Bob Arum joined ESPN 1100 in Las Vegas with Gridlock to talk about how difficult the negotiations have been with Floyd Mayweather to get a fight with Manny Pacquiao done, what he has to do to get the fight to happen, whether Manny Pacquiao would be willing to do any kind of drug test to make the fight happen and where they would want the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight to take place if there an agreement can get done.

(Editor’s note: It appears the beginning of this interview was cut off and it comes in late.)

On the difficulty of the negotiations with Mayweather:

“Well sure it is and it’s time to really talk it up. It’s outrageous. What do you mean take the test? For two years Pacquiao has said that he will take any drug test whoever administers it so why is that still being talked about by Mayweather? You see Mayweather is from the school of propaganda that Joseph Goebbels, who was (Adolf) Hitler’s publicist, adopted. The more you say things over and over again the more people believe them. The fact is clear that Pacquiao has agreed to unlimited drug testing so that is not an issue and for two years everybody agreed that the proceeds would be split 50/50. Now there’s an excuse and he doesn’t want to split it 50/50 so we say ‘okay here’s the deal. Let’s make it 45/45 to each fighter and then 10 percent, the missing 10 percent goes to the winner.’ (Host: You proposed that?) Yeah. (Host: What did he say?) What did he say? ‘Take the test!’ Or ‘I don’t want to get hurt.’ Don’t you understand? Look one thing about Floyd he’s a genius when it comes to boxing. He would be a great matchmaker. He knows styles and the fact is he knows that it would be extremely difficult for him to beat Pacquiao because Pacquiao is a fast, left-hander who hits with tremendous power in his left hand. I promoted Floyd for over 10 years and anytime you raised the prospect with him of fighting a southpaw he went crazy. Now with Pacquiao who has all that power and all that speed he doesn’t want Pacquiao. It’s clear. Everything he says is an excuse.”

What he has to do as a promoter to get this fight to happen:

“See why do you want it from us? Why do you want it from us? He says I don’t want to do a 50/50 split anymore and we say ‘okay if you think you’re so good then we will do 45/45 and 10 to the winner.’ If he wanted to do it less than 45/45 and the balance to the winner we’d be happy to do that also. Then he says well ‘he’s now entitled to more because I do better pay-per-view numbers than Pacquiao.’ The answer is no you don’t. No you don’t. We will match pay-per-view numbers over the last couple of years. Secondly when you look at the gate, our tickets are sold and Pacquiao brings in gamblers from all over the world. Mayweathers’ tickets sell for a discount on the face value and they clog up the streets. You know that.”

Whether Pacquiao would agree to any form of testing:

“Of course we would do any legitimate drug testing. We would to USADA, VADA, both I think are legitimate and we would do either one.”

Where the fight would be held if the two sides come to an agreement:

“I met with the MGM people and they have shown me the plans of where they would put up a temporary 40,000 seat stadium, they would get a license to keep it up for a year and maybe extend it for a year and they proposed a deal where the fighters would agree to fight and then there would be an automatic rematch some months later. (Host: Where is that location Bob?) It’s right near the Luxor. They have a very, very good space there, they showed me the plans, the plans are beautiful and it would be a great boxing experience, great press facility.”

Listen to Bob Arum on ESPN 1100 in Las Vegas here

Oscar De La Hoya joined WQAM in Miami with Dan Sileo to talk about what he is doing as a promoter to help fighters, what he thinks of Floyd Mayweather Jr, on the idea that Mayweather is more talk than substance in the ring and the confidence that Miguel Cotto has coming off his most recent win over Antonio Margarito.

What he is doing as a promoter to help the fighter:

“You empower the fighter and without the fighter you have nothing. Without any athlete, in any sport, you have nothing. We try to make sure that the fighter is aware from what he’s making, we try to tell them look ‘get yourself good lawyers and good people around you because this career is not going to last forever so you might as well take advantage and do it right because I did it worng for a while.’ When I first started boxing, my first year, I learned everything and I had these managers that ripped me off because I was aware of nothing. I was in the dark for one year and after that year, got myself lawyers and the best people around me. I just opened up my eyes and I just want to help these kids out and make sure they’re well off when they’re fighting and when they retire.”

Where Floyd Mayweather ranks amongst the fighters he has faced:

“Well he definitely has got to be one of the best, top three that I’ve faced. Fighting Pernell Whitaker, fighting (Felix) Trinidad, fighting Julio Cesar Chavez and those guys are great fighters and Mayweather has got to be up there absolutely. He’s undefeated and he’s proven over and over that he is one of the best, if not the best of this era. I respect him, I respect his abilities and I respect the respect that he has for this sport. He’s doing well for himself and I’m proud to be promoting this event alongside with him. He understands the game, he understands about hard work, dedication and discipline so it’s going to be quite interesting to see what happens on Saturday and beyond. Will he ever face Pacquiao? Will he go up against the very best? It’s going to be very interesting.”

On the idea that Mayweather is not like because of how he talks and the things that he says:

“It’s all show, it’s all show. Look Mayweather is an entertainer. That’s what he is. He’s a fighter obviously but he’s an entertainer and he understands how to promote the game. You watch 24/7 on HBO and you see him talk, say all these absurd things about his opponents and it’s all show. He’s really a nice guy. The times that I have dealt with him, he comes across very nice. I think a lot of people have this idea that he’s just the worst guy ever because of TV and the media but he’s a nice guy and I have to take my hat off to him. I will tell you one thing, a lot of people want to see him lose because he’s the best. That makes him a great fighter so I think this Saturday night Miguel Cotto has a great shot. It’s going to be a great fight, I think it’s a 50/50 fight, Mayweather is going to be in great shape, Cotto is in great shape, especially after he got revenge against Antonio Margarito in their second fight so he’s full of confidence. I see this fight being a war.”

On the confidence Cotto has coming off his latest win over Antonio Margarito:

“My hat off to Miguel Cotto for taking that rematch, for accepting that rematch, for having the courage to fight Margarito once again because I will tell you any fighter out there wouldn’t do what Miguel Cotto did against Margarito because when you take a beating like that especially when Margarito maybe had those loaded gloves on, you just don’t take that rematch and you don’t want anything to do with him ever again. The fact that he did want that rematch and beat Margarito in that fashion it just shows you the character and he’s gotten back what was taken away from him. That confidence level is sky high now and it’s perfect timing. Going into this fight Saturday night he’s going to be full of confidence believing in his abilities that I can do it again. It’s going to be quite interesting. I think the first six or seven rounds Miguel Cotto has a tremendous shot at doing something that nobody has ever done. Can he stick to him game plan? Can he stay focused for the whole 12 rounds if it goes 12 rounds? We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Listen to Oscar De La Hoya on WQAM in Miami here

Mike Tyson joined WXYT in Detroit with Stoney and Bill to talk about how much he has made from the success of the Hangover, if there is going to be a Hangover 3, what he remembers from the last time he was in Detroit to fight, what it was like being such a feared boxer for a long period of time, and what he would change if he was President of the United States.

How much he has made from the success of the Hangover:

“Insurmountable man it was just unforeseen and it just took the world by storm didn’t it? (Host: Yeah it was the most viewed R-rated movie of all-time.) I’m just grateful to be a part of that stuff you know what I mean? (Host: Are you really a big Phil Collins fan?) Oh yeah I really enjoy that song.”

If there is going to be a Hangover 3:

“I was told there was one and I would like to participate in it but we will see what happens guys.”

What he remembers from the last time he was in Detroit to fight:

“I remember I was a bizarre guy back then and Detroit was a bizarre place. That was a really bizarre place to have that fight at. It was just awesome because when you really think about it we announced the fight three weeks in advance and got that kind of crowd and that was just amazing”

What it was like to be the most feared boxer for such a long period of time:

“Hey I don’t know anything about that stuff. I was just young back then and I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. I just wanted to be this fighter and have this kind of aura about myself. It was just me living out a fantasy. It was pretty cool.”

What he would do if he was President:

“If I was President of the United States I would have to impeach myself. (Host: What about making Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather fight?) Listen if I was President I would throw them in jail if they didn’t fight. I’d have them arrested. You can’t do that but that’s what I would try to do. I’d be like ‘these guys need to get locked up and find a new profession until they get their heads clear.”

What he would change if he could go back and do something over:

“Oh no I don’t want anything to change. I don’t know. If anything changed and my ego got any bigger and inflamed I’d probably be dead or something so everything turned out the right way. I became humble because this is what I had to learn, if you’re not humble in this world, the world will thrust humbleness upon you.”

Listen to Mike Tyson on WXYT in Detroit here

His first tweet read, “Manny Pacquiao I’m calling you out let’s fight May 5th and give the world what they want to see.” Then he followed that up by saying “My Jail Sentence was pushed back because the date was locked in. Step up Punk.” Of course with the way negotiations have gone in the past, this could just be another case of Mayweather blowing smoke or trying to make Pacquiao look like the bad guy. Or maybe Mayweather needs money with his impending jail sentence on the horizon. No matter what the motivation is this time, if it leads to the fight of the year, it’s irrelevant. Pacquiao says he wants Mayweather. Mayweather says he wants Pacquiao. Fight fans continue to wait.

Freddie Roach joined 790 the Zone in Atlanta with Mayhem in the AM to talk about whether or not a fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao will actually happen, if Pacquiao’s promoter is currently negotiating a deal to fight Mayweather, how things could change based on Mayweather’s jail sentence, whether or not he thought Pacquiao was distracted in his last fight, and why he thinks Mayweather is calling Pacquiao out.

Whether or not a fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao will actually happen:

“It would be nice. The thing is we’ve been calling this guy out for two years now and all of the sudden something changed and they want to go on that date now. He thinks he’s gonna call all the shots now. In the Philippines right now negotiating with Manny and trying to work that out.”

If they are negotiating a fight against Mayweather:

“Yes. (Host: On May 5^th of this year?) They’re talking about May or June. There’s two dates out there right now but which one I’m not sure. Again Bob (Arum) is in the Philippines and they’re talking.”

How Mayweather’s jail sentence affects a possible fight against Pacquiao:

“When he gets his jail sentence we’re looking in a different direction again because we’re not gonna sit around and wait for him so we did make some obligations with some people. They are negotiating those deals out now and hopefully this thing happens.”

Whether or not he thought Pacquiao was distracted in his last fight:

“His mind just wasn’t there. I know that’s why I want a big fight with Mayweather, something he can get up for. I don’t think we’ll have any problem with that fight if it does happen.”

If he thinks Mayweather really wants the fight against Pacquiao

“No, I think he needs money. (Host: As long is the fight happens I don’t think people will care.) I agree. Everywhere I go in the world people say make that fight happen. We’re doing the best we can to make it happen and boxing needs a fight like that right now.”

Where the fight could take place:

“Well the thing is someone in Dubai made an offer for 100 million apiece. (Host: Someone made an offer for 100 million apiece?) Yup. (Host: How does it not happen in Dubai then?) Because Mayweather says he wants to fight in Vegas. He will go where the money is. I think Dallas is maybe a good site also because we will sell that place out no problem. It is the fight of the year. You go where the dollars make the most sense of course.”

Listen to Freddie Roach on 790 the Zone in Atlanta here

Among them, Tyson says that he would pick Floyd Mayweather if a fight with Manny Pacquiao would ever finally happen. But he only finally makes a pick when he convinces the host to give him a pretend $500,000 to bet on it and says his thinking would be more rational if and when the fight got closer. Yeah, that’d be the day.

Mike Tyson joined ESPN Las Vegas with The Gridlock to discuss what he’s been up to, his singing, his new fanbase, Michael Buffer being elected to the Hall of Fame, a potential Pacquiao-Mayweather fight and the passing of Joe Frazier.

What have you been up to?:

“I’ve been traveling. I’ve been getting paid to sing songs.”

More on his singing, after they play a clip of him singing Girl From Ipanema:

“Teddy Pendergrass has been singing for 20 years and he did all-women concerts. He’s been doing it for 20 years, I did it for three songs and I got an all-woman concert. I’m Teddy Pendergrass reincarnated.”

Who is your favorite artist?:

“Whitney Houston.  She’s a good singer.”

How many new fans do you think you have just based on your singing and The Hangover and things like that?:

“Hey, listen, this new Mike Tyson guy, I don’t know him that well, but he’s got a whole big fanbase of new people, people that never even saw him participate in any kind of fisticuffs and stuff. That’s what takes him to a whole different variation, as far as a fanbase and Twitter. It’s just totally different. I could just never dream of being able to talk to a billion people at one instant of a second.”

On what his new fanbase is like:

“Before, my crowd was like the late-night stoners from Las Vegas. Now it’s a whole different clientele.”

Michael Buffer has been elected to the Hall of Fame. What are your feelings on that?:

“Hey, listen, there’s a bunch of guys that are in the Hall … that from the beginning of fighting, in the 20s and 1910, all these guys, these guys are in the Hall of Fame, too. If these guys never went to the Hall of Fame, then Michael Buffer shouldn’t. But these guys are in the Hall of Fame and his voice is more sensational. We had never heard that voice before. These are guys are people that we just heard because they were in the ring. … He entertained us. … He’s a part of the two men in the ring. The referee should be in there, the announcer should be in there.”

If Pacquiao-Mayweather ever happens, who would win?:

“Well, you have to look at the situation like this: Manny’s getting a lot of slack because of Marquez, mostly in the Latino and African-American community. He’s getting a lot of slack because everybody believes that he lost that fight. They really thought that Marquez won. Marquez is on a big high right now. … It’s very close. I’m the kind of guy, I can go with my heart, but I like to bet concerning the odds of the fight.”

OK, let’s say it’s a pick’em and I gave you $100,000:

“Put some more money on it.” OK, $250,000: “A little bit more.” OK, $500,000: “I’ll go with Mayweather at 500. If Mayweather’s the underdog, I’m going with him. … Closer to a fight, I’d get more rational, realistic.”

On the passing of Smokin’ Joe Frazier:

“One of the first all-time really greats, even since the beginning of boxing, that we could actually visualize and watch these guys and make sense out of what they’re doing.”

Listen to Mike Tyson on ESPN Radio Las Vegas here

However, this might’ve been the best thing for the sport of boxing and it might finally lead to the dream matchup that everyone has been hoping for. If fear played any part in Floyd Mayweather Jr’s hesitancy with this fight that might be all but gone now. Mayweather, like the rest of the boxing community watched the fight. He saw a beatable opponent, he saw an opponent that struggles with counter-punchers, the forte of Money, and he saw a fighter who has been labeled by some as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet show vulnerability.

Freddie Roach joined 590 The Fan in Toronto with Bob McCown and Stephen Brunt to talk about whether or not it is possible that Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum does not want a fight between Pacman and Money, if he felt Pacquiao won the fight against Marquez, whether or not he would take a fourth fight against Marquez, if he thinks the Mayweather fight, if it ever happens, would be Pacquiao’s last, and how tough of a matchup Mayweather would be.

If it is possible that Bob Arum does not want to make the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight happen:

“Possibly yeah. The thing is everywhere I travel in the world everyone tells me to make that fight happen and so forth. I talked to Manny’s advisors last week and they told me they are negotiating so it’s definitely a possibility and I hope that fight happens.”

Whether or not he thinks Pacquiao won the fight against Marquez:

“I thought he won by a little bit but the thing is before the decision was announced I didn’t know which way it was gonna go though because it was a close fight. It coulda went either way, and if it went the other way I couldn’t complain that’s for sure. After watching the fight on TV I did have Manny winning by a little bit. First time in ten years Manny had a bad night and just came at the wrong time. It may be good because maybe Mayweather is licking his chops at this point.”

Whether or not he would accept a fourth fight against Marquez:

“If that makes the most sense then yeah but Mayweather is the fight I want. I think he is the biggest challenge out there and I like challenges. I think that’s the defining fight of Manny’s career.”

If he thinks Pacquiao’s last fight will be against Mayweather:

“I don’t think so. The thing is if Pacquiao does lose that fight – well win or lose I think he will retire. I think that’s gonna be his last fight. He’s really into politics and so forth and politics is going to take him away from boxing that’s for sure. Politics is something he wants to be good at. It’s not like the singing or dancing and acting, that’s more for fun. This is serious business and something he wants to be good at. It’s gonna take 100 percent of his time to be good at that. I feel if we do fight Mayweather, win or lose I think it will be his last fight.”

How tough he thinks the Mayweather fight would be if it happens:

“Very difficult fight. He is a good counter-puncher and his style does give us trouble. He does have some Marquez similarities but he’s actually a lot faster than Marquez so he does pose a bigger problem. Manny, in his last fight, he kinda fell back into the realm when he fought this guy the first two times. He didn’t use the improvements he’s been working on to beat these bigger and better guys. He kinda went right back to what he did in the first two fights. That wasn’t enough and that wasn’t really effective. I think Mayweather will bring out the best in Manny. It’s gonna have to because if not we’re not gonna be there in the end.”

Listen to Freddie Roach on The Fan 590 in Toronto here

Bob Arum joined WQAM in Miami with Sid Rosenberg to talk about whether or not he believes what Mayweather said about fighting Pacquiao, if he thinks Mayweather is obsessed with this Manny Pacquiao fight, on the idea that many people feel like Mayweather will be able to beat Pacquiao, and if he thinks the random blood testing is something holding up this fight from happening.

Whether or not he believes what Mayweather said about fighting Pacquiao:

“No. It’s like a big joke. I mean obviously you see what’s happening. I would’ve taken it seriously if he had made a statement on November 14^th but right now what he’s doing is he is a little jealous about the attention Manny is getting so he’s hogging a little bit of the limelight. It’s not a serious kind of thing. You don’t start a negotiation saying I’m gonna fight on May 5^th and it’s gonna be at the MGM Grand. What kind of negotiation is that? What happens if Jerry Jones wants to put up 30 million dollars or something? What do you mean you’re holding a date at the MGM? What does that mean?”

If he thinks Mayweather is obsessed with the Pacquiao fight:

“Yeah he’s obsessed because he’s afraid to fight Manny. The truth is that it’s no longer a competitive fight. It once was but it isn’t anymore. Manny can out-speed him and Manny’s second hand, the right hand, is gonna knock Mayweather out. Truth is Marquez is a more difficult fight for him because Marquez’s style, counter-punching style can give Manny some trouble. I think Manny wins the fight but it can give him trouble.”

I haven’t talked to many people that think Pacquiao can beat Mayweather:

“What? You’re speaking to the wrong people because the people I’ve been speaking to overwhelmingly figure that Pacquiao beats Mayweather. It’s not even a tough fight. It really isn’t a tough fight. Mayweather has nothing to hurt him with, Mayweather doesn’t throw anywhere near the punches. Manny will not only win the fight over Mayweather, Manny will knock him out.”

If the Olympic style blood testing is still preventing a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather from happening:

“No because we’ve been saying for the last year we will take the Olympic style testing, random blood and urine test period. We’ve agreed for the last year. How many times am I supposed to say it? It hasn’t been an issue in a year.”

Listen to Bob Arum on WQAM in Miami with Sid Rosenberg

Mayweather defeated Ortiz by knocking him out coming out of a break in which Ortiz was docked a point for a headbutt. Boxing analyst Larry Merchant describes that knockout as a legal sucker punch, but he didn’t really go there right after the fight. In fact, he hadn’t really said anything damaging at all while interviewing Mayweather, but that didn’t stop the fighter from laying into Merchant and calling for him to be fired. Merchant then retorted that if he were 50 years younger, he’d have at least tried to kick Mayweather’s butt.

Larry Merchant joined ESPN Radio Los Angeles with Mason and Ireland to discuss the crazy interview that Mayweather gave after the fight, what he meant exactly when he referenced the ‘sucker punch’ that he felt Mayweather was guilty of administering to Ortiz, why he decided to lash out and say that if he were 50 years younger he’d at least try to kick Mayweather’s butt, who would win a fight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, and if he’d change anything about how he conducted the post-fight interview in retrospect.

Why do you think that Mayweather went nuts on you in that interview?:

“Let me ask you something, did you hear anything untoward or anything unfair? … I think to speculate that I’m in the long line of media people that he feels have not given him as much credit as he gives himself. And, in this instance, he fought an outstanding fight up until that crisis moment and the fans saw what they saw. They saw a sucker punch ending a fight. Now, was Mayweather within his rights to throw it? Absolutely. Should he have? In my opinion, no. This was a legal blow but it’s not the way great champions do it. And, the kid, Ortiz, has blame on him as well. But now I’m interviewing Mayweather and he’s absorbing from the boos in the crowd, which are getting more explosive, more inflammatory, and he understands he’s not going to get all the credit he deserves again. And that’s what set him off.”

Explain what you mean by sucker punch in this instance:

“A sucker punch is a guy’s got his hands down, he’s looking away, he’s not ready to start a fight — and this could happen in or out of the ring, by the way — and somebody just walks up and hits a punch. In this instance, they had met mid-ring after a point was deducted from Ortiz for a head collision, and properly so, and Ortiz was almost overly apologetic and coming forward and because he was embarrassed. Then the referee stepped in and should have sent them to their corners while he was trying to restore order and get the timekeeper to go again. Suddenly he turned around and said, ‘Time in,’ and Ortiz was looking away and Mayweather clocked him.”

Was Mayweather within the rules?:

“Yes. It was absolutely a legal sucker punch.”

When you said you wished you were 50 years younger, was that just something you said or had your blood boiled over to a point that you wanted to fight him?:

“It was spontaneous combustion. I have no idea where it came from, but you’re getting personally insulted as well as professionally insulted. I was just trying my best to ask the questions that everybody wanted answered and suddenly he assaults me that way and I just went off and was amazed by myself afterwards. But I did say afterwards that I don’t think I would’ve kicked his butt 50 years ago, but I sure would have tried.”

If Mayweather and Pacquiao fought in three months, who would win?:

“Well, Pacquiao has a fight in two months.” Well, ignore that: “I think Mayweather would be the favorite because he’s a wizard of defense and a defensive wizard is hard to beat because he’s taking fewer risks and leaves fewer openings for opponents to fill. But there’s an old saying in baseball that good pitching beats good hitting and vice versa, so if anyone has the vice versa in them, it’s Pacquiao.”

If you could go back to before that interview, would you have done anything differently?:

“I’m not second-guessing myself. I don’t think that what I did was a sucker punch, put it that way. It was a counter punch.”

Listen to Larry Merchant on ESPN LA here (Interview begins at 22:35)

It might have been controversial and a frustrating ending, but fighters are taught from day one to protect themselves at all time. Cortez said it before the fight even started. You can say the shot from Mayweather was a cheap shot all you want to, but it was legal. Ortiz needs to look in the mirror and blame himself. After he had kissed Mayweather on the cheek and after he had touched gloves he was trying to apologize to Mayweather over and over again like he was sitting in a confessional. While he was doing that repeatedly, Mayweather was ready to fight. Victor Ortiz forgot the number one rule in boxing and showed his inexperience after getting worked for three rounds. He got knocked out with a legal shot because of it.

Seemingly all the videos of the knockout have been removed from YouTube.  Mayweather also got into a verbal sparring match with 80 year-old boxing announcer Larry Merchant. (We’ve found one place with video of that…click here)

Joe Cortez joined Fox Sports Radio with JT the Brick to talk about what happened from his perspective in the Mayweather-Ortiz fight, if he regrets not separating the two fighters from each other after the point was taken away from Ortiz, whether or not he has ever seen a fighter lose his head the way Ortiz did, and the reaction he has gotten from the fans since the fight ended.

What happened from his perspective in the Mayweather-Ortiz fight:

“One of the things I do when I get into the ring and I give them the instructions, I tell them guys I want a good, clean fight, obey my commands at all times, protect yourselves at all times, and remember guys I’m fair but I’m firm. The fight takes place, Mayweather was tagging Ortiz and tagging him. (Host: Ok Joe, pick it up from there when you told the fighters the fight was back on.) I told them the fight was back on and I put my hands in the middle and said come on let’s go. Then I looked at the timekeeper and being the captain of the ship I made sure that my timekeeper had his clock running. I was surprised he would put his hands out again to say I’m sorry. He did that the first time around. He even kissed Mayweather on the cheek. In boxing that’s why you always hear the phrase keep your guards up at all times. Why did he lower his guard when I already said time is in. He made the mistake. It was a mistake he made by lowering his guard and tried to apologize the second time. Mayweather said ‘the referee said time is in. We’re not going to be embracing again. We did that already the first time’ so he hit him with a left and he hit him with a right and down goes Ortiz.”

If he thinks he should’ve sent the fighter to their corners following the head butt:

“Mayweather was in the corner when I took the point and then I went to Ortiz and I told Ortiz ‘why do you have to do this? There’s no reason for none of this.’ Then I brought them together. Mayweather came out of his corner, Ortiz wasn’t too far off of his corner, the other corner, so I brought them together. I said alright time in.”

If he has ever seen a fighter lose his cool and his head the way Ortiz did:

“He dug himself into a hole. They were the ones that were talking about ‘watch out for Mayweather, he comes in with an elbow, he has sharp elbows,’ so I said okay kid no problem. That didn’t happen last night. I guess he got frustrated after he felt like he was getting hit with so many right hands. I guess he lost his cool. He had Mayweather up against the ropes ready for the kill and he goes in with the head butt. I go ‘wow why did he do that?’ Then after you sit back and look at the whole picture and say I’ve seen this before with fighters taking punishment and then when they feel they have a disadvantaged or are getting outclassed, they start going low, they start doing other things unsportsmanlike. As a referee I follow the rules to the ‘t.’ My commissioner last night and you didn’t hear one of the commentators say anything about Joe Cortez. Everything was about why did Ortiz lower his guard? I called time in. Time was in. Why would he lower his guard again to apologize was to my surprise. That’s where inexperience fell in and Mayweather took advantage with his experience. He said ‘this is an opening for me. Nobody told him to put his hands down’ and he capitalized on it as a fighter.”

On the fans being upset:

“You guys as sports commentators and sports historians, you guys know the sport and knows what is applied when it comes to boxing. I am unfortunately at a disadvantage when it comes to the fans because they don’t know the rules and I have to try and explain myself. I can educate your fans that are listening. I have to follow the rules according to the unified rules of USA Boxing. We have unified rules and everybody complies to them especially in a championship fight. I just hope the fans listen That’s why I have a website to try to educate the fans in reference to the duties of a referee.”

Listen to Joe Cortez on Fox Sports Radio here (Audio begins 13:45 into the podcast)

Nice chunk of change just based on one night of betting. However nothing close to what he could make if he finally steps inside the ring with Manny Pacquiao in a fight that every boxing fan wants to see. Since that is clearly not happening any time soon, Mayweather will just have to settle on betting on sporting events. It’s working pretty well right now.

Floyd Mayweather joined ESPN Chicago with the Afternoon Saloon to talk about his bet that he made on the Bulls, what is the most he has won on a bet, how often he bets on sporting events, whether or not he is going to fight Manny Pacquiao, and answers his critics that believe he is “ducking” Manny Pacquiao.

How much money is the most he has won in a bet:

“In a week? Or in one bet? Probably $560,000 to $700,000. (Host: Do you remember what it was or remember the game?) I know the last big, big bet that I made, one of the largest bet was the New England Patriots. I think it was against the San Diego Chargers. I bet them for the money line of $500,000 and it brought back $560,000.”

On why he bet so much on the Bulls:

“At first I was going to bet $100,000 on the first half, but I happened to be asleep because the Atlanta Hawks happened to be on a slump. At this particular time, what’s going on in the NBA right now, Derrick Rose is the leading MVP candidate in the NBA right now I truly believe. I believe in his skills. He’s an amazing player and that’s one of the players you can bet on. If the team can stay 100 percent, they have a good chance to get to the Finals facing probably the Heat in the East. Then in the West this year I think it’s either going to be the Spurs or the Lakers.”

How often he bets on sporting events:

“Every day. You have to find one that you truly believe in and truly feel you’ve got the ups and that’s the one that you load up on.”

On a potential Manny Pacquiao fight:

“The thing is this I’m an American citizen and I represent this country with the red, white, and blue. The only thing I want is the people in my country to stand behind me. I’m in my own country and I have a lot of people against me. Our country is a great country, it’s a clean country, and all I ask him to do is take the test, that’s it. He takes the test and we got a fight.”

What he would say to the people that believe he is “ducking” Manny Pacquiao:

“Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. Floyd Mayweather goes out and makes money for Floyd Mayweather. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. When it’s all said and done and my career is over, the fans don’t come pay my bills, the fans don’t put my kids through college, and the fans don’t put my kids through private school, I do. Through my hard work.”

If he realizes a fight against Pacquiao could potentially save boxing:

“My job is to keep my family close and take care of my family. That’s my job. My job is not to fight for everybody else, my job is to fight for Floyd Mayweather. You don’t go to work for the radio station for everybody else, you go to work to do what you do because that’s what you like to do. When it’s time to hang it up or give it up that’s what you do.”

More on Pacquiao:

“You guys must realize this about Pacquiao, that’s just a media creation. That’s somebody who just came around. For someone to beat me would be abnormal, for someone to be him is normal because he has already been beaten three times and knocked out twice. It’s nothing new.”

Listen to Floyd Mayweather on ESPN Chicago here