As a 20 year old boxing writer/publicist I have seen a fight or two in my day, but nothing compared to my boxing elders, and if this week is any indication it looks like it may stay that way.
Upon discussing the sweet science with my older peers it becomes apparent that yesteryear was indeed the golden age of boxing, a time where two of the sport’s finest athletes would, you know, fight each other. Ali-Frazier, Leonard-Hagler, even Tyson-Holyfield. Those guys fought for the money, but the money was there because they were the fights that had to be made. Sounds to me as if this were a time when fights were fought in the ring and not the courtroom.
Boxing is one of the only sports in the world where only two men are often the center of a media blitz for months at a time. When two men are heavily compared to one another it can become easy to develop a distain for each other, but the good news is that when somebody pisses you off in this sport you get to hit them in the face. When Muhammad Ali verbally assaulted Joe Frazier, tagging him the “gorilla” did Frazier release a statement announcing his plans to sue Ali for hurting his feelings? No, he responded by taking to the ring and handing arguably the greatest fighter of all time his first defeat.
In 1997 I watched a man named Evander Holyfield , with a portion of his ear missing walk forward with nothing on his mind but knocking out the same opponent who had bitten that chunk out of his ear seconds earlier. Holyfield’s instinct that night is nothing short of amazing, so I will hold no fighter’s heart to that standard, however opting to take a fighter to court rather than accepting a far larger sum than you could ever attain in a settlement to take a shot at kicking that fighter’s ass in the ring is nothing short of shameful.
Manny Pacquiao, did Floyd Mayweather make you mad? Guess what I think you should do, fight him, show people you are who we thought you were, and finally shut the man up who has been a thorn in your side for some time now, and get paid an un-imaginable sum to do so. I would think that if you were a fighter that would be the most lucrative and satisfying route to take. Are you a fighter? Or a movie star? Perhaps a singer, or maybe a congressman, I frankly don’t know anymore. I do know you have amazed me time and time again, and you have the power to rejuvenate the sport we love.
Floyd, time and time again you tell us you are the best, and time and time again you give us
reason to believe so, now please put the question to rest. Is Manny Pacquiao on steroids? I don’t know. Would it be the biggest risk of your career to step in with Pacquiao regardless of circumstance? Yes. Do I think you have the ability to beat Pacquaio with or without performance enhancers? Absolutely.
I am making a plea to the Mayweather camp, the Pacquiao camp and boxing in general, do everything in your power to make this fight happen, even if that means the dreaded finger prick. I am not going to act like a boxing hot shot and throw you a million reasons why one side is right and one is wrong, but I will tell you that I am a white male under 30 that loves boxing, and I am of a dying breed. This fight is bigger than Pacquiao or Mayweather, and bigger than anything that Dana White could muster up for UFC 1-0-whatever number they’re on. If the magnitude of this event isn’t capitalized on I will not know what to think.
I will be here until the end, Fists pumping when a warrior like Diego Corrales can turn the tables on a tenth round rally that can only be described as divine intervention. When two kids from Washington D.C. that earned their mere survival by picking pockets, and sleeping in cars can grow into world title challengers. I’ll be here when a fighter in his mid 40’s stares down the press that doubted his ability recapture the greatness that once dripped from his pores. I’ll be here, and I’ll be moved by the stories that won’t air on NBC, ABC or ESPN for that matter. I will be here, but unless Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather meet at some point in 2010 the casual fan may never be.
Do it to save boxing, do it to shut the other guy up, do it for the money. Do it because there is no decent reason in the world not too.
photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank
Team Mayweather has shown their true color, bad intentions and the mother of all double standards. First, they admitted will not require this test to other opponents. Second, this very same group of hypocrites rejected the USADA idea before, now they are serenading this agency to conduct tests to Pacman. Why sing a different tune now?
Pacman willing to do USADA but not as badweather dictates. He’s not the commission. He charged pacman of using PED based on their mere ignorant suspicions.
Pacquiao has been certified, based on facts, by the State commission as drug free and clean for all his last fights in Nevada. Just like the rest of the champions. What else do you want?
Floyd made himself questionable and tainted by insisting on this redundant drug testing (outside commission). This also made himself doubting the integrity of his tests by the professional boxing commission (State Commission), and because of this self admittance, and in fairness to himself and his unfounded allegations, he should start to publicly renounce his belts he doesn’t rightfully deserve. This also applies to Delahoya and all the boxing champions and greats who are doubtful of the impartiality and competency of the professional boxing governing body which tested, certified them fit and clean to fight. All of them are recipients of this state commission. So why not just fight and be a man as Pacman dared him. And stop this trial by publicity. The message is clear, Mayweather simply doesn’t want to fight Manny.