Less than 90 days stand between now and May 2nd, the tentative date to one of the most highly anticipated fights in boxing. Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao arguably the two biggest names in boxing over the last decade, a fight five plus years in the making may finally see the light of day. That is of course if the plethora of people involved all come to an agreement.
But this carousel of insiders telling the media er…some dude with a camera, yes the fight is close to being finalized or some juicy pic with a caption that the sides are still way apart…this is nothing new, nor is the hysteria with boxing fans clamoring to assume they know it won’t or will happen. Never has the hype been any higher than it is now.
Mayweather has played this game before but not with the entire world hanging on every move, he draws the audience in like a magician. Revealing a little at a time. A interview here, a surprising encounter in Miami there and this magic show is Mayweather finest performance yet.
From all accounts Pacquiao and his team have stated that he’s agreed to every term set by Mayweather, other than shutting Bob Arum out; Mayweather is getting his way. Yet here we are as Boxing fans. Hoping, taking any statement made by some insider as fact.
The truth is, I am tired of the act. I am tired of Mayweather and Pacquiao and I am tired of the BS reports claiming to have 86.5% of he contact and fight being done. If the fight happens, great. It is about time. These are arguably the two biggest names in boxing, that just happen to be in or around the same age, weight and yet, here they are, mid 30’s, on the cusp if not already past their primes, still on the fence about facing one another for who knows what reasons.
Is Mayweather demanding some ridiculous terms, is Pacquiao still afraid of needles, will Mayweather allow Arum to be a part of the fight, will Manny’s mom put a hex on Floyd?
THE BOXING WORLD MUST KNOW! Where is Showtime 360 and HBO 24/7 when you need them?
A few years ago, I likened Mayweather vs Pacquiao to the Super Bowl. This fight was the closest thing to being a SB like feel and atmosphere as boxing fans could get and I really believed that at the time, now 5 plus year later, I am not sure that is still the case. Yes, the fight is still the biggest boxing can put on currently but as big as it could have been a few years back? I think it has lost the luster. However, if and when it happens, it will do phenomenal. Unless of course it fails to ever happen and all boxing fans are left with is their discussion forums, youtube videos interviews with the fighters as to why it never happened.
Regardless of the outcome, boxing will go on, sure it would be nice to see them fight one another but at this stage of their careers, I am looking forward to the end of their careers.
Boxing is good at hurting themselves, promoters are good at pointing the finger and managers are good at getting their fighters the biggest bang for their buck and for their fighters bank account.
And boxing fans? Well, we will still be here, bitching about how so and so should fight boxer X and if it wasn’t for Haymon blah blah blah. We will still pay to watch these bigger named fighters fight some dude you never heard of. We will still shell out $74.95 for a terrible PPV card and we will still be around when Mayweather and Pacquiao are gone.