The social media has become the battle ground for those who would like to see a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather fight this year.

Last week, Floyd Mayweather posted drawings of himself on Twitter and Instagram delivering hard punches to Filipino icon Pacquiao and Marcos Maidana.

Mayweather, 36, also poked fun at Pacquiao, who lost to Tim Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez before bouncing back to beat Brandon Rios last month and renew talk about a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.

"Juan Marquez ate Timothy Bradley's leftovers. Now you're telling me I got to eat Juan Marquez's leftovers? Let me talk to the IRS about this..." Mayweather posted on Twitter, adding a zinger about Philippines tax issues that nagged Pacquiao.

Reports from the wires yesterday said that Stephen Espinoza, Showtime Sports' executive vice president, said that for Mayweather-Pacquiao to happen, the Filipino boxing icon needs to ditch Bob Arum and his Top Rank Promotions.

“I know Floyd is not the issue. Floyd wants the fight. Floyd will fight Manny Pacquiao anywhere, any time,” Espinoza told the Telegraph.

“Unfortunately, there is a promotional conflict which is the issue. I'd like to say I'm optimistic but there is a lot of politics involved, a lot of history to resolve,” he said.

Arum had been promoting Mayweather until the sensational fighter decided to promote himself and left Top Rank Promotions.

Reports said Mayweather advises Pacquiao to also ditch Top Rank and was quoted saying that he will never allow Arum to earn off his name.

“Unfortunately, until Manny Pacquiao changes his promotional representation, I'm not optimistic that it can happen,” Espinoza said in his interview with the Telegraph.

Meanwhile, Arum reportedly said there's no bad blood between him and Mayweather and he is ready to start any discussion for a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.*

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