FLOYD Mayweather Jr called out Manny Pacquiao for a May 5 superfight on Twitter on Tuesday evening, labelling the Filipino superstar a “punk”. In November the Las Vegas boxer booked the MGM Grand Casino for a bout on that date in a show of grandstanding – and has now named his preferred opponent.
“Manny Pacquiao I’m calling you out; let’s fight May 5 and give the world what they want to see,” he tweeted.
Mayweather was recently handed a three-month jail sentence for domestic battery, which cast doubt on any fight. However, last week it was postponed by a Vegas judge until June – paving the way for the May date.
“My Jail Sentence was pushed back because the date was locked in,” he added. “Step up, Punk.”
Pacquiao has not responded to Mayweather’s taunt, and has not updated his Twitter feed for a month.
Mayweather has pressed more strongly for a fight since Pacquiao’s controversial, narrow win over Juan Manuel Marquez last November.
Orthodox boxer Mayweather is a five-division world champion and current holder of the WBC welterweight belt, unbeaten in 42 fights having won 26 by knockout.
Southpaw Pacquiao has lost three and drawn two of his 59 fights, winning 38 by KO, and is WBO welterweight champ.
The duo are widely regarded as the best boxers fighting today – but have circled one another for the last two years, with questions over pre-fight drug-testing getting in the way of negotiations.