Vinny’s Views: Floyd Mayweather, JR Vs Manny Pacquiao II & The Inside Track!

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By Vinny “Glory Days” Lucci

Four A.M. in a social club and last call for alcohol rings out from bar where the banter of Yankees post season position for home field advantage is finally dying down, but the raspy whispers of does Canelo have a real chance against Gennady Golovkin refuse to fade in evanescence. Forty grown men looking forward to the boxing event of the year like six year olds look forward to Christmas morning. One gent offers to buy me a nightcap and adlib’s a few jokes of levity before the sun comes up.

First he tells me he has finally given up his cocaine habit, but he still loves the way it smells. Anyone in hearing distance chuckles with laughter as I almost spill a shot glass of expensive Amaro Nonino. The story teller after waiting for me to compose myself then says, “If you think that’s funny, wait until you hear this; Floyd Mayweather, JR. just announced to world via a video from his Instagram that he will be fighting Manny Pacquiao in a rematch this December.” There was a long pause of silence that hung over the west end of the bar like a fog over the moors of England. After a half dozen members looked at each other with disbelief, we all cracked up in consolidated hijinks saying flip the sport channels back on…

While buddies hugged each other with tears of laughter in their eyes my mind reverberated to January 14, 2017, when Gervonta Davis dethroned Jose’ Pedraza in the seventh round at the Barclay’s Center winning the IBF super featherweight title. That night I got to meet Floyd and chat up his protégé’s coronation into the championship realms where Mayweather, JR. assured me it was Gervonta’s first of many. With a rare opportunity at hand I had to inquire if the rumors were true and if there was any validity or credence to justify the hype of a match between himself and MMA star Conor McGregor?

With a deadpan straight face Floyd educated me to the fact that it was a viable entertaining crossroads match that needed to be presented on a PPV world stage. I then said, “But Floyd, you’re 49-0, taking on a guy that’s 0-0!” After a few seconds his face turned to a Cheshire cat grin which made me smile at the rhetorical question. We both chuckled for a brief moment until I realized how refreshingly candor this moment was and started laughing. Floyd burst out laughing, and neither one of us could contain it. I then asked, “What’s the projected payday?

A hundred million? Two Hundred million?” Again we laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. It’s a shame all the Floyd haters will never get to see the playful side of him that is perceived only for his entourage. Post-fight Floyd elected to address the topic ring center rather than at press conference. He stated boldly that the McGregor fight would happen, simply because he wanted it made. That’s clout my friends, that’s clout.

So what better timing could there be to usher in his plans of recapturing the sport’s world undivided attention than piggy backing off the media frenzy of Gennady Golovkin Vs Saul Alvarez rematch? Taking some steam away from old rivals Oscar De La Hoya and his golden goose while diverting attention to his own agenda of challenging for Manny Pacquiao’s WBA welterweight title this December has sports writers across the country scrambling for their laptops.

Manny is fresh off a win over formidable but long past his peak Lucas Matthysse two months ago by TKO in 7. Pacquiao is no longer under contract to Top Rank Promotions who badly mismanaged him in the twilight of his career by only matching him against opponents in his own stable. Mayweather Promotions can sign the check and literally get the deal done on a handshake until contracts are printed. Point being, should fans take the challenge seriously?

Boxing lines in Vegas have already opened with Mayweather, JR. -180, Pacquiao +220. We all know the first fight was awful as Floyd let it die on the vine while Manny was destroying the division’s best fighters like Miguel Cotto and patiently waited for the gale force threat to peter out. Fans of Manny felt burned especially finding out after the fact he had a rotator cuff injury.

Will fans actually buy the rematch? As P.T. Barnum used to say, “There is a sucker born every minute.” So what’s that ringing in my ear? Probably the precognition buzz of laughter from Mayweather, JR. trying to catch his breath.

Stay tuned…

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