source: Tim Dahlberg | The Associated Press

Las Vegas - Manny Pacquiao proved he can be a box office hit. Now it's up to Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. to see what they can do together.

Pacquiao's big win over Miguel Cotto on Saturday was the year's biggest boxing show, selling 1.25 million pay-per-view buys to best the 1.05 million sold by Mayweather for his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez in September. The television gross was $70 million, meaning both fighters will pocket millions of dollars more than their guaranteed purses.

The strong numbers not only point to a resurgence in interest in boxing, but add to the momentum for a possible fight next year between Pacquiao and Mayweather that could be the richest ever in the sport.

"They have to deliver," HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg told The Associated Press. "The American public wants that fight."

Promoters for both fighters have already said they plan to begin negotiations soon for the bout, which would likely take place in early May. Las Vegas casinos have the inside track on landing the megafight, though there has also been talk of holding it at the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium, or even at Yankee Stadium.

One thing is certain: There is too much money at stake for either fighter to not make the fight happen.

"The two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world in the same weight class in the prime of their careers," Greenburg said. "It just doesn't get any better than that."

Promoter Bob Arum agreed.

"The way I look at it now, boxing is really on a roll," Arum said. "We would be idiots now to slow the momentum and the only way we can keep the momentum is to make this fight."

Arum, who represents Pacquiao, is expected to begin talks as early as next week with Richard Schaefer, who heads Golden Boy Promotions and will represent Mayweather in the negotiations. Though each fighter believes he should get a bigger percentage of the purse, the total revenues will be so high -- that a 50-50 split might not be that difficult to achieve.

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