March 13th, HBO and Floyd Mayweather

Following the collapse of negotiations between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did. Turns out the world’s two best fighters will square off against each other on the proposed fight date of March 13th after all – only they won’t be competing in the ring. Instead they will now host competing PPV events on the same night. The numbers for each event will undoubtedly suffer, meaning both boxers will lose out on vast sums of money as well as credibility. Worst still, after having one of the finest match-ups in a generation snatched from under their noses, the fans will now lose out further by being forced to choose between forking out a small fortune to witness both events, choosing one over the other, or boycotting the whole shambles and seeing neither in action. HBO also now has the unenviable task of choosing which show to host.

Whichever fight/fighter HBO chooses not to screen, they will inevitably alienate a huge number of fans loyal to the their chosen hero who would otherwise tune-in to the broadcast. Based on Bob Arum’s propensity to effectively tell HBO to go forth and multiply and go it alone with PPV shows in the past, and Golden Boy Promotions rather too-close-for-comfort relationship with the American TV giant in recent times, it seems likely that Mayweather will get the slot. Until his opponent is announced though, this is far from certain. The distinction between “fight/fighter” as far as HBO is concerned should here be an important one, and could potentially salvage something from this awful mess. From the ashes of despair may rise the Phoenix of opportunity.

Too often in the past HBO has been guilty of allowing  its top fighters carte blanche in selecting their opponents. Roy Jones is the classic example cited: for years it seemed he was able to earn millions on HBO dates fighting nobodies, the TV giant unwilling to flex its muscles and force Jones into the most compelling fights for fear of losing his signature on the next long-term contract. Floyd Mayweather has similarly been accused of ducking the most serious challenges out there, hand-picking opponents and minimizing any possibility of defeat. Some of that criticism is slightly exaggerated, much of it is well deserved. It is in this regard that HBO – and indeed Floyd Mayweather himself – might yet retrieve some credibility from this terrible mess.

Although personally I am of the opinion that Manny Pacquiao should shoulder the blame for the big-fight falling through, ultimately both fighters reputations will suffer. Just as Manny Pacquiao’s reputation will rightly suffer in many peoples eyes for refusing to submit to a random drugs test – regardless of whether or not his is in fact using them (I happen to believe he most definitely is not a cheater) – so too will Floyd Mayweather’s reputation suffer in many peoples eyes for being scared to face the toughest fighters out there – regardless of whether or not he actually is scared (I also happen to believe this is not the case). The difference though is that regardless of who he fights, the question mark over Pacquiao will remain until such a test is conducted, and has nothing to do with the quality of his opponent. Mayweather, however, has the opportunity to silence his critics somewhat in the choice of his next opponent. And therein lies the importance of HBO’s role: rather than lie back and wait to see the opponent Mayweather selects, they should demand nothing less than a compelling, competitive match-up, or else they will not screen the event.

Pacquiao, of course, already has a potentially exciting battle lined up with Ghanaian Joshua Clottey. It is certainly an interesting match-up. Clottey is largely an avoided fighter in the 147lbs class, clearly stamped with the “who needs him” label across his forehead: big, strong, awkward, skilled and with an iron-chin, without being overly popular or exciting, he is the epitome of a high-risk, low-reward opponent. He is though desperate for a victory in a significant match and a Top Rank fighter readily available to sign on the dotted line (with no possibility of him calling for additional drug-tests). The bout is likely to be action packed and the outcome is by no means a foregone conclusion. Pacquiao will deservedly begin as a strong favourite, but the bout retains a certain amount of intrigue because of the size differential and the amiable style-mesh.

Due to the disappointment of the Mayweather fight falling through, any opponent short of the ghost of Homicide Hank returning to face the Filipino was always going to leave somewhat of a sour taste in the mouth. Certainly no-one can ever accuse the Pacman of taking the easy road by taking on the teak-tough African though. All things considered, it is not a bad match-up at all.

The ball is now in Mayweather’s court – and to a certain extent, HBO’s.

The only way – the absolute only way for Mayweather to retain an ounce of his claim to be the world’s finest pugilist, is for him to tackle an opponent perceived to be even more dangerous than Clottey. By pressing Mayweather to do just that, HBO could  not only ensure they have the most compelling match-up on PPV that evening, they might also tackle some of the criticism aimed in their direction regarding the overall quality of their match-making.

Frankly the names bounded around the internet at present fall well short of achieving the above goals. A fight between Mayweather and Matthew Hatton would constitute nothing more than a cynical marketing ploy, and would be less competitive than shooting fish in a barrel. Paulie Malignaggi is a slick fighter and an honest pro, but he would still struggle to punch his way out of a wet paper bag. Nate Campbell has done little since defeating Juan Diaz at lightweight, and poses about as much risk to Floyd as a blind man with one arm.

Timothy Bradley and Kermit Cintron are steps in the right direction, although for differing reasons. Bradley being an undefeated, skilled and impressive young champion seemingly in the form of his life makes him deserving of  the opportunity, but his size and experience unfortunately count him out of the running. Cintron is slightly less skilled, but his size and punching power would at least give the contest that “what happens if he lands” factor, and provide an air of intrigue. If Mayweather is to really make a statement by tackling a more dangerous opponent than Clottey though, Cintron doesn’t really quite fit the bill either.

Shane Mosley would be the ideal replacement: experienced, a well-known PPV fighter, destined for the hall of fame and the linear welterweight champion to boot. Unfortunately he is already engaged on January 30th in a bout with Andre Berto, and so could not possibly face anyone on March 13th. That leaves one viable name that fits the bill: Paul Williams. Only by fighting such a dangerous proposition could Mayweather legitimately claim to be afraid of no-one, to be taking on the bigger challenge on March 13th, and to be partaking in the more intriguing match-up.

By providing the funds for such a compelling fight to take place, HBO can ensure they are screening an exceptionally good alternative to Pacquiao-Mayweather, and deflect any criticism regarding their commitment to the sport and to making the best quality fights out there.

Will the fight be made? It is highly unlikely. Williams is crying out for such a contest, and swears he only left the 147lbs class because no one there was willing to face him. Would Mayweather be prepared to take on such a high-risk opponent though? That will be the deciding factor. If Floyd Mayweather is serious about being remembered as one of the greatest fighters of all time, he will make the fight. If he wants to make the most money for the least risk, he will fight one of the aforementioned unsuitable names.

It is certainly a ginormous ask of Mayweather; though such are the demands of being a boxing legend. And, really, we are asking nothing more of him than he does not already claim himself – much like with Manny Pacquiao and the request to prove he is not using performance enhancing substances. Let’s hope Mayweather – and for that matter HBO – step up to the challenge. Boxing’s reputation as well as their own will suffer if they do not.

Pointing The Finger

Just like that, the biggest prize fight in a generation is laid to waste. There’s no compromise, no ego’s backing down for the sake of the great good. Not even a potential $40 million per side could convince the parties to agree. And so to the cynics: it’s safe to come out now, guys. Start writing. Boxing is a joke. Again.

So, the question begs: where to point the finger of blame? One of the more irritating aspects of this whole debacle is that the stench it has created will undoubtedly linger longer than a dead dog’s arse. Fans are condemned to reading press releases from each camp accusing the other camp of ‘turning down the fight’ ad infinitum. It is a woeful prospect.

Mayweather was scared to fight, we knew it all along, the Pacquiao camp will cry. Pacquiao is hiding something, we knew it all along, the Mayweather camp will howl. On and on the cycle will go.

So I’m going to get off the fence right away: Manny Pacquiao is squarely to blame for this fight falling through. There’s no doubt about it  – I am pointing the finger right at the Pacman. Mayweather, as far as I am concerned, is absolved of all blame in these negotiations failing. I should probably follow that up by saying what a huge fan I am of the Filipino phenom. He is quite simply one of boxing’s greatest, and one of my favourite, fighters of all time. Which makes this even more of a bitter pill to swallow.

You see amongst all the bullshit, all the spin, all the claims and counter-claims from each of the camps, a certain set of simple facts remain: Floyd Mayweather asked Manny Pacquiao to take a random drug test before their fight. Manny Pacquiao refused.

Now, of course the Pacquiao camp will say they “are ready and willing to take a test as required by the NSAC blah blah blah”. They will also say that they will even take a “random” blood test up to X amount of days before the fight. Therefore, it is Mayweather who is turning down the fight, running scared, making unreasonable demands. There are many problems with this argument.

First of all, ask yourself just how absurd the idea of a random drug test is where the dates are fixed by none other than the athlete taking that test. Ask yourself, in what other sport in the world can a world champion dictate the terms of his own drug testing? Ask yourself, how many drink-drivers would the police catch if they set up neon lighting a mile down the road warning motorists of the impending inspection? Frankly the Pacquiao camp are insulting our intelligence by even suggesting such an idea.

Secondly, it is widely known that the urine samples tested by the NSAC, whilst important, are not infallible. Shane Mosley has gone on record stating that he was (unbeknown to himself at the time) using steroids leading up to his rematch with Oscar de la Hoya in September 2003. Yet nothing was ever detected in any pre- or post-fight urine samples. How many others got through the net, there’s just no way of knowing. Besides begging the obvious question of why the hell these tests haven’t been modified to the highest possible standard already, in terms of the dispute in question it does lend some credence to Mayweather’s, and in fact any other active fighter’s, demands for more stringent testing.

To those that say no, the onus is on the accusers to prove Manny’s guilt, not on Manny to prove his innocence, I would say simply you are wrong. You are wrong because we are not even dealing with guilt and innocence. We are dealing with world class athletes, and each and every one of them quite rightly carries the responsibility to prove time and again to the highest possible standards that they are playing fairly and by the rules.

As unusual as Mayweather’s demand was for the random blood test, the fact is that the demand was made. The sad irony of the situation is that this ridiculous demand became reasonable the very moment Pacquiao refused to take it.

There were two ways of dealing with this demand. One of them was taking the test. If, as Pacquiao’s adviser Mike Koncz claimed, this is all just “a facade and a  way for Mayweather to get out of the fight” – then call his bluff! Prove it to the world by taking the test. As much as I dislike The Golden Child Mr.DLH using his ownership of The Ring magazine to peddle his views, you have to say he made an exceptionally simple and profound point on his blog: if there is nothing to hide, just take the test. Even Pacquiao’s former foe Miguel Cotto chimed in, saying Manny’s refusal to take the test without conditions “raises questions”.

Not only would taking the test give Manny the chance to prove to the world that Mayweather and all of his associates’ claims are completely false and unfounded, it also presents him with the chance to show the world that boxing is one of the cleanest, most respectable sports out there. Show the up and coming kids what it takes to become a legend in this game: no drugs, no cheating; just plain hard work and dedication, boys. What an honour and a privileged position that is to be in.

The other way of dealing with the demand was to walk away. To refuse. To say, “no, I won’t take the test on anything less than my own terms”. Pacquiao took the second option. Koncz explained the decision to walk away as being based on ‘principle’:

“He is upset his reputation has been tarnished and he wants his fans to know that at some point, you have to stand on principle. He’s walking away from $35 million, $40 million, maybe $50 million on principle.”

Just what principle exactly is Manny Pacquiao standing on here? “Hey kids, don’t worry, if you don’t want to take a random drugs test before one of the biggest sporting contests in history, you shouldn’t have to!”. Yes, I can just see it now, they’ll be teaching it in school classrooms across the Philippines and beyond for generations to come. Maybe one day some body will make a nursery rhyme out of it.

“Principle”? “Tarnished reputation?” What nonsense. Pacquiao has tarnished his own reputation more than all of Golden Boy and Mayweather Promotions put together could possibly have dreamed of doing by refusing this test. All because the world’s finest pound-for-pound boxer is scared to give a blood sample too close to a fight in case it “weakens him”. That’s right: Manny Pacquiao, the man who stood smiling and singing at his last post-fight press-conference with his head wrapped in bandages after having his ear drained of blood due to the left hooks of Miguel Cotto that crashed against his skull, is scared of a pin-prick.

“After Manny fought [Erik] Morales [in 2005], he attributed the loss to the late blood test he took”, explained Koncz. Funny, but I vividly remember Freddie Roach screaming that the loss was due to Manny not being allowed to wear his favoured ‘puncher’s’ gloves, and instead being made to wear what Roach referred to as ‘pillows’. Funnier still, I seem to remember that loss being the result of Manny being out-boxed fair and square by the better man on the night.

Apparently, Manny’s reaction to the whole thing is that “he is very disappointed because he wanted to give the fans this fight” said Koncz. Just how badly he wanted it is now sadly evident for all to see: Not badly enough that he was willing to give a blood sample that disrupts approximately five minutes of your day and has no bearing whatsoever on your physical capabilities.

Floyd Mayweather made an unusual, provocative and irritating demand in order for one of the biggest fights in boxing history to be made. I didn’t like him for making the demand, and most agreed that it was unnecessary and tasteless. Manny Pacquiao, though, made a far worse decision in refusing to meet this irritation head-on. Long after the cat-fighting, bitching and moaning has died down, the ramifications will still be felt by the fans and by a sport that will be in short supply of ammunition with which to answer their critics. And for that, Manny Pacquiao, I point the finger of blame at you.

Too Good To Be True

The saying goes that, “if something seems too good to be true, it probably is”.

It was.

Weeks of protracted negotiations were expected between the two camps before any agreement was likely to be reached. Yet it seemed like it took Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum less time than it takes to boil the kettle for them to reach an agreement for the proposed mega-bout between pound-for-pound pretenders Messrs Pacman Pacquiao and Money Mayweather. To everyone’s amazement the expected publicly drawn-out battle over who should get the biggest slice of the pie never materialized, and before you could say a hundred million bucks it seemed that the fight was all but signed and sealed.

Boxingscene.com quoted Arum explaining the situation as follows: “in the first meeting I had with the Mayweather people I said you want me to spend two hours saying why Manny deserves more than fifty percent and then you’ll spend three hours telling me why Mayweather deserves more than fifty percent. So let’s save a lot of time and cut out the nonsense.”

Boxing, for once, appeared to have defied the cynics and delivered boxing to the front of the sports pages – only this time for all the right reasons: a match made in heaven.

With the biggest hurdle of dividing the cash now firmly in the rear view mirror, there were still a few minor humps in the road ahead before the green light for the big fight came on. The other matter of poundage had to be dealt with – pounds and ounces that is, not pounds and pence. Both parties agreed: the welterweight limit of 147lbs would be the contracted limit. Hurdle two out of the way. Then Manny Pacquiao had a small issue of running for political office to attend to, which was neatly avoided by bringing the fight forward a few weeks. One more obstacle avoided with surprising ease.

Compared with these pre-negotiation problems, all else seemed irrelevant. The rest would just fall into place; dot a few I’s and cross a few T’s and let the hype begin. Pre-fight predictions began changing from if they fight to when they fight. It all seemed too good to be true.

It was.

What should have been boxing’s finest hour between two of its most decorated combatants turned into a global internet game of “he said, she said”. An embarrassing legal cat-fight ensued and enough dirty drug stories to last Renton and Sick-boy a lifetime poured out over the internet. If you tried to script a scenario where boxing came out of the situation any worse, you’d really struggle.

Now all that is left is a few precious hours of negotiating between a few very rich men to salvage what could be the fight that defines an era. Unfortunately for boxing fans, if the fight is not made, it may well end up defining much more than an era. It may end up defining the sport itself – for all the wrong reasons.

With this much money at stake, and that many rich men in one room, it’s hard to see an agreement not being made. And unfortunately, sometimes as a boxing fan, it’s hard not to be cynical. Because if things seem too good to be true, they usually are.