pacquiao. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Manny Pacquiao salutes the crowd after fighting 12 rounds with Floyd Mayweather on Saturday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao talk in the ring Saturday following their “Fight of the Century.” (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. enjoys himself after his win over Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. holds up the belt after defeating Manny Pacquiao for the WBC welterweight championship Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. retained his welterweight title by defeating Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. with his belt. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. celebrates after beating Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. connects with a body shot to the ribs of Manny Pacquiao in the 11th round. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather lands a punch during the sixth round against Manny Pacquiao. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Manny Pacquiao gets Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the corner during the 10th round. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr., right, trades blows with Manny Pacquiao. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. connects with an 11th round punch on Manny Pacquiao. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Manny Pacquiao lands a punch during the sixth round against Floyd Mayweather Jr. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Manny Pacquiao fires away at Floyd Mayweather Jr. during the third round. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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FLoyd Mayweather lands a punch against Manny Pacquaio during their 2015 bout in Las Vegas. Promoter Bob Arum says Pacquiao will finish his career with four fights this year, none of them against the retired Mayweather. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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FLoyd Mayweather Jr. lands a punch to Manny Pacquaio in the fourth round Saturday in Las Vegas. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The crowd watches the fight at MGM Grand. (Eric Jamison / Associated Press)
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Floyd Mayweather lands a right against Manny Pacquiao in their May 2, 2015, fight. (Isaac Brekken / Associated Press)
Pacquiao ducks to avoid a Mayweather left. (FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP/Getty Images)
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Mayweather ducks. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
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Pacquiao punches Mayweather near the ropes. (Eric Jamison / Associated Press)
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The fighters get more aggressive. (John Locher / Associated Press)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao trade blows. (John Locher / Associated Press)
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Manny Pacquiao in his corner. (John Locher / Associated Press)
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The fighters in the ring in Round 1. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. throws a punch in the first round. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
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Manny Pacquiao throws a punch in the first round. (FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP/Getty Images)
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Manny Pacquiao walks toward the ring. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the ring before the fight. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
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Manny Pacquiao fans gather in L.A.’s Filipinotown. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jamie Foxx sings the national anthem. (FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP/Getty Images)
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Leo Santa Cruz celebrates his majority decision over Jose Cayetano in a featherweight bout Saturday at MGM Grand Garden Arena. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
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Leo Santa Cruz, right, throws a right at Jose Cayetano during their featherweight bout Saturday in Las Vegas. (Harry How / Getty Images)
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Leo Santa Cruz, right, defeated Jose Cayetano by unanimous decision in a 10-round featherweight fight in Las Vegas in May. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
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Leo Santa Cruz, right, throws a right at Jose Cayetano during their featherweight bout Saturday in Las Vegas. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
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Leo Santa Cruz, left, punches Jose Cayetano during their featherweight fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2, 2015. (Eric Jamison / Associated Press)
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Leo Santa Cruz, right, punches Jose Cayetano during their featherweight fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2, 2015. (Eric Jamison / Associated Press)
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Jose Cayetano, right, of Mexico, lands a right to the body of Leo Santa Cruz during their featherweight fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2, 2015. (Isaac Brekken / Associated Press)
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Leo Santa Cruz, right, trades blows with Jose Cayetano during their featherweight bout at MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2, 2015. (John Locher / Associated Press)
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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady talks with Leslie Moonves and Julie Chen before the welterweight unification championship bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night. (Harry How / Getty Images)
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Ring girls practice their routine before the first fight of the Mayweather-Pacquiao card on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. (Kevin Baxter / Los Angeles Times)
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Boxing fans pose for a photo in front of a Mayweather-Pacquiao poster on Saturday in the lobby of the MGM Grand. (Kevin Baxter / Los Angeles Times)
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Brad Solomon celebrates after beating Adrian R. Granado in a super-middleweight fight, which was the first on the Mayweather-Pacquiao undercard Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Vasyl Lomachenko lands a right to the face of Gamalier Rodriguez during their featherweight title fight on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. (John Locher / Associated Press)
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Vasyl Lomachenko tries to slip a punch by Gamalier Rodriguez during their featherweight title fight in Las Vegas. (John Locher / Associated Press)
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Gamalier Rodriguez gets a standing eight count from referee Robert Byrd after being knocked down by Vasyl Lomachenko during their featherweight title fight Saturday. (John Locher / Associated Press)
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Vasyl Lomachenko celebrates his ninth-round knockout victory over Gamalier Rodriguez in their featherweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. (Eric Jamison / Associated Press)
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Espinoza added, “We’d be silly not to want more Mayweather fights, but in the seven months since he retired, he’s really never said anything that he’s contemplating coming back. … And the last time I saw him, he seemed very engaged in the promotion business. I didn’t get the sense at all that he was itching to come back.”
Still, Mayweather is 49-0, and the opportunity to pass Rocky Marciano’s mark at the new $375-million, 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas would likely stoke any superior athlete’s competitive vigor.
And Pacquiao’s strong Saturday showing, a 116-110 victory on all three judges’ scorecards, revives some interest in how a fully healthy challenge would be met by Mayweather.
“My personal opinion is that Manny did look pretty good, and was very effective against Bradley,” Espinoza said. “Whether that means he would perform better a second time against Floyd is an open question. Unless Floyd decides he wants to come back, it’s a lot of hubbub and speculation over nothing.”
