Arum: Mayweather wanted $100 million to fight Pacman; rips Donaire

Promoter Bob Arum told reporters in the Philippines on Monday that Floyd Mayweather Jr. asked for $100 million to fight Manny Pacquiao, effectively pricing himself out of the megafight.

Arum and fellow promoter Don King reportedly had a private negotiation in an effort to make the fight. South Africa was rumored to a possible site.

"Some group came in wanting to put it in a particular country," Arum told the reporters. "And Mayweather asked for a number so high that he indicated he didnt' want the fight. Take a guess what number he asked for himself … 100 million … for himself. Who will pay him 100 million? I mean, unless Manny fights for nothing, how do you do that? ..." Arum told the reporters.

"(Mayweather) can't say no, he doesn't want to fight him, so he prices himself out."

Meanwhile, Arum said that bantamweight titleholder Nonito Donaire doesn’t generate much money and even took a shot at the fighter’s wife, Rachel.

Donaire left Arum’s promotional firm and signed with rival Golden Boy Promotions. Arum says he has a valid contract with Donaire and vowed to fight the move in court.

He wouldn’t discuss the case but ripped Donaire and his wife, who apparently made a comment at some point about the way Manny Pacquiao’s wife dresses.

"It's not like he's another Manny Pacquiao,” said Arum, referring to his star. “He's a bantamweight, and he wants to go up (in weight), and I've got four fighters who probably could beat him: (Juan Manuel) Lopez, (Yuriorkis) Gamboa, (Guillermo) Rigondeaux, (Wilfredo) Vasquez Jr. ... He'd never beat those guys, or he'd never beat all of them.”

He went on: "(Pacquiao) is where the real money is. With Nonito Donaire, you get a rights fee from television. He's not a pay-per-view fighter. We had him on pay-per-view and did no buys. The Filipinos don't support him. Truth, when he fought (Fernando) Montiel, it was all Mexicans. There were hardly any Filipinos because he hasn't connected with them, and I think it's largely because of (his wife).

"I think the Filipinos can't stand her. I mean, how dare she criticize the way Jinkee dresses. Is she crazy? (Rachel) is all tarted up. Jinkee dresses like a lady. Facts are facts."

Dennis Taylor is editor/publisher of www.ringsideboxingshow.com and co-host of The Ringside Boxing Show."