I love boxing. I love watching boxing. And yet again, the sport shoots itself in the foot by not giving the fans what they want.
According to ESPN.com, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum announced that, “The fight’s off.” The fight in question is the potential super-duper-mega-huge match between the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Both fresh off of impressive victories in 2009 and both saying they want this fight to happen. The deal that was on the table would, most likely, not only shatter pay-per-view records and generate a possible $200 million in revenue, but net each fighter in the neighborhood of $40 million each. Each! And you can’t iron out details for $40M?
Mayweather doesn’t want to fight him. Pure and simple. Pacquiao is the only fighter who can beat him. And not only beat him, but destroy him. And he knows it. I said it on the air when he beat up Juan Manuel Marquez for 12 rounds in September. I said it to anyone who would listen when he retired. So I am convinced that his un-retirement, these negotiations, and the PED allegations are all a set up by Mayweather try and save face. And even if he relents and actually steps in the ring in the future, he’s set up the perfect excuse. That Pacquiao must have cheated to beat him.
So now its time for lawsuits and jabs in the press from both sides, which is typical. Though I have a question for Oscar de la Hoya, who posted a blog on The Ring magazine, casting doubt on Pacquiao’s PED cleanliness – have you ever had Olympic-style, blood testing before any of your fights? If not, how do we know you were clean? See how easy it is to launch allegations?
Hopefully, this gets worked out and boxing fans get the fight we want. And the fight boxing needs. – “The Sweet Nasty” Chris Cause
Chris Cause is the co-host for the “Wheelhouse Radio” program that airs every Sunday – Thursday @ 8pm ET/5pm PT at www.blogtalkradio.com/thewheelhouse and at www.errorfm.com @ 2am ET/11pm PT
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Check out the book The Fearless Harry Greb: Biography of a Tragic Hero of Boxing by clicking here.
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