Reasons why Floyd Mayweather feared the task of fighting Pacquiao

1. Floyd will be the villain of the promotion, almost everyone will be supporting Pacquiao, even here in America. Like Ali and Foreman in Zaire and Lewis and Tyson in Memphis, the intensity of the crowd support will adversely affect Mayweather, who is a sensitive soul and not the arrogant punk he likes to portray.

2. Pacquiao vs. Floyd is basically a 50-50 fight right now and that is not a “smart business decision” or a wise percentage play for Mayweather to put himself in such a risky situation.

3. Fighting an amped up Pacquiao is a very difficult and unenviable task, especially for a guy like Mayweather who is accustomed to having everything his own way. Pacquiao is not going to put his hands down and give a free KO, he has an entire nation of people fervently behind him and uplifting him. He’ll be the hero to Floyd’s heel. It will be uncomfortable and agitating for Mayweather to do the press conferences and answer all the questions about Pacquaio, a fight he clearly ducked for two years. Floyd does not like to talk about Pacquiao now when he’s asked, imagine the discomfort he’ll suffer during three or four months of media hype and questions about all his trash talk and the racist rants.

4. There is a theory by a few people that Pacquiao held back his power so as to lure Mayweather out of his reluctance. This idea is unlikely but it can’t be disregarded completely.