Ordinarily, this would be an occasion to celebrate. To pull out the calendar, circle the dates and swell with anticipation.
Manny Pacquiao is fighting Joshua Clottey on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium. It's a pretty big fight that figures to be an even bigger event. More than 20,000 tickets were sold the first day.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Shane Mosley apparently are hooking up May 1 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It's a fight that would have been better 10 years ago, but one that still carries plenty of intrigue.
The problem is, neither fight is Pacquiao-Mayweather.
Two months ago, the bout that left fans wild with anticipation looked like a done deal.
Money, the usual hurdle during negotiations, was cleared in a single leap.
Both egos — er, fighters — immediately agreed to a 50-50 split of the purse that, counting pay-per-view profits, was projected to be as high as $80 million.
But then a funny thing — even for boxing — happened on the way to the vault.
Mayweather demanded random, Olympic-style blood tests. He agreed to take them, too, but they were aimed at Pacquiao, a seven-division champion and reigning pound-for-pound king Mayweather's camp believes got there by using performance-enhancing drugs.
The two parties never could agree on how many tests or when they should be taken, and the fight imploded like an old warehouse during demolition.
Just when you thought boxing was about to get it right, it got it totally wrong. The sport punched itself in the gut and tumbled face-first to the canvas.
Just like that, the fight was KO'd, infuriating boxing fans everywhere.
The principals involved — fighters, managers and promoters alike — all ought to be taken to the woodshed and thrashed mightily over this debacle.
Who's to blame? There's certainly plenty of it to spread around, but most of it must be laid at the feet of Mayweather.
Pacquiao doesn't come away from this unscathed. By refusing to have blood drawn inside of 24 days before the fight, he looks like he's hiding something.
Pacquiao fears such tests would weaken him, but most medical experts agree the amount of blood drawn even the day before the fight is so small, it would have no effect on the fighter.
But why would Mayweather even bring up the issue in the first place?
Pacquiao has never tested positive for anything, before or after a fight. And Mayweather's logic that Pacquiao's rise from light flyweight to welterweight had to be fueled by steroids is flawed, too.
Pacquiao was only 16 when he began his professional career at 106 pounds. When Mayweather was 16, he was an amateur who weighed — you guessed it — 106 pounds.
Pacquiao's rise is unusual, but it is not unprecedented.
Roberto Duran, for example, was 16 when he made his pro debut at 118 pounds. He went on to win titles at 135, 147, 154 and 160.
It could be that Pacquiao, like Duran, is simply a great fighter, one that only comes along once in a generation.
Pacquiao shouldn't have to subject himself to the blood testing because no state, including Nevada, requires it for boxing. Perhaps they should, but they don't.
Mayweather can't write his own rules.
Larry Merchant, the respected HBO commentator, likened the whole negotiation process to a dominance ritual where each fighter tries to impose his will on the other.
Maybe that's what is at the root of all this nonsense.
In the meantime, we're left with two fights that carry their own intrigue, but in reality amount to little more than consolation prizes.
JOHN WHISLER'S VIEW FROM THE CORNER
Opening flurry:
Blame game
The Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. megafight is dead, at least for now, but the finger pointing shows no signs of letting up.
Who’s to blame?
Here’s a sampling of local opinion:
Joe Morales, boxer: Blames Mayweather — “Pacquiao taking performance-enhancing drugs has never been an issue before. I think Mayweather is worried about his undefeated record.”
Celina Salazar, boxer: Mayweather — “I don’t think Pacquiao takes steroids. Just look at how he trains. Taking a blood test the week of the fight would weaken him.”
Hector Ramos, boxer: Pacquiao — “If Pacquiao’s clean, he should take the tests.”
Tony Ayala Sr., trainer: Mayweather — “I think Mayweather was just trying to find a way out. ”
Adam Lopez, boxer: Pacquiao — “Just look at Pacquiao’s last few fights. He keeps going up in weight yet there is no let-up in volume of punches. That’s not normal.”
‘Jesse’ James Leija, former boxer: Mayweather — “What Pacquiao offered in terms of testing was sufficient. No one ever said anything about steroids until Mayweather brought it up.”
Joe Lopez, trainer: Mayweather — “Mayweather’s trying to make rules like he’s the commissioner. I could see one blood test, but that’s it.”
Skip Wilson, Golden Gloves director: Mayweather — “I think it’s just a smokescreen. Why would Mayweather even bring up the issue?”
Ton Pastran, trainer: Pacquiao — “I think Pacquiao’s hiding something.”
Jesus Chavez, Austin boxer: Mayweather — “Mayweather needs Pacquiao, but Pacquiao doesn’t need Mayweather.”
Straight shots
Morales comeback: Mexican icon Erik Morales (48-6, 34 KOs) has decided to end his 2 1/2-year retirement and return to the ring this spring.
The former three-division champion is scheduled to meet Nicaraguan Jose Alfaro (23-5, 20 KOs) on March 27 in Monterrey.
Taylor replaced: Showtime has tapped Allan Green to replace Jermain Taylor in its Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament. Taylor withdrew after losing for the fourth time in five fights, including three by knockout.
Green (29-1, 20 KOs) is set to meet Andre Ward (21-0, 13 KOs) on April 17 in Oakland, Calif.
Foe for Vic: After talks with San Antonio’s Raul Martinez broke down over money, WBC and WBA super flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan (33-2-1, 27 KOs) has settled on his next opponent.
Darchinyan is scheduled to take on Rodrigo Guerrero (13-1-1, 9 KOs) of Mexico on March 6 in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Local notebook
Ring needed: Officials are in need of a boxing ring for the newly formed San Antonio Golden Gloves Boxing Club.
Anyone willing to donate a ring or sponsor the purchase of one is asked to contact Skip Wilson, the local Golden Gloves director, at 210-843-6558 or Jim Watson, executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Antonio, at (210) 434-4383.
The new program, located at the Eastside Boys & Girls Club, is headed by Robert Lopez.
jwhisler@express-news.net
Source: mysanantonio.com
***
Mr steroid weather jr pls have a rematch between marquez to keep your record cleaned hehehe!
ReplyDelete