Former featherweight champion Jose Aldo was in a big hurry to bail on his UFC commitments because the Brazilian had bigger fish to fry in the world of boxing, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted a whopper like this one.
Turns out “Junior” is currently in “advanced” negotiations to throw hands with undefeated boxing icon Floyd Mayweather Jr. at some point later this year in Abu Dhabi.
“Negotiations are really advanced,” longtime manager Andre Pederneiras told Sherdog.com. “We hope to have the contract signed before Aldo’s next fight with Jeremy Stephens on April 1. We don’t have a month decided yet but we already know that the fight will take place in Abu Dhabi.”
A potential Mayweather fight will table the previously-discussed showdown against Brazilian boxing icon Acelino “Popo” Freitas … for now.
“We have great respect for Popo, who is a great national idol, and for everything he represents for Brazilian boxing,” Pederneiras continued. “But as a manager I have to look out for the best interests of my athlete, and this fight with Mayweather is huge. Today we have something much bigger to negotiate, but who knows if in the future this matchup happens.”
Mayweather, 45, will continue his exhibition boxing tour against television reality star Aaron Chalmers on Feb. 25 in London. As for Aldo, 39, he made his “sweet science” debut opposite Emmanuel Zambrano earlier this month and will rematch fellow UFC export Jeremy Stephens for Gamebred Boxing in April.
A loss for either combatant could put an end to their “advanced” negotiations.