ALLAN THE MAN

The so-called “Dubai group,” which has expressed its intention to host the eagerly anticipated bout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., has jacked up its offer to convince the American to fight the Filipino superstar in Abu Dhabi.

M. Akbar Muhammad, one of the principals of the group of investors backing the Abu Dhabi fight, said they are willing to increase the $110 million they initially offered to Mayweather.

“The media has been speculating the offer has gone up $10 million to a guaranteed $120 million, and they're right,” he claimed in Boxing Scene.

Muhammad noted that Mayweather has already said he wants to fight Pacquiao, so all they need to do is to lure the fighters to United Arab Emirates with the right amount of money.

“Mr. Mayweather has said he'll fight Pacquiao in the spring, so the only matter that needs to be resolved is the money,” he said. “I defy any other offer to come anywhere close to what Mr. Mayweather and the 'Money Team' will net by fighting in Abu Dhabi.”

Muhammad boasted that Mayweather won’t find any such offer anywhere else.

“The $120 million is the largest payday for an individual for a single event in the history of sports. This dwarfs by far any amount an individual in the richest sports -- baseball, football, basketball, soccer, cricket, tennis golf and Formula 1 racing -- has ever received,” he said.

But the investor said the decision will have to be made soon given nature of the bout.

“It takes months to put on an event of this magnitude. It's not just the card, it's the concerts and tributes that comprise this week-long event,” said Muhammad.

“We are committed to creating a celebration, the scope and magnitude of which has never been seen. We want the biggest fight ever in Abu Dhabi.”

Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum, however, has already expressed doubts regarding the background of the “Dubai group.”

“We have no objection to fighting in Abu Dhabi," Arum said. "[But] do I know whether it is real, if it’s real money, of course not. I'm not paying any attention to it.”

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