HispanicBusiness

The question came up, as it inevitably does after all of Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s fights. "When will you fight Manny Pacquiao?"

And, as he does after each fight, Mayweather addressed the question without really answering it.

An hour or so after Mayweather ended his welterweight title fight with Victor Ortiz in bizarre fashion, knocking out the WBC champion at the end of the fourth round while Ortiz was trying to apologize for an intentional head butt, Mayweather didn't duck the Pacquiao question. But his answer left little reason to hope that the megafight the world wants to see, which could be worth up to $100 million for both fighters, was anywhere on the horizon.

Mayweather is facing a defamation lawsuit brought by Pacquiao and filed against the Mayweather team for saying Pacquiao was taking performance-enhancing substances.

Asked what was next, Mayweather said he would sit down with his team and discuss his future. Mayweather said he was not retiring soon but he wanted to train young fighters more.

Then came the Pacquiao question.

"I just want an even playing field, that's all," said Mayweather, who was guaranteed $25 million for Saturday's fight. "If you don't have nothing to hide, just take the (blood) test."

Pacquiao, who fights for Bob Arum's Top Rank Promotions, has said he is willing to take the Olympic-style drug tests Mayweather had demanded.

"When I was with Bob Arum, he said, 'Floyd Mayweather is the best fighter I ever had.' But then when I left his company and became my own boss, they say he's ducking this guy and ducking that guy," Mayweather said.

"Like I said before, I'm never going to get a fair shake. Whoever you put in front of me, they can't beat me."

Ortiz, 24, became victim No. 42 by making a rookie mistake. After intentionally head-butting Mayweather following a flurry of punches against Mayweather near the end of the fourth round, Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KOs) tried to apologize, hugging and kissing Mayweather.

As Ortiz turned to referee Joe Cortez, who had told the fighters to resume fighting, Mayweather slammed him with a left hook, then a straight right hand. Ortiz went down in a heap.

Unable to answer the 10 count, Ortiz lost in his first title defense.

"The ref said something, so I looked up and I thought he called a break," Ortiz said. "I'm pretty sure he did. Then, boom! I guess it was time for bed.

"I made some mistakes tonight and I apologize to the public, but I definitely want a rematch."

Said Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs): "I was always told to protect myself at all times. I got hit with a head butt. I got hit with elbows. I didn't cry and complain.

"We touched gloves, and once we touch gloves, it's fight time."

Mayweather said he would give Ortiz a rematch if he wanted one.

And Pacquiao? Only Mayweather knows. And he's not saying.