Ellerbe, GBP, Schaeffer just got owned by Greenburg

GBP few weeks ago: "Up until now, it's been a very difficult negotiation process for various reasons, but right now we're very close. We're very close in finalizing the contracts that were once very complicated. The two fighters now realize that this fight must be made. It has to be made because the boxing fans want to see it happen and right now it's the biggest fight that can be made in the world. It's going to be a big, big fight. I think right now we are very, very close in finalizing the contracts. I can't talk right now in detail about the negotiations, but I will say that we are very close."

Ellerbge after Arum's Deadline: "There were no negotiations".

Earlier today...

GBP: "I think I said it because I get the question asked so many times that, obviously, I was fed up and tired of it and I just said like, yeah, yeah, it's gonna get made. So it was a quick answer that I should have obviously thought about. But, obviously, negotiations weren't going on. Nothing was going on. Like I said, Mayweather has the key to making that fight happen."

HBO's Greenburg later in the day: "Fights like Mayweather vs. Pacquiao are significant because of these fighters’ ability to connect with sports fans around the world. It’s unfortunate that it won’t happen in 2010. I had been negotiating with a representative from each side since May 2nd, carefully trying to put the fight together. Hopefully, someday this fight will happen. Sports fans deserve it.”

Pure ownage!!!

 

We'll they're all liars (Arum, GBP, Ellerbe, Schaeffer). Greenburg is probably the most trustworthy of all, given his lack of bias in the given context.

 

Arum working on the background with Margarito is not bad in itself if it's a backup plan. With Mayweather and his history, you always need a back-up plan. It would be irresponsible for Arum to put all his eggs in the Mayweather basket.

There is no proof that Pac agreed or disagreed with the drug testing so I can't engage you there.

 

These figures did not really have a choice:

1. Ellerbe - in order to do damage control for Floyd, he had to make up some claim that there was no negotiation

2. Greenburg - put in a very difficult situation by Ellerbe where Greenburg or Arum is accused as liars, he had no choice but to tell the truth that there were indeed negotiations.

 

It just gets more interesting every minute. Now, Schaeffer is at WAR with HBO...


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HBO Sports president discusses Mayweather-Pacquiao talks
July 26, 2010 | 6:45 pm
The president of HBO Sports announced that he did negotiate with representatives of both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. to try to stage a super-fight between the pair this year.

Ross Greenburg, in a prepared statement e-mailed to The Times on Monday, said, "Fights like Mayweather vs. Pacquiao are significant because of these fighters' ability to connect with sports fans around the world.

"It's unfortunate that it won't happen in 2010.

"I had been negotiating with a representative from each side since May 2, carefully trying to put the fight together. Hopefully, someday this fight will happen. Sports fans deserve it."

Greenburg's statement contradicts a prepared statement by Mayweather's lead advisor, Leonard Ellerbe, released in the days after Pacquiao promoter, Bob Arum, said he was moving on past the deadline for Pacquiao's exclusive talks with Mayweather. Pacquiao will now fight Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 at a site to be determined.

"No negotiations have ever taken place, nor was there ever a deal agreed upon by Team Mayweather or Floyd Mayweather to fight Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 13," Ellerbe said then. "Either Ross Greenburg or Bob Arum is not telling the truth, but history tells us who is lying."

Arum responded to Greenburg's statement by criticizing Oscar De La Hoya and his Golden Boy Promotions Chief Executive Richard Schaefer for previously describing negotiations as "very close," -- as De La Hoya formerly told a Spanish-language television network -- and for not being more forthcoming about talks.

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"Leonard, me and Al talk on a regular basis, and I'm not aware of these 'negotiations' taking place, and I'm totally surprised Ross Greenburg would claim differently. If these negotiations took place, I'm confident I would have been aware of them."

De La Hoya, at a media day in Hollywood for Saturday's Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz fight in Las Vegas, said he originally described talks as "very close" because, "I was getting the question so often, I was hearing it in my sleep," he said. "I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, it's close.' But I really didn't know."

Arum said Greenburg, who was apparently acting as a mediator of sorts, portrayed negotiations "exactly as I saw it, and how I acted. Ross is reflecting what the facts were. The [Ellerbe] statement defied explanation.

"You don't lie to the press. And the thing Oscar had said ... they've done the unpardonable: They've lied to the press."

Schaefer said he didn't appreciate the timing of Greenburg's statement as the promoter worked on fight-week preparations in Las Vegas for Golden Boy's HBO pay-per-view card, headlined by the Marquez-Diaz world lightweight title fight.

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-- Lance Pugmire