No.
Showing posts with label Floyd Mayweather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Floyd Mayweather. Show all posts
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Two Weeks - Two Fights - Two Stories
During the pre-fight circus of the Floyd Mayweather/ Manny Pacquiao match there was a moment, sometime after Jamie Fox’s free-style version of the American anthem and before Michael Buffer’s raspy/two-pack-a-day “Lets Get Read To Rumble” where Mayweather looked up to the sky. I don’t profess to know exactly what he was thinking, but he had the look of a man that had just pulled off the longest con in the world. He also looked like a man who, in 36 minutes, would get a check for $200 million.
The last two weeks of boxing have been pretty entertaining, if for entirely different reasons. The mega-fight was all about the build-up. It was about the spectacle around the sport. Two adversaries finally meeting in the ring. Two fighters, who at one point, had been either the best or most exciting in the sport would finally meet head-to-head. Of course it was going to be over hyped.
There was only one chance for the fight to live up to the madness. And that was for Pacquiao to dial the clock back to the days when he was a relentless, overwhelming, barrage of combinations and knock-outs. In the fourth round there was a moment when I knew it wasn't going to happen.
Pacquiao landed a clean left, backing Mayweather up on the ropes. Manny unleashed a small flurry of punches, some landing, most blocked. Then....he stepped back. Was it the smart move? Was Floyd playing possum hoping to catch Pac-Man with a counter shot? Maybe. But, the Manny Pacquiao of old would never have worried about that. He would have kept throwing until something landed, consequences be damned.
Whether it was the shoulder or, the fact that some of that fearlessness was forever destroyed by Juan Manual Marquez’s December 2012 counterpunch, it was not to be. Manny landed a few punches, stirred up the crowd a handful of times, but seemed content to chase Mayweather around the ring.
So it was with much amusement to listen to the casual sports fan bitch and moan about Money Mayweather and his “dancing” and “hugging” his way to an ugly victory. Or the “I can’t believe I paid $100 for that” tweets and comments. What else did you honestly think was going to happen? Did you really think that Floyd would engage and stand toe-to-toe with Manny in the middle of the ring? Hell no.
There was a time when Floyd used his skills for offense. If a fighter was there to be hit, he hit him. Try and tell Ricky Hatton that all Mayweather did was run around the ring, I think you’ll get a different story. As he’s aged though, Pretty Boy realized he could win fights without having to get into wars. He could throw enough punches to win a round and then use his skill to evade any real damage.
I sent a text to someone during the fight saying something along the lines of “Floyd is a better boxer in slow motion”. In real time, some of his counter right hands didn’t look like they were doing much damage, but when HBO-time slowed down the highlights between the rounds you could see they were landing flush. While he may not have the show stopping power of Gennedy Golovkin, he still hits hard enough to make these “active” fighters think twice about barging in with abandon.
Floyd’s greatest skill of all, is making the boxing fan care. He’s fought the same fight enough time that we should know better, but we still watch. He doesn’t care if we watch to see him win or to see him get knocked out. As long we fork over the money and he gets a check cut he doesn’t care.
On the other hand, James Kirkland’s greatest skill is not caring about getting punched in the face. If there was ever a polar opposite to Mayweather’s slickness in the ring, it’s Kirkland’s fierce determination to walk forward and throw a lot of punches. Thirty-two times that strategy has worked. Unfortunately on Saturday night, it was a recipe for disaster against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
For a little while it looked like it might work. And by little while I mean a minute or so. Kirkland, The Mandingo Warrior” waded through a couple of big shots from Alvarez and crowded the big Mexican with some power shots of his own. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to maintain that space and midway through the first round Alvarez landed a straight right that glazed Kirkland’s eyes and sent him stumbling to the canvas.
Kirkland was able to clear his head and got back up in plenty of time to beat the count. He tried to keep pace with the red-haired Mexican’s flurry of power shots. The Texan survived the second round on his feet, but chances of an upset were fading as it became apparent that even the biggest shots weren‘t hurting Alvarez. Landing just about every punch he threw, Canelo kept up a steady mix of hooks to the body and straight power shots to the head. Still Kirkland came forward trying to smother the shots while landing an occasional blow himself.
Two and a half minutes into the third it was over. Alvarez scored his first knock down with a huge right uppercut that landed flush on Kirkland’s jaw and dropped him. Once again the warrior pulled himself up, but the end was near. He soon found himself against the ropes with his hands down. As Canelo pawed at his chest with a straight left, Kirkland started a left hook from his hip, but Alvarez’s right was quicker. He hit Kirkland so flush it looked like his jaw was separated from his head. Kirkland was out on his feet, that left hook he started still tracing it’s lazy arc through the air as his body crashed to the floor.
The ref stopped the fight before Kirkland started to move. Not that it would have mattered. The Mandingo Warrior said something about being disappointed that the ref had ended the fight, but he should be sending him a thank-you gift. Even if he had somehow beat the 10 -count (it was at least 30 seconds before we knew he wasn‘t dead), it wasn’t like he was going to change his strategy enough to keep from being knocked down again. Jon Schorle probably saved Kirkland a few years of dementia by stopping the fight when he did.
There has been a lot of electronic ink spilled about Kirkland dropping his long-time trainer Ann Wollfe. After this is the second time he’s fought without her and both times have ended with him getting knocked down several times. While he is obviously a better fighter with her in the corner, he should also invest in someone who teaches him how to block a punch from time to time.
If the Mayweather fight was the “Sweet Science” than the Canelo fight was the “of bruising” portion of Pierce Egan’s quote on boxing. The brutal knockout kept him online for a match-up against Miguel Cotto and then a potential mega fight against Golovkin.
It was a nice refreshing palate cleanser to all of the negativity generated by Mayweather/Pacquiao and proof that boxing, despite reports of it’s imminent demise, isn’t quite dead yet. Yes, the debacle two weeks ago didn’t do anything to win new fans, but boxing has been through this before.
There is always going to be another great fighter waiting in the ring. Alvarez is proving that he’s not just a product of the Mexican hype-machine, but actually a bruising boxer who really will fight anyone at anytime. Golovkin (who fights May 16th) is probably the most exciting fighter to watch and maybe, someday someone of skill will want to step into the ring with him.
Will either one of them have the cross-over appeal that Pacquiao and Mayweather had? Will they break PPV records? Probably not. But they are worth watching, and somewhere in a gym somewhere around the world the next Mayweather is lacing up the gloves.
The last two weeks of boxing have been pretty entertaining, if for entirely different reasons. The mega-fight was all about the build-up. It was about the spectacle around the sport. Two adversaries finally meeting in the ring. Two fighters, who at one point, had been either the best or most exciting in the sport would finally meet head-to-head. Of course it was going to be over hyped.
There was only one chance for the fight to live up to the madness. And that was for Pacquiao to dial the clock back to the days when he was a relentless, overwhelming, barrage of combinations and knock-outs. In the fourth round there was a moment when I knew it wasn't going to happen.
Pacquiao landed a clean left, backing Mayweather up on the ropes. Manny unleashed a small flurry of punches, some landing, most blocked. Then....he stepped back. Was it the smart move? Was Floyd playing possum hoping to catch Pac-Man with a counter shot? Maybe. But, the Manny Pacquiao of old would never have worried about that. He would have kept throwing until something landed, consequences be damned.
Whether it was the shoulder or, the fact that some of that fearlessness was forever destroyed by Juan Manual Marquez’s December 2012 counterpunch, it was not to be. Manny landed a few punches, stirred up the crowd a handful of times, but seemed content to chase Mayweather around the ring.
So it was with much amusement to listen to the casual sports fan bitch and moan about Money Mayweather and his “dancing” and “hugging” his way to an ugly victory. Or the “I can’t believe I paid $100 for that” tweets and comments. What else did you honestly think was going to happen? Did you really think that Floyd would engage and stand toe-to-toe with Manny in the middle of the ring? Hell no.
There was a time when Floyd used his skills for offense. If a fighter was there to be hit, he hit him. Try and tell Ricky Hatton that all Mayweather did was run around the ring, I think you’ll get a different story. As he’s aged though, Pretty Boy realized he could win fights without having to get into wars. He could throw enough punches to win a round and then use his skill to evade any real damage.
I sent a text to someone during the fight saying something along the lines of “Floyd is a better boxer in slow motion”. In real time, some of his counter right hands didn’t look like they were doing much damage, but when HBO-time slowed down the highlights between the rounds you could see they were landing flush. While he may not have the show stopping power of Gennedy Golovkin, he still hits hard enough to make these “active” fighters think twice about barging in with abandon.
Floyd’s greatest skill of all, is making the boxing fan care. He’s fought the same fight enough time that we should know better, but we still watch. He doesn’t care if we watch to see him win or to see him get knocked out. As long we fork over the money and he gets a check cut he doesn’t care.
On the other hand, James Kirkland’s greatest skill is not caring about getting punched in the face. If there was ever a polar opposite to Mayweather’s slickness in the ring, it’s Kirkland’s fierce determination to walk forward and throw a lot of punches. Thirty-two times that strategy has worked. Unfortunately on Saturday night, it was a recipe for disaster against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
For a little while it looked like it might work. And by little while I mean a minute or so. Kirkland, The Mandingo Warrior” waded through a couple of big shots from Alvarez and crowded the big Mexican with some power shots of his own. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to maintain that space and midway through the first round Alvarez landed a straight right that glazed Kirkland’s eyes and sent him stumbling to the canvas.
Kirkland was able to clear his head and got back up in plenty of time to beat the count. He tried to keep pace with the red-haired Mexican’s flurry of power shots. The Texan survived the second round on his feet, but chances of an upset were fading as it became apparent that even the biggest shots weren‘t hurting Alvarez. Landing just about every punch he threw, Canelo kept up a steady mix of hooks to the body and straight power shots to the head. Still Kirkland came forward trying to smother the shots while landing an occasional blow himself.
Two and a half minutes into the third it was over. Alvarez scored his first knock down with a huge right uppercut that landed flush on Kirkland’s jaw and dropped him. Once again the warrior pulled himself up, but the end was near. He soon found himself against the ropes with his hands down. As Canelo pawed at his chest with a straight left, Kirkland started a left hook from his hip, but Alvarez’s right was quicker. He hit Kirkland so flush it looked like his jaw was separated from his head. Kirkland was out on his feet, that left hook he started still tracing it’s lazy arc through the air as his body crashed to the floor.
The ref stopped the fight before Kirkland started to move. Not that it would have mattered. The Mandingo Warrior said something about being disappointed that the ref had ended the fight, but he should be sending him a thank-you gift. Even if he had somehow beat the 10 -count (it was at least 30 seconds before we knew he wasn‘t dead), it wasn’t like he was going to change his strategy enough to keep from being knocked down again. Jon Schorle probably saved Kirkland a few years of dementia by stopping the fight when he did.
There has been a lot of electronic ink spilled about Kirkland dropping his long-time trainer Ann Wollfe. After this is the second time he’s fought without her and both times have ended with him getting knocked down several times. While he is obviously a better fighter with her in the corner, he should also invest in someone who teaches him how to block a punch from time to time.
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| So, you want to be a boxer? Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images |
If the Mayweather fight was the “Sweet Science” than the Canelo fight was the “of bruising” portion of Pierce Egan’s quote on boxing. The brutal knockout kept him online for a match-up against Miguel Cotto and then a potential mega fight against Golovkin.
It was a nice refreshing palate cleanser to all of the negativity generated by Mayweather/Pacquiao and proof that boxing, despite reports of it’s imminent demise, isn’t quite dead yet. Yes, the debacle two weeks ago didn’t do anything to win new fans, but boxing has been through this before.
There is always going to be another great fighter waiting in the ring. Alvarez is proving that he’s not just a product of the Mexican hype-machine, but actually a bruising boxer who really will fight anyone at anytime. Golovkin (who fights May 16th) is probably the most exciting fighter to watch and maybe, someday someone of skill will want to step into the ring with him.
Will either one of them have the cross-over appeal that Pacquiao and Mayweather had? Will they break PPV records? Probably not. But they are worth watching, and somewhere in a gym somewhere around the world the next Mayweather is lacing up the gloves.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Don't Expect The Unexpected - Mayweather vs. Maidana
Floyd Mayweather is fighting on
Saturday. Did you know that? Did you know that the most recognizable
name in American boxing has a major pay-per-view fight? More
importantly, do you care? Is anyone other than his accountant
excited about this fight? At least the Canelo fight had an engaging
opponent in the young Mexican.
What does Marcos Maidana have going for
him? Well, he beat Adrian Broner aka Mayweather, Jr, Jr, So the
argument goes that he knows what to expect from Mayweather, he's seen
the “roll shoulder” defense and he knows how to beat it since
Broner pretty much employs the same style. To me that's like saying I
could strike Eddie Murray out because in high school I struck out
someone who copied Murray's batting stance. As far as I'm concerned
“Chino” has no shot, NO SHOT, to win.
Sure he's saying all of the right
things. He's going to attack, he's going to pressure, he's going to
hurt Mayweather if he hits him. Which is kind of funny to me.
Watching a couple of the “All Access” pre-fight shows I noticed
Roberto Garcia, Maidana's trainer, uses the word “if” a lot. You
would think the quote would be, “When I hit him I will hurt him”
not “If I hit him”.
Therein lies the Floyd problem. He is
a hard man to hit inside a boxing ring. Watching the Broner/Maidana
fight is like watching a minor league version of the upcoming fight.
All of the same actions are there, just at a slightly reduced speed.
Those winging left hooks and chopping right hands that Maidana kept
bouncing off of Broner's head? They're going to find nothing but air
when he throws them against Mayweather. Either that or in the time
it take “Chino” to wind up he'll eat two straight rights from the
champ.
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| The time it took you to read this caption is about how long it took Chino to throw the punch |
So how do you sell tickets to a fight
that everyone knows the outcome to? You make it about something
else. Hence the sudden retirement talk. If this is the last time
Floyd Mayweather steps into a ring, isn't worth plunking down the $65
to see it? This could be one last chance to see greatness, and make
no doubt about it “Money” is a once-in-a-lifetime great fighter,
one last chance to see an artist at work. Shouldn't that bring in a
couple of hundred more pay-per-views and buy Mayweather another
Rolex?
After Saturday he has three fights left
on his deal with Showtime/CBS. Even though he is an aging
37-year-old I don't see him throwing away another potential $100
million in purses to own the Clippers or promote other boxers.
Besides, with his history of “retirements” and extended time out
of the ring I wouldn't be shocked if Showtime/CBS had slipped a
clause in the contract requiring a buyout or return of future funds
should he not fulfill the six fight deal in a certain amount of time.
My guess, based on entirely nothing, is
that after he disposes of Maidana he fights Amir Khan next (providing
the flashy Brit doesn't find himself staring up from the canvas in
his own fight), then Peter Quillin and maybe, just for fun, a final
passing-of-the-torch match with his protegee Adrian Broner. I'm sure
if Quillen or Khan muck things up you could throw Sergio Martinez's
name in the hat as well.
The point being that Mayweather will
fight three times over the next 18 months, but it won't be against
anyone that can actually beat him. As much as he loves stacks of
money, Rolexes, Bentleys and big mansions, he loves that big fat “0”
in the loss column even more. That's what allows him to be who he
is, the entire “Money” Mayweather myth is built around his
invulnerability and the fact that no man has ever beaten him as a
professional boxer. If he loses then he's just another good fighter
who faded at the end of his career.
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| I don't think those are $1 bills |
I don't want to dismiss Marcos Maidana
as a fighter. He is a really good fighter who punches hard and has
beaten some decent fighters in Broner and Josesito Lopez, but he also
lost to the glass-jawed Khan and Devon Alexander – two fighters not
exactly in Mayweather's league. However as an 11-1 underdog it appears the betting public has already dismissed him in this fight. That being said boxing is a weird
sport. He might catch Floyd with a wild left hand. Or maybe he gets
inside and gets away with some rough, brawling tactics – a low blow
here, a forearm to the throat there – that gets Mayweather off of
his game. Maybe the unfairness of receiving $1.5 million to Floyd's
$32 million will motivate him to a level we don't think he's capable
of. I doubt it, but that's why they decide it in the ring.
Mayweather has said that he's going to
be aggressive in this fight and take it to Maidana. Mayweather says a
lot of things before a fight that don't end up happening. I don't
see him doing anything different than he has against Alvarez or
Robert Guerrero or Miguel Cotto. He will slip punches, counter, fire
off blistering combinations and then masterfully spin out of trouble
before Maidana realizes what happened. Twelve rounds later the referee will hold his arm in the air as the unanimous victor. He's done it for 18 years as a
professional and it's been successful all 45 times he's stepped into
the ring. But will there be anyone watching when it happens?
Friday, September 13, 2013
The Showdown on Showtime on Saturday in Sin City...Seriously
Big fight weekend. If there is anytime to be in Las Vegas it’s on a weekend when Floyd Mayweather is fighting. It’s when Vegas is at it’s Vegas-iest. Overpriced hotel rooms, mobs of people walking around the strip, bumper-to-bumper traffic, old men with 20-year-old bottled-blonds on their arms, and nary a $10 table to be seen. So are all of those people in town to see Mayweather win and keep his undefeated streak going? Or are they there to see Saul Alvarez defy the odds and give the old man the beating people have been hoping for since “Money” dispatched a broken down Oscar De La Hoya over a decade ago?
It’s nice to see a main stream, media-backed web outlet like Grantland give quite a bit of attention to the Mayweather/Alvarez tilt. A couple of articles and a mention on the B.S. Report pod cast is more coverage than boxing has seen from basic sports sites in a long, long time. One of the pieces, by Jay Caspian King, is a rather cynical piece delving into the hype that surrounds Alvarez - the young, undefeated Mexican boxer who has catapulted to international fame over the last year.
King posits that while Alvarez isn’t without some skill, he is more a product of Golden Boy Promotions never-ending search for the next De La Hoya than a serious fighter. Personally, I thought the article came off a little harsh on Alvarez, making him seem little more than a red-headed puppet who can’t dance.
While it’s true that Alvarez has few world class victories under his championship belt, he has won against everyone put in front of him. The last year has seen the 23-year-old record his two best victories as he beat Josesito Lopez into submission in September of 2012. Then in April of this year, Alvarez beat Austin Trout unanimously on the judges’ scorecards to earn his shot against Mayweather.
There is no question that the quiet Mexican is far from being a finished product. That’s part of the reason he is in this fight. If he was at the peak of his ability there is little chance that the aging Mayweather would have chosen to fight him. “Money” is a master of defense in the ring, but his true genius might lie in his ability to pick opponents that match up well against him. He knows that he has to fight someone that has the illusion of a chance against him, because no one is paying $70 to watch him whip Matthey Hatton’s ass.
Robert Guerrero was supposed to bring an elusive defense and enough hand speed to be able to counter Mayweather in the ring. Which worked for about 3 rounds. Still, going into the fight you could almost make an argument that “The Ghost” had a chance. That helps sells tickets.
In Alvarez I’m sure The Money Team saw a popular fighter with power and a rabid fan base that can convince themselves Canelo has a chance. Let’s face it, going back to the Rickey Hatton fight, most fans have rooted for Mayweather to lose, not necessarily for his opponent to win. Boxing fans like Miguel Cotto and Victor Ortiz, but they weren’t packing press conferences around the country three months before the fight to support them.
In King’s article he argues that Alvarez’s popularity is more of a myth created by Golden Boy and Televisia, the Mexican television network that has broadcast many of his fights. I think he’s a bit off and based way too much on the lackluster showing at the Mexico City press conference. I was at the Chicago Theatre with 3,000 other fans for their press tour. At least 80% of that crowd was pro-Alvarez. The same with the pre-fight weigh in on Friday night.
You can argue that some of that fame is based on his looks or the Mexican boxing fan’s unrelenting need for a hero. However, to say he isn’t popular, or that his popularity is a sham propped up by a media empire is just plain wrong.
That being said, I don’t think he has a shot against Mayweather. His hands are too slow and if by some chance he does land a few power shots against Mayweather early then there are going to be boos from the crowd later. Floyd is smart enough, and still fast enough, to go into defensive mode. Do enough to win a round with jabs and straight rights and then spend the rest of the three minutes dancing around in the ring. It isn’t fun to watch, but it it’s good enough to win and cash a paycheck.
For Alvarez this is the defining moment of his young career. If he floors Mayweather with a lucky punch he instantly becomes the new face of boxing and HBO offers him 3 gazillion dollars. The good news for him is that he doesn’t have to win the fight to gain popularity. As long as he is willing to go blow-for-blow with Mayweather, as long as he stands in there and takes the beating that is coming his way and battles back he will earn the respect from those that think he is a paper champion. This is the fight where he can prove that he embodies the “warrior spirit” that critics like to talk about when describing Mexican fighters.
There is little chance that the fight will live up the hype, it’s damn near impossible given the amount that has been generated over the past few months. In fact, there is a more than likely chance that the Danny Garcia/ Lucas Matthysse light welterweight match-up will be the best fight of the night.
I’m hoping that Alvarez has a game plan for getting Mayweather to box. I’ll be sprinting from work to a bar and forking over a $20 cover just to watch the fight and I really, really don’t like running. Hopefully I’ll get my money worth and we see an action packed 12 rounds of boxing (I have Mayweather winning by decision). If not, then I’ll just go on with life and wait for the Manny Pacquiao/ Brandon Rios fight in November. God knows there is no way that one isn’t a slugfest.
It’s nice to see a main stream, media-backed web outlet like Grantland give quite a bit of attention to the Mayweather/Alvarez tilt. A couple of articles and a mention on the B.S. Report pod cast is more coverage than boxing has seen from basic sports sites in a long, long time. One of the pieces, by Jay Caspian King, is a rather cynical piece delving into the hype that surrounds Alvarez - the young, undefeated Mexican boxer who has catapulted to international fame over the last year.
King posits that while Alvarez isn’t without some skill, he is more a product of Golden Boy Promotions never-ending search for the next De La Hoya than a serious fighter. Personally, I thought the article came off a little harsh on Alvarez, making him seem little more than a red-headed puppet who can’t dance.
While it’s true that Alvarez has few world class victories under his championship belt, he has won against everyone put in front of him. The last year has seen the 23-year-old record his two best victories as he beat Josesito Lopez into submission in September of 2012. Then in April of this year, Alvarez beat Austin Trout unanimously on the judges’ scorecards to earn his shot against Mayweather.
There is no question that the quiet Mexican is far from being a finished product. That’s part of the reason he is in this fight. If he was at the peak of his ability there is little chance that the aging Mayweather would have chosen to fight him. “Money” is a master of defense in the ring, but his true genius might lie in his ability to pick opponents that match up well against him. He knows that he has to fight someone that has the illusion of a chance against him, because no one is paying $70 to watch him whip Matthey Hatton’s ass.
Robert Guerrero was supposed to bring an elusive defense and enough hand speed to be able to counter Mayweather in the ring. Which worked for about 3 rounds. Still, going into the fight you could almost make an argument that “The Ghost” had a chance. That helps sells tickets.
In Alvarez I’m sure The Money Team saw a popular fighter with power and a rabid fan base that can convince themselves Canelo has a chance. Let’s face it, going back to the Rickey Hatton fight, most fans have rooted for Mayweather to lose, not necessarily for his opponent to win. Boxing fans like Miguel Cotto and Victor Ortiz, but they weren’t packing press conferences around the country three months before the fight to support them.
In King’s article he argues that Alvarez’s popularity is more of a myth created by Golden Boy and Televisia, the Mexican television network that has broadcast many of his fights. I think he’s a bit off and based way too much on the lackluster showing at the Mexico City press conference. I was at the Chicago Theatre with 3,000 other fans for their press tour. At least 80% of that crowd was pro-Alvarez. The same with the pre-fight weigh in on Friday night.
You can argue that some of that fame is based on his looks or the Mexican boxing fan’s unrelenting need for a hero. However, to say he isn’t popular, or that his popularity is a sham propped up by a media empire is just plain wrong.
That being said, I don’t think he has a shot against Mayweather. His hands are too slow and if by some chance he does land a few power shots against Mayweather early then there are going to be boos from the crowd later. Floyd is smart enough, and still fast enough, to go into defensive mode. Do enough to win a round with jabs and straight rights and then spend the rest of the three minutes dancing around in the ring. It isn’t fun to watch, but it it’s good enough to win and cash a paycheck.
For Alvarez this is the defining moment of his young career. If he floors Mayweather with a lucky punch he instantly becomes the new face of boxing and HBO offers him 3 gazillion dollars. The good news for him is that he doesn’t have to win the fight to gain popularity. As long as he is willing to go blow-for-blow with Mayweather, as long as he stands in there and takes the beating that is coming his way and battles back he will earn the respect from those that think he is a paper champion. This is the fight where he can prove that he embodies the “warrior spirit” that critics like to talk about when describing Mexican fighters.
There is little chance that the fight will live up the hype, it’s damn near impossible given the amount that has been generated over the past few months. In fact, there is a more than likely chance that the Danny Garcia/ Lucas Matthysse light welterweight match-up will be the best fight of the night.
I’m hoping that Alvarez has a game plan for getting Mayweather to box. I’ll be sprinting from work to a bar and forking over a $20 cover just to watch the fight and I really, really don’t like running. Hopefully I’ll get my money worth and we see an action packed 12 rounds of boxing (I have Mayweather winning by decision). If not, then I’ll just go on with life and wait for the Manny Pacquiao/ Brandon Rios fight in November. God knows there is no way that one isn’t a slugfest.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
The One.....Where I talk about boxing again.
A few weeks ago I managed to get out of work at a decent time so I decided to stand in line behind some Mexicans. What can I say, I like waiting in line. It’s definitely one trait that the Duchess and I don’t share. If she was with me, there is no way she would have waited in line for 30 minutes, Mexicans or no Mexicans. But I wasn’t there because I’m a big fan of waiting or because I’m a really big fan of pissing off office workers at rush hour (we were kind of blocking the sidewalk and they were forced to walk on the street). I was there because the biggest show in boxing was in Chicago.
In order to promote their upcoming pay-per-view Floyd Mayweather and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez embarked on a cross-country promotional tour stopping in 11 cities to get boxing fans excited about the biggest fight of the year. Since it was free it was right in my financial wheelhouse. However, since it was free it was in a LOT of people’s wheelhouse. When I arrived, about 45 minutes before the festivities were scheduled to kick off, the line went out the front door of the Chicago Theatre down State Street and wrapped around Lake street.
I would provide pictures, however my phone picked a horrible time to run out of juice. Which also meant I had no way to entertain myself while I was waiting, possibly in vain, to get in. Lucky for me, boxing fans are chatty and seem to have endless things to talk about. Right behind me two ladies were debating the merits of Mayweather, mostly if his out-of-ring antics detracted from his in-ring performance. They were also planning their trip to Vegas in September for the fight,
“I might not get to the fight, ‘cause I ain’t got $1500, but I’m definitely going to be on the strip for the fight. Vegas is great when Floyd is fighting” one of the ladies opined. I too don’t have $1500 to blow on a ticket, but I would disagree with her about Vegas being great when Floyd is fighting. Vegas is great when there is ANY big boxing contest in town. It’s also the best time to play “Hooker, Not Hooker”.
As the 6:00pm start time neared people started to get antsy about getting in, especially since the line had barely moved. Eventually we did start shuffling to the entrance only to encounter another obstacle - you needed a ticket to get in. And the lady that was nearest to us had no more tickets. She nonchalantly pointed to another worker who “might have some left” which set off a mini-stampede. I would like to thank my youth basketball coach and my predilection for cheeseburgers for helping me box out two young kids as they tried to get past me to get a ticket.
With ticket in hand I entered the historic theatre (really, take the tour if you’re in town) where I saw A Christmas Story: The Musical (one of the best Christmas presents of all-time) and was promptly faced with another obstacle. Seriously, Link had less challenges rescuing Princess Zelda then I had getting into this dog-and-pony show. This time I had to choose between waiting in another line to check my umbrella or abandon it because it wasn’t allowed in the seating area. I guess they were afraid I might use it as a weapon should a melee break out during the event. Sorry Hambone, but your Avocent umbrella was left to its own defenses as I hot-footed it up to the balcony level.
In the end I didn’t need to be so hasty. As I settled into my seat the show was still in its preview stage. A couple of large monitors were looping a 5-6 minute video of show promotion all built around the theme of the contest “The One”. Mayweather was “The One” while Alvarez was “The Next One”, which during the first showing of the video I thought they said “The Mexican One,” which I thought was a pretty risqué way to advertise a fight. Hey, I’m old and the ears don’t work so well.
The video asked various fans who was going to win the fight and why. They went through pretty much all of the demographics and even had the couple who disagreed (something along the lines of “if Alvarez wins we’re not getting married, ha ha ha ha”). In the footage the opinion was pretty much split down the middle with the analysis along the basic premise - Mayweather is smarter and faster while Canelo is younger and stronger.
Now, there was no such disparity in the Chicago crowd, which was overwhelmingly pro-Canelo. There were a few folks from “The Money Team” in the crowd acting pretty much as douche-tastic as you can imagine. While in line a couple of 20-something year-olds called their friend at the head of the line to get tickets. Once they got them, they screamed, “That’s how The Money Team rolls, bitches!” Yes, you got free tickets before the rest of us. You’re a success in life, son.
Finally, the show was ready to start and the promoter introduced Alvarez first. The “Mexican James Dean” wearing jeans and a tight fitting blue polo shirt came to the stage to cascading applause and CA-NEL-OO chants from his admirers. He was prompt, respectful and reserved.
Then it was Mayweather’s turn. In true heel fashion he took his time, made the crowd wait, wait, and then wait some more. When he finally graced us with his presence he was decked out in a grey sweater, flat-brim “TMT” hat, sunglasses and obnoxiously large gold chain. He stood and smirked at the boos, because, well, he’s the best in boxing at what he does - make his detractors go ape-shit crazy. People don’t dislike Mayweather, like they might dislike a fighter like Fernando Vargas. You won’t hear them say, “Eh, yeah Mayweather, I just don’t care for him.” They despise him, they don’t want him to lose, they want to see him hurt. They want him lying on the canvas in pain like Danny LaRusso after his leg was swept.
After a quick stare down (where there wasn’t as big of a height/size difference as I thought there would be) he finally took his seat, his daughter on one side and his hype man Lenard Ellerbe on the other. Mayweather then proceeded to spend the rest of the show drawing something on a piece of paper. It was awesome. While De La Hoya, Alvarez, and the promoter all hyped the fight Mayweather sat there like a 7thgrader in algebra doodling away.
Little things like that are why I can appreciate the dedication he puts into being the “bad” guy. It’s easy to get worked up about him betting hundreds of thousands of dollars on basketball games or lightning money on fire, but to go to the detail of acting like this promotional tour was nothing but a two-week after school detention is pure villainous genius.
Meanwhile, Alvarez sat there like the humble, leading man, vanquisher of evil that he’s being set up as. He spoke briefly in Spanish (which I really have to learn at some point) about how he is ready to win for the people ending with the bold declaration, “I am your rooster!” Ummm. Good for you?
De La Hoya had a few words for the crowd as well. Thanking the crowd for coming out, announcing that boxing is alive and well, “especially in Chicago” and then dropping a little tease about some plans Golden Boy has for boxing in Chicago. Hmmm…perhaps a big fight down the road, a pay-per-view in our fair city? That would be awesome. Not only for me, but also for some of the local fighters. Getting on the under card could provide the next step for Mike Jimenez, Andrzej Fonfara or even Dimar Ortuz.
After Golden Boy was done, it was time for Mayweather to give his oral presentation. He sidled up to the podium and stared out at the crowd and proceeded to shout out, “HARD WORK!” His Money Team was delighted to scream back “DEDICATION!” That went on for about 20 seconds before the sing-songy “CA-NEL-OO!” chants drowned them out. Mayweather stood there and smirked while the boos and derision rained down upon him (another classic heel move, he learned well during his brief dalliance with the WWE).
After some more toying with the crowd he got down to basics and thanked the sponsors (as if he gives a shit about O’Reilly Auto Parts). He pointed out that he’s been in the situation before and that while his opponent might be relying on youth, he had experience on his side. Then the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world closed with, “Chicago is a great city, Mexico is a great country, but September 14th is all about the red, white and blue!”.
They closed with another stare down for the cameras and then the crowd was dismissed while the print and video media was invited to the stage for interviews. I was a little disappointed as I had hoped that we would be treated to that portion of the spectacle as well. I guess I should have inquired about a press pass after all.
In the end, I learned a few things:
Chicago is pro-Canelo
Mayweather plays the villain better than anyone in sports
Corona makes 10-foot tall light up display bottles.
Something is in the works for boxing in Chicago
In order to promote their upcoming pay-per-view Floyd Mayweather and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez embarked on a cross-country promotional tour stopping in 11 cities to get boxing fans excited about the biggest fight of the year. Since it was free it was right in my financial wheelhouse. However, since it was free it was in a LOT of people’s wheelhouse. When I arrived, about 45 minutes before the festivities were scheduled to kick off, the line went out the front door of the Chicago Theatre down State Street and wrapped around Lake street.
I would provide pictures, however my phone picked a horrible time to run out of juice. Which also meant I had no way to entertain myself while I was waiting, possibly in vain, to get in. Lucky for me, boxing fans are chatty and seem to have endless things to talk about. Right behind me two ladies were debating the merits of Mayweather, mostly if his out-of-ring antics detracted from his in-ring performance. They were also planning their trip to Vegas in September for the fight,
“I might not get to the fight, ‘cause I ain’t got $1500, but I’m definitely going to be on the strip for the fight. Vegas is great when Floyd is fighting” one of the ladies opined. I too don’t have $1500 to blow on a ticket, but I would disagree with her about Vegas being great when Floyd is fighting. Vegas is great when there is ANY big boxing contest in town. It’s also the best time to play “Hooker, Not Hooker”.
As the 6:00pm start time neared people started to get antsy about getting in, especially since the line had barely moved. Eventually we did start shuffling to the entrance only to encounter another obstacle - you needed a ticket to get in. And the lady that was nearest to us had no more tickets. She nonchalantly pointed to another worker who “might have some left” which set off a mini-stampede. I would like to thank my youth basketball coach and my predilection for cheeseburgers for helping me box out two young kids as they tried to get past me to get a ticket.
With ticket in hand I entered the historic theatre (really, take the tour if you’re in town) where I saw A Christmas Story: The Musical (one of the best Christmas presents of all-time) and was promptly faced with another obstacle. Seriously, Link had less challenges rescuing Princess Zelda then I had getting into this dog-and-pony show. This time I had to choose between waiting in another line to check my umbrella or abandon it because it wasn’t allowed in the seating area. I guess they were afraid I might use it as a weapon should a melee break out during the event. Sorry Hambone, but your Avocent umbrella was left to its own defenses as I hot-footed it up to the balcony level.
In the end I didn’t need to be so hasty. As I settled into my seat the show was still in its preview stage. A couple of large monitors were looping a 5-6 minute video of show promotion all built around the theme of the contest “The One”. Mayweather was “The One” while Alvarez was “The Next One”, which during the first showing of the video I thought they said “The Mexican One,” which I thought was a pretty risqué way to advertise a fight. Hey, I’m old and the ears don’t work so well.
The video asked various fans who was going to win the fight and why. They went through pretty much all of the demographics and even had the couple who disagreed (something along the lines of “if Alvarez wins we’re not getting married, ha ha ha ha”). In the footage the opinion was pretty much split down the middle with the analysis along the basic premise - Mayweather is smarter and faster while Canelo is younger and stronger.
Now, there was no such disparity in the Chicago crowd, which was overwhelmingly pro-Canelo. There were a few folks from “The Money Team” in the crowd acting pretty much as douche-tastic as you can imagine. While in line a couple of 20-something year-olds called their friend at the head of the line to get tickets. Once they got them, they screamed, “That’s how The Money Team rolls, bitches!” Yes, you got free tickets before the rest of us. You’re a success in life, son.
Finally, the show was ready to start and the promoter introduced Alvarez first. The “Mexican James Dean” wearing jeans and a tight fitting blue polo shirt came to the stage to cascading applause and CA-NEL-OO chants from his admirers. He was prompt, respectful and reserved.
Then it was Mayweather’s turn. In true heel fashion he took his time, made the crowd wait, wait, and then wait some more. When he finally graced us with his presence he was decked out in a grey sweater, flat-brim “TMT” hat, sunglasses and obnoxiously large gold chain. He stood and smirked at the boos, because, well, he’s the best in boxing at what he does - make his detractors go ape-shit crazy. People don’t dislike Mayweather, like they might dislike a fighter like Fernando Vargas. You won’t hear them say, “Eh, yeah Mayweather, I just don’t care for him.” They despise him, they don’t want him to lose, they want to see him hurt. They want him lying on the canvas in pain like Danny LaRusso after his leg was swept.
After a quick stare down (where there wasn’t as big of a height/size difference as I thought there would be) he finally took his seat, his daughter on one side and his hype man Lenard Ellerbe on the other. Mayweather then proceeded to spend the rest of the show drawing something on a piece of paper. It was awesome. While De La Hoya, Alvarez, and the promoter all hyped the fight Mayweather sat there like a 7thgrader in algebra doodling away.
Little things like that are why I can appreciate the dedication he puts into being the “bad” guy. It’s easy to get worked up about him betting hundreds of thousands of dollars on basketball games or lightning money on fire, but to go to the detail of acting like this promotional tour was nothing but a two-week after school detention is pure villainous genius.
Meanwhile, Alvarez sat there like the humble, leading man, vanquisher of evil that he’s being set up as. He spoke briefly in Spanish (which I really have to learn at some point) about how he is ready to win for the people ending with the bold declaration, “I am your rooster!” Ummm. Good for you?
De La Hoya had a few words for the crowd as well. Thanking the crowd for coming out, announcing that boxing is alive and well, “especially in Chicago” and then dropping a little tease about some plans Golden Boy has for boxing in Chicago. Hmmm…perhaps a big fight down the road, a pay-per-view in our fair city? That would be awesome. Not only for me, but also for some of the local fighters. Getting on the under card could provide the next step for Mike Jimenez, Andrzej Fonfara or even Dimar Ortuz.
After Golden Boy was done, it was time for Mayweather to give his oral presentation. He sidled up to the podium and stared out at the crowd and proceeded to shout out, “HARD WORK!” His Money Team was delighted to scream back “DEDICATION!” That went on for about 20 seconds before the sing-songy “CA-NEL-OO!” chants drowned them out. Mayweather stood there and smirked while the boos and derision rained down upon him (another classic heel move, he learned well during his brief dalliance with the WWE).
After some more toying with the crowd he got down to basics and thanked the sponsors (as if he gives a shit about O’Reilly Auto Parts). He pointed out that he’s been in the situation before and that while his opponent might be relying on youth, he had experience on his side. Then the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world closed with, “Chicago is a great city, Mexico is a great country, but September 14th is all about the red, white and blue!”.
They closed with another stare down for the cameras and then the crowd was dismissed while the print and video media was invited to the stage for interviews. I was a little disappointed as I had hoped that we would be treated to that portion of the spectacle as well. I guess I should have inquired about a press pass after all.
In the end, I learned a few things:
Chicago is pro-Canelo
Mayweather plays the villain better than anyone in sports
Corona makes 10-foot tall light up display bottles.
Something is in the works for boxing in Chicago
Friday, May 3, 2013
The Ghost and Mr. Mayweather
The first weekend in May is not a bad time to be a sports
fan. Baseball is in full swing, hockey
and basketball have their playoffs underway and Louisville plays host to a
little horse race called the Kentucky Derby. Over the past few years it’s also
become the weekend Floyd Mayweather, Jr. brings his flash and bombast to Las
Vegas. In 2007 he beat Oscar De La Hoya,
in 2009 it was a washed up Shane Mosley and last year it was Miguel Cotto’s
turn to play the antagonist. This year
Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero is the lucky challenger for Floyd’s “May Day”
party.
 |
| I don't think Guerrero is stong enough to beat Floyd this way. |
Guerrero brings a good enough story to the ring. Like
Mayweather he keeps the sport inside of the family. In Guerrero’s case it’s his father Ruben
serves as his trainer in the ring and as his hype machine outside of it. There is also Guerrero’s wife Casey, whose
battle with leukemia garners almost as much press as his in the ring
accomplishments.
While storylines are nice (and it didn’t take Showtime long
to cast Guerrero as the hard-working, school-visiting family man and Mayweather
as the money-flashing, theater-renting-out superstar in their “All Access”
promotional show) what happens in the ring is really what matters. Not surprisingly, the devout Guerrero has already cast
himself as David to Mayweather’s Goliath. Does the southpaw, who is relatively unknown outside of the boxing world, have what it takes to become the first man to beat Mayweather in the ring?
It would be nice to say yes, but in all likelihood Guerrero
will end up as notch number 44 on Mayweather’s march to immortality. That isn’t to say that there aren’t things to
like about the southpaw’s ability as a boxer.
He works well off of his jab, uses both hands and does an excellent job
of making contact with his punches.
Watching him throw endless jabs-straight lefts- right hooks against
Vincente Escobedo in 2010 was a joy to watch.
As was his early round pummeling of Andre Berto in 2012 (the victory
that let him even be in the conversation to be Mayweather’s opponent) showed
that he has the power to knock anybody down.
Still….he seems to be a good fighter, heck a really good
fighter, but not a great fighter. And
even as Mayweather enters the twilight of his career, it will take a great
fighter to beat him. Guerrero strings
his punches together well, but his handspeed isn’t great. He may have earned the moniker “Ghost” for
being elusive in the ring, but that didn’t stop a nearly blind Berto from
strafing him with big shots at the end of their fight.
 |
| Yup, that's a damn near blind fighter drilling The Ghost in the face. |
Mayweather feasts on his opponents’ weaknesses and Guerrero’s
tendency to drop his left hand when he jabs is going to be an opening that the
current pound-for-pound best fighter in the world is going to exploit at every
opportunity. So the same goes for Guerrero’s habit of backing up stiff-legged
from pressure.
This fight, however, isn’t about how good Guerrero can box.
The contest on Saturday is going to be between Mayweather and the effects of time. He is 36-years-old now. His last fight, a
year ago against Miguel Cotto, left him marked up in a way he had never been
before. It seems he is resigned to the fact that the six-fight deal he signed
with Showtime will mark the end of his boxing career. Figuring he fights twice a year (once in May
and once in November) he will be out of the boxing game by the time he turns
40. Which isn’t a bad thing for a fighter who relies primarily on speed and
elusiveness to win fights.
 |
| A result of Floyd slowing down or having Bieber in his corner? Discuss. |
This is also his first fight after spending a little over
two months in jail for a misdemeanor domestic battery charge. Will the time spent in jail, away from his
family, away from his daily routine and the fame he craves have a negative
effect on him? Probably not as much as it would other fighters. The year off between fights isn’t even the longest
sabbatical for him. His first “retirement” in 2008 caused a layoff of 20 months
which didn’t prevent him from dominating Juan Manuel Marquez upon his return.
The footage on “All Access” seems to support his claims that
he is in better shape now than he was for last year’s Cotto fight. There is
scene of Mayweather heading to the gym at 1am for his third workout of the day
(followed by a Taco Bell run). He also talks about “overtraining” for the Cotto
fight and being more “rested” for this fight. Only in boxing would three intense
workout sessions be considered a more relaxing way to approach a big moment.
The long held wisdom for beating Mayweather has been to
crowd him, bully him and turn it into a street fight. As Floyd is keen to point out 43 people have
tried that already and 43 have failed.
For Guerrero to win this fight he has to be willing to be patient and
make Mayweather attack him. While it won’t
make for dynamic television and will elicit more than a few boos from the crowd
it’s the smartest way to attack Mayweather.
If Guerrero insists on moving straight in and bombarding him with
punches he will end up on the canvas. He
should work his jab, score point and get Mayweather out of his rhythm. It’s no
secret that Mayweather is content to win a fight on points – his critics call
it running while his supporters claim elusiveness. Whatever it is, it has been effective for
more than two decades for the multiple-belt winning champion.
Can his 36-year-old legs keep up over 12 rounds or will the
Ghost be able to track him down? Can
Guerrero resist the urge to mix it up with someone who is faster and better and
boxing then he is? Well, that’s why people pay to see the fight even when the
favorite is 7-1 in Vegas.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Boxing Break! Is it on? Oh, it could be on!
 |
| JMM Vs Pac-Man III should be good - photo from insideboxing.com |
“We’re looking to make the biggest fight possible and everyone knows what that fight is, little fella.” With those words the Floyd Mayweather camp blew new life into boxing’s greatest “Will They/Won’t They” drama. The “little fella” is, of course, a reference to Manny Pacquiao, the fighter that poses the greatest challenge to Mayweather’s unblemished legacy.
No official announcement has been made by either camp, and it was just over a week ago that Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum told ESPN that the fight “will never, ever happen” because Mayweather was scared of Manny’s right hand. Pac-Man’s camp is reportedly upset with Mayweather over the timing of the announcement, nine days before Pacquiao squares off against Juan Manual Marquez for the third time.
While we’re still months away from anything official expect the rhetoric to ramp up if Pacquiao stops his relentless Mexican foe on November 12th. While the Filipino is heavily favored (a quick online search shows him a -750 favorite to win) Marquez has been one of his toughest foes over the last eight years. While he should win, Manny can’t expect it to be a cake walk like the Shane Mosley fight was.
Assuming he does get through, boxing fans haven’t been this close to seeing the two best fighters in the world square off since late 2009, before their March 2010 fight was derailed over disagreements stemming from Pacquiao’s refusal to agree to Olympic-style blood testing. The disagreement turned ugly enough that earlier this year Pacquiao hit his foe with a defamation lawsuit, adding to the undefeated champions lengthening list of legal problems.
It’s sad that the March 2010 fight was cancelled, because it would have been the perfect time for the two to meet. Pacquiao was at the height of his new found fame coming off his brutal destruction of Oscar De La Hoya and Mayweather had returned from his self-imposed retirement with a dominant victory over Marquez.
Since then, despite their continued success in the ring (both fighters have easily won two fights since then), outside distractions have mounted for both fighters. Mayweather’s legal problems which include a misdemeanor battery charge against a security guard and felony charges revolving around a domestic dispute with an ex-girlfriend. Oh, and there is the harassment charge where he was found not guilty of threatening some OTHER security guards. Meanwhile Pacquiao campaigned and won a spot in the Philippine government. He’s also released a CD, put on a few concerts and crooned some tunes on late night TV. As much as either fighter will protest, those types of activities can affect their training which, in turn, can affect their fighting.
Lets face it, both fighters are two years older as well. Mayweather, at 34, is entering that age where speed starts to abandon fighters just a notch. For him, a master of escapability in the ring, to lose even a fraction of his hand or foot speed could prove disastrous against a fighter of Pacquiao’s strength.
Pac-Man, two years younger, might not be as old, but has definitely been punished more throughout his career. Even though he dominated Antonio Margarito in their 2010 match-up (the most lopsided boxing match I‘ve ever watched), he took a lot of solid punches to the face. His straight-forward, action-loving style endears him to fans, but it also leads to a lot of shots to the head. No matter who the fighter is, that kind of punishment eventually catches up with them.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, has on more than one occasion stated that he doesn’t want to see his golden boy fight past 2013. The fighter himself as acknowledged that he is pondering retirement to focus more on his political career. Mayweather has already retired once and despite his legal woes, he should be set financially. With neither fighter seemingly wanting to fight into their 40’s the window for this fight (and a probable re-match) is closing rapidly.
Despite all of this, I really, really want to see this fight. Hell, I’d plan a weekend out of it. Thursday morning Darren Rovell pondered on Twitter how much the Pay Per View would cost to watch and said that he’d fork over $79.99 for it (in HD I assume). He probably isn’t far off on that estimation. It would undoubtedly be the highest grossing fight of all time.
Per ESPN, the biggest non-heavyweight boxing PPV in terms of buys and revenue was Mayweather’s match with Oscar De La Hoya in 2007. That fight brought in an estimated 2.45 million buys and almost $137 million in revenue. If Mayweather and Pacquiao finally agree to fight (Arum says his fighter is willing to agree to Olympic drug testing “without any conditions”) I wouldn’t be surprised to see this fight push 3 million buys.
 |
| Hey Floyd, spread the love! |
Both fighters appeal to non-boxing fans. Heck, even the Duchess watched Pac-Man take down Margarito. There is a natural storyline built in with Pacquiao as the hardworking, outgoing hero and Floyd as the charismatic villain. Sports Illustrated did an excellent job profiling Mayweather before his fight with Victor Ortiz, detailing some of the more outrageous acts portrayed by “Money Mayweather”.
Without a dominant American heavyweight fighting these days, this fight would be boxing’s best chance of reclaiming some of the fans that they’ve lost to MMA over the last decade. Both of these fighters have legitmate claims to the pound-for-pound title. Not only that, but they are the marquee fighters in a weight class that has its share of decent boxers. Despite his meltdown against Mayweather, Ortiz isn’t a bad boxer, neither is Amir Khan or Tim Bradley.
The welterweight and light welterweight classes have become the focal point of boxing over the last decade as the boxers have increased their speed and power on the whole leading to some pretty damn good matches. To have their two best wage war would be a glorious opportunity for a sagging industry.
Time will tell if this nothing more than a boxer hyping a fight he never plans on fighting. Hundreds of things can still go wrong, from the choice of venue to the split of the money to the color of the gloves. However, it would probably be one of the biggest sports disappointments in out generation should these two not meet. But, hey, at least Floyd didn’t promise his next bout to be a “game changer”.
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