Mayweather, Pacquiao still blame each other for impasse

Just because Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao didn't agree to fight each other this spring doesn't mean the war of words is over. Nor is it hopeless that they'll fight each other this year.

Moments after the Nevada Athletic Commission on Wednesday granted Mayweather his boxing license, which cleared the way for him to fight Miguel Cotto on May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden, Mayweather blamed Pacquiao for their failure to come to terms to face each other.

"I tried to give the fans blood, sweat and tears with Manny Pacquiao, but he didn't want the fight from the beginning," Mayweather told reporters at the Grant Sawyer State Office Building. "This guy has been ducking and dodging me."

That brought an angry response from Michael Koncz, Pacquiao's adviser, who told ESPN New York that it's Mayweather who is doing the ducking. Koncz said Pacquiao was willing to come off a 50-50 split of the purse and said he'd go 55-45 with the winner of the fight getting the larger percentage. Koncz claims Mayweather rejected that proposal.

"Floyd made one offer to Manny (a flat fee of $40 million), and he stuck to that offer," Koncz said.

Mayweather (42-0, 26 knockouts) defended his actions, saying, "Pacquiao's a $10 million fighter. I'm offering him $40 million. What's wrong with that?"

Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs) is expected to announce this week that he'll face Timothy Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs) on June 9 at the Grand Garden. Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, said despite the fact both fighters will be preparing for other opponents, there's no reason Pacquiao and Mayweather can't try to make a deal to face each other in November at a specially constructed 40,000-seat outdoor stadium on the old Frontier Hotel property.

"Just because both fighters have dates doesn't mean they can't negotiate a deal for down the road," Arum said. "Manny wants to fight Floyd. But it's got to be fair financially, and what Floyd has proposed doesn't make sense (financially)."

■ VANDA SUSPENDED -- The Nevada Athletic Commission suspended middleweight Matt Vanda for one year and fined him $4,400 after he tested positive for marijuana prior to his Dec. 16 loss to Marco Antonio Rubio at Mandalay Bay.

Vanda (44-14, 24 KOs) had tested positive in New Jersey for the same substance a couple of years ago and was given a six-month suspension by that commission. Vanda told the commission he used the drug to help him combat insomnia. The NAC didn't accept the excuse.

The NAC also temporarily suspended welterweight Javier Flores pending a hearing after Flores (8-0, eight KOs) tested positive for Nanderlone, an anabolic steroid, following his Jan. 12 win over Alex Viramontes at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

■ IAC FIGHTS -- The Italian American Club, located on East Sahara Avenue near Eastern Avenue, has become home to a monthly amateur fight card put on by Jose Banales. The IAC, which has been in business since 1960, will host its next card Saturday with 16 bouts featuring fighters from Las Vegas and the Southwest.

Tickets are $10, and first bell is at noon. The show will be taped for airing in English on KTUD-TV 25 (Cable 14) and in Spanish on Azteca America Television (Cable 63) this month.

■ BACK IN RING -- Las Vegas' Diego Magdaleno is taking his skills on the road as he defends his NABO super featherweight title March 23 in Tucson, Ariz. Magdaleno (21-0, seven KOs) will face Miguel Beltran (26-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round title bout.

The fight will be Magdaleno's first outside of Nevada in three years. He beat Rodrigo Aranda on Feb. 6, 2009, in Maywood, Calif., earning a six-round unanimous decision.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.