The past few weeks, both camps have been trying to find a way to come to an agreement apart from taunting and bluffing each other with plans to fight separate opponents.

Mayweather has applied for a license to fight with the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) and his application will be discussed at the Gran Sawyer State Office Building at 9 a.m. of Feb. 1, according to Steve Carp of the Las Vega Review Journal in a story published two days ago.

Mayweather has a scheduled fight on May 5 at the MGM Grand but he has yet to pick an opponent, hoping that it will be Pacquiao.

But Pacquiao has expressed his disagreement with Mayweather’s demand that the Filipino settles for the smaller piece of the pie, saying it is just reasonable that they equally share the revenue that will be generated from their blockbuster brawl.

An industry source from Las Vegas said Mayweather is not certain of being granted a license to fight as the unbeaten American fighter is set to serve a 90-day prison sentence starting June 1 for domestic violence.

The same source said the commission can even deny Mayweather’s application.

A Las Vegas judge had agreed to postpone his original sentencing from Jan. 6 to June because he appealed that he had an obligation to fight on May 5.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, has also yet to announce his choice for opponent although being eyed are Miguel Cotto or Tim Bradley for a June 9 date after being told that it’s almost impossible to salvage the Mayweather fight from being saved.

The Donaire vs. Vasquez fight will be in the undercard of the Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Vanes Martirosyan main event at the Alamodome. According to ESPN's DanRafael, Donaire is leaving the bantamweight division to face Vazquez for the vacant featherweight title. Vasquez is the son of of former world champion Wilfredo Vázquez. Vázquez debuted as a professional in 2006, against Octavious Davis in a fight that he won by knockout

The Puerto Rican slugger made a name for himself after he defeated Marvin Sonsona of the Philippines to win the WBO super bantamweight title in February last year. Later in May, Vazquez lost to Mexico's Jorge Arce via knockout in the 12th round. Arce has since vacated the title and moved down to bantamweight. The weekend boxing event is being staged by Top Rank Promotions with TV coverage by HBO Sports.

The Pacman hopes to retire from boxing soon
MANILA, Philippines – There’s more to boxing than proper training, perseverance and hard work.

According to champion pugilist Manny Pacquiao, before everything else, one must first realize the dangers inherent to the sport and that they have to be ready for anything.

“Kung akala nila biro-biro lang ang boxing, no. Napakahirap ng boxing, puwede kang mamatay diyan,” said he in an interview with GMA News.

Pacquiao’s concern is highlighted with boxer Karlo Maquinto having fallen into a coma after his fight with an unheralded opponent Saturday.

Maquinto is still recuperating at the Far Eastern University Memorial Hospital as of this writing, with attending physicians still wait for further development.

This is not the first time that a local boxer has been put in such a quandary.

In 2009, rising boxer Z Gorres had to undergo surgery to remove a blood clot that formed in his head after winning in a 10-round bout held in Las Vegas.

Gorres was placed in an induced coma with no assurance of complete revitalization. He was able to come home only after three months of rehabilitation.

According to Gerardo Legaspi, a neurosurgeon, cases of patients gaining full recovery of their faculties under such circumstances are very low.

“Kapag umabot sa punto na ang utak ay ipit na ipit na at napunta sa coma [ang pasyente] ku-konti sa 10 % ang nakaka-recover dito,” said he in a separate interview with “24 Oras.”

Meanwhile, the Game and Amusement Board (GAB) claims that their hands are tied on getting indemnity for boxers, admitting that insurance companies are hesitant to cover them.

And there’s the question of “budget.”

“Ang games and amusement board walang budget diyan sa mga insurance ng boxers,” Monju Guanzon, GAB Chairman revealed in an earlier GMA report.

All that said, not a few brave young men from all over the archipelago face such conditions year in and year out in the hopes of surpassing, or at least equaling, the Pacquiao’s success.

But that said, Pacquiao only has one advice for wannabe boxers: “Mag-isip-isip sila.”

He added, “Hindi pupuwede sa isang boksingerong lumaban ng walang ensayo, na hindi handa sa kung anuman ang mangyari.”

The boxer went on to admit that at this point he is now mulling retiring his boxing gloves, eager as he is to concentrate on his political plans.

The Manila Bulletin spoke both with Arum, who is in San Antonio, and with Pacquiao adviser Mike Koncz, in Los Angeles, on Thursday, and the two revealed that everything will be finalized in a few days.

Arum and Koncz will likewise be joined by Bradley’s manager Cameron Dunkin, who is already in Texas, and a formal announcement will be made soon.

Although Juan Manuel Marquez and Lamont Peterson are still unattached as they have yet to get a deal done for a fight being planned in the middle of this year, Bradley is the clear favorite to land the lucrative Pacquiao payday.

Like Pacquiao, Bradley is also under contract with the Arum-owned Top Rank outfit and his signing last year was meant to add his name to the list of fighters that will be lined up to face the Filipino hero.

“I would still look out for the best deal for Manny,” said Koncz after last-ditch efforts failed to salvage a Pacquiao-Mayweather matchup.

Arum said he is just awaiting the arrival of Koncz before he hooks up with Dunkin to finalize the deal for the Pacquiao-Bradley showdown that will likely happen at the MGM Grand.

While Bradley hasn’t reached the level of popularity that Pacquiao’s recent past opponents have, the 28-year-old California native is someone not to be messed with.

Unbeaten in 28 fights with 12 knockouts, Bradley is coming off an eighth-round stoppage of Cuban Joel Casamayor.

Arum said that Bradley, unlike Cotto, is willing to meet Pacquiao at 147 lbs, making the bout a defense of Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization welterweight crown.

Meanwhile, Mayweather will step up from the welterweight ranks and fight for Cotto’s World Boxing Association super welterweight crown in Las Vegas before he begins a 90-day jail sentence on June 1 after a domestic violence conviction.

Boxing fans have long sought a match-up between Mayweather and Filipino icon Pacquiao. Mayweather even made a Twitter challenge for the Asian star to “Step Up, Punk”, but they could not work out a deal so Mayweather went to Cotto.

“Miguel Cotto is a world-class fighter who can never be taken for granted and continues to prove he is one of the best in boxing,” Mayweather said.

“It will be a challenge for me to compete with him at this weight, but this is the type of test I thrive on and gives me the motivation to train even harder. I have no doubt in my mind that my title belt collection will increase once again and Cotto’s reign as champion will come to an end on May 5.”

Mayweather, who has won titles in seven weight classes, won his only other fight at super welterweight in 2007 with a split decision over Oscar de la Hoya for the World Boxing Council title.

Cotto defended his crown last December by stopping Antonio Margarito in the 10th round.

“I am here to fight the biggest names in boxing,” Cotto said. “I’ve never ducked anyone or any challenge in front of me. I have accepted everything to give the fans what they like – great and exciting fights.

“Stay tuned, because I will convincingly beat Floyd Mayweather.”