Following an apology from Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya towards Top Rank's Bob Arum earlier this week, many were quick to herald a potential new age in the sport where the best possible fights get made and the two biggest promoters work together.
Some are even postulating that the newfound promotional peace could pave the way for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather to finally lock horns sometime next year.
While Oscar De La Hoya apologizing to Arum and Manny Pacquiao as part of his ongoing therapy for substance abuse is an important first step however, there is still a long way to go before the two promotional giants are actually working together again.
Tweeting from a rehabilitation center earlier this week Oscar said:
"Dear Bob Arum first I would like to humbly apologize for any pain I have caused to you and or you're family. I also want to apologize to Manny Paquiao for any wrong doing in my part.you are a great champion. I have realized that by accepting my mistakes everyone around me will hopefully forgive me."
Although politely accepted however the apology wasn't returned by Bob Arum, who it has to be said has been far from blameless in terms of the back and forth sniping between the pair.
Also the fact remains that promoters aim to keep their biggest stars winning, and the bigger the promoter the better they are able to make this happen.
Top Rank and Golden Boy are the two biggest, and maintaining their stars rather than risking losses and reduced income in cross promotional ventures is still going to be the modus operandi of both outfits.
That isn't to say that fights couldn't be made if it benefited both equally, or at least if both were willing to take the same degree of risk.
Cooperating on Juan Manuel Marquez's transition from Golden Boy to Top Rank for his upcoming bout with Manny Pacquiao for example is certainly a good sign. What it isn't is a co-promoted event with fighters from both rosters competing against each other.
Besides anything else in the case of their two biggest current stars, the problems in making Pacquiao vs. Mayweather happen in the past were never rooted in differences between the promoters.
While Arum and Oscar have regularly criticized insulted and insinuated in the wake of the failed negotiations, at the time both appeared to want the fight to happen.
Initially random drug testing insisted upon by Mayweather was rejected by Pacquiao due to his belief that it would weaken him if done close to the fight.
The second set of negotiations were slightly more confusing with both sides claiming that they had agreed to all terms before the other pulled out.
Regardless of which side you believe on the matter though the fact is that both promoters at the time seemed ready and willing to work together.
Since then both camps have commented on the fight sporadically, but by and large it seems that no serious attempts have been made by either side to reach out and try to make anything happen.
The real test of whether any progress will be made towards the two biggest stars in the sport facing off may come sooner than next year however, with plenty of intriguing bouts between Top Rank and Golden Boy stars possible before then.
Until those fights start to get made though, most will remain skeptical of both the current peace between the two promotional outfits and the prospect of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao ever happening.
Bill Campian, Pitt: "The peace won't last, and if Donaire goes to court like he says he will they will soon be at each others throats again"
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