The Bob Arum Bluff: Manny Pacquiao – Floyd Mayweather JR is Coming Soon
By Geno McGahee
The deadline was missed for Floyd Mayweather, JR., to acquire exclusive negotiations with Manny Pacquiao, and now Promoter Bob Arum has announced plans to negotiate for a rematch with Miguel Cotto or a showdown with boxing bad boy, “Hands of Plaster” Antonio Margarito. Floyd missed the deadline and it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t have to be controlled by a deadline because there is no other fight in boxing right now.
The two alternatives that Arum mentions are not legitimate threats to the big fight. Miguel Cotto has rebounded with a victory over the gutsy yet limited Yuri Foreman, but few would believe that a rematch with Manny Paccquiao would produce anything other than another TKO win for the Filipino warrior, only this time much sooner.
The other bout being thrown out there is a match with the still banned, Antonio Margarito. Margarito, at one time, was a huge name in boxing…the working man’s fighter, but now, his secret to his success was exposed as he used Plaster of Paris in his hand wraps. He loaded his gloves and when he didn’t have this edge, he was easily stopped by an older Shane Mosley. If Mosley can dominate and leave Margarito in a heap, Pacquiao would do it early without much problem. There is also the little problem of Margarito still being banned from boxing, although if the money is right, he will be back in the states and Arum has the power to sell a Pacquiao-Margarito fight and get it approved.
Now those looking forward to a Manny Pacquiao – Floyd Mayweather, JR., showdown need not worry, yet. The fight is as close to being signed, sealed, and delivered as it has ever been, meaning that it is still up in the air, but it is still the only mega fight in boxing and the public demand only grows larger day by day.
There is reported concern from Floyd Mayweather, JR., about his trainer and reported woman beater, Roger Mayweather. Roger is having legal issues and his future is up in the air. Should he be locked up, Floyd would be without his trainer and that is not a position that he would want to be in going into the biggest fight of his career, but it doesn’t mean that the fight will not take place. Floyd is a professional and there are plenty of options to get him ready for the big fight.
This is big business and there is going to be a lot of on again-off again moments and a lot of nonsense from both sides and of course, Bob Arum. Arum knows how to use the media to further a cause and has just let Floyd know that there are other plans outside of him, but they are not legitimate options because I don’t think that you can sell the fights, especially when you are telling the people: “Instead of Mayweather-Pacquiao, you’re getting a Cotto rematch.” The people will revolt.
Floyd Mayweather, JR., doesn’t have a lot of options here either. A bout with Andre Berto isn’t going to excite any of the fans. Kermit Cintron wouldn’t sell, and Paul Williams, although dangerous and talented, would not replace what everyone wants.
Money talks and there are a lot of people that are going to get extremely rich off the eventual showdown between Manny and Floyd. It will break every pay per view record and is already the most talked about fight in recent history. They will not be able to build an arena large enough to fit all of the people. The fight will sell out in minutes and that is rare for a boxing event of late. Floyd and Manny will make the most they’ve ever made, boxing will be mainstream again, and the world of pugilism will be reborn by this one fight. So, it will happen.
Should, for some reason, A Margarito-Pacquiao fight gets made, which is the only option out of the two (Cotto,Margarito) that may make some money because of the bad boy image of the Mexican fighter, it will further hurt boxing. Any bout that Margarito is involved in now shows just how criminal and bought and sold the sport is. No other sport would permit a proven cheater that endangered the lives of others to continue.
Hang in there people, the real fight is coming. Floyd Mayweather, JR., and Manny Pacquiao will be facing each other in the near future. The money is right and soon all of the obstacles will be overcome and the announcement will be made. The super fight is on the way.