Floyd Mayweather destroyed Shane Mosley in May, but doesn't seem eager to fight Manny Pacquiao. It's a shame that the fight that could save boxing isn't a lock to happen.
As a lifelong boxing fan, it pains me to see where the sport currently sits in the sports landscape. It has fallen quicker from people’s minds than Rocky V fell out of Sylvester Stallone’s fans conscience. The lack of a great American heavyweight is what has killed this sport to the casual fan. People may have hated Mike Tyson ,or didn’t follow boxing, but they would gather with friends to watch Tyson’s fights. Who didn’t?! That’s why a superfight between Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao should be easier to make happen than getting a Kardashian sister into bed. However, the wait continues as Mayweather let a deadline of 11:59 p.m. Pacific on Friday pass without saying a word. When is Floyd ever quiet? His silence as the deadline passed spoke volumes to those anticipating the fight that could save boxing.
Bob Arum, the chairman of Top Rank imposed an exclusive negotiation period deadline for the superfight to happen. When the deadline passed, boxing sunk beneath NBA summer league action and season 2 of MTV’s Jersey Shore. Now we’re onto a Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto or Antonio Margarito fight for November 13. Either fight will draw yawns from the masses who will continue to ask why the two best pound for pound boxers in the sport can’t make a fight happen?
Floyd Mayweather marches to the beat of his own drum, but his image is taking a hit by dodging Manny Pacquiao.
Perhaps Floyd isn’t ready to fight with his trainer/uncle Roger Mayweather going on trial August 2nd for allegedly assaulting a female boxer he used to train. The shit that happens in boxing cannot be scripted if you tried. It’s unbelievable. Perhaps Floyd wants and needs to have his camp fully prepared for what would be the biggest fight of his career. That would be a fair reason if he just came out and said that. For him to come out Sunday and say he isn’t thinking of boxing right now insinuates that he is scared to fight Manny. If he is running scared like a pussy, then maybe this fight won’t be worth the hype. Who really wants to see Floyd run around for 12 rounds like Mitch “Blood” Green did against Tyson?
As my good friend The Blade pointed out to me Saturday, Floyd somehow still has money issues. How that is is anyone’s guess, but that’s beside the point. The Blade told me that Floyd would benefit from fighting anyone other than Manny, make a good amount of money ($15 mil per fight let’s say), and save the big money Pac-Man fight for his career finale. I guess that makes sense if you can somehow get over the fact he’s basically back at square one money wise. To put that in Tyson speak……”Man, I’m not at square one, I’m at sub-zero.” The longer we wait, it becomes more like the Tyson-Holyfield saga. That fight was originally supposed to happen in the fall of ’91 before Tyson’s journey to Indianapolis and his ordeal with Desiree Washington which landed him in jail for 3 years. The big Tyson-Holyfield fight didn’t happen until ’96. This situation is completely different, but the longer the wait, the greater the possibility of never seeing it come to fruition.
You would think a fight that would earn both boxers $60 million dollars would be a virtual certainty to happen. Not with Floyd’s ego in the way.He does what he wants to, when he wants to do it. It didn’t matter that Top Rank president, Todd duBoef, had a countdown clock on their website that some probably thought would make Floyd budge. Top Rank should have known that it’s Floyd’s world. I like Mayweather as a boxer. I like that he knows he’s great at what he does, but whether it’s the money issues or his uncle Roger’s trial, he needs to address why he’s putting this fight off. It’s also quite possible that Floyd doesn’t think he’s the same fighter he was 4-5 years ago and doesn’t want to lose his undefeated record. The longer this drags on without a resolution or fight date, the more fans will think the same of “Pretty Boy.”
The first time this fight was negotiated, it was the drug testing issue. Now, it’s turning into a Floyd is scared and knows he can’t beat Manny issue. This is killing his image at a time when he should be praised as having a perfect 41-0 record. I’ve suspected that Floyd thinks that Manny is taking PED’s and that’s why he wants the Olympic style testing. It’s definitely possible, but if Manny has agreed to the testing maybe he is clean. I have my doubts, but that’s how I look at the most questionable athletes these days. As a guy who grew up loving boxing, it kills me to see the shape the sport is in right now. What pisses me off more is that the two guys who can save the sport are actually pushing the remaining boxing fans away. Floyd says he isn’t thinking about boxing right now, which may be all we need to know about why this fight isn’t happening. Maybe in May 2011 the sport can be saved. Until then, the wait continues as Floyd’s image takes a Glass Joe like beating.
