Paul Magno’s Daily Grind: Tuesday, July 21st

…Grind, Grind and more Grind…

* The he said-he said of whether actual negotiations took place between Pacquiao and Mayweather took another strange turn today as HBO’s Ross Greenburg, in an email statement sent to the Los Angeles Times, HBO Sports president, Ross Greenburg, confirmed that he did act as a mediator in negotiations with representatives from both sides.

“Fights like Mayweather vs. Pacquiao are significant because of these fighters’ ability to connect with sports fans around the world.

“It’s unfortunate that it won’t happen in 2010.

“I had been negotiating with a representative from each side since May 2, carefully trying to put the fight together. Hopefully, someday this fight will happen. Sports fans deserve it.”

Still not mentioned, though, was the extent of any negotiations and if terms were even remotely close to being reached.

IMO, sending a prepared email statement is a pretty gutless move. Maybe he’s gambling on Mayweather not fighting again and he’s counting the Pacquiao-Margarito in his hand rather than the Mayweather fight in the bush, but something this huge begs for the kind of follow up questions that Greenburg was obviously not willing to answer.

* A landmark was set today as Boxingscene actually printed a negative article directed at Manny Pacquiao. The Pacland forum is reeling from the surprise move.

* From Grand Rapids Press reporter, David Mayo, who is very close to the whole Mayweather-Pacquiao fiasco from Facebook: “I like Arum personally and consider him a genius. He’s also shrewd and all about business, and if anyone believes he really wanted Mayweather-Pacquiao, or Pacquiao-Cotto II, when what he really wanted was to force Nevada’s hand on Margarito’s license, then Good Old Bob’s objective was achieved and you’re a sucker.”

* Despite having lost his grandmother recently, middleweight prospect, Daniel Jacobs, will go ahead with this Saturday’s WBO middleweight title fight against Dmitry Pirog.

“I know she wants me to pursue my dream,” Jacobs told the Associated Press. “She would want me to do what I have to do to win, so I’m really focused.”

Our sympathies go out to the Jacobs family for their loss.

…More Grind tomorrow…