despite predictions that mayweather–pacquiao would be the highest-grossing fight in history as early as 2009, disagreements between the two professional boxers' camps on terms for the fight prevented the bout from coming to fruition until 2015. the failure to arrange the mayweather–pacquiao fight was named the 2010 "event of the year" by "the ring". serious negotiations were kickstarted in 2014 by an unlikely source: a hollywood waiter and part-time actor, gabriel salvador, made a key introduction between pacquiao's trainer and confidant freddie roach and cbs president les moonves, who both worked to facilitate the match. by 2015, negotiations for the fight had been finalized, with all of the major issues that prevented the fight from happening in the past resolved, including purse split, drug testing and location.