By Giancarlo Malinconico: The night after Manny Pacquiao’s destruction of Miguel Cotto back in November of 2009, I wrote an article entitled “Pacquiao Stops Cotto: the Mayweather Duck Clock Begins – News.” I closed the article by stating, “Let us see if Floyd uses the money split or something else as an excuse to avoid fighting Pacquiao. I say 50-50, and let’s get ready to rumble!” This was before Mayweather began his “crusade” on cleaning up the sport of boxing from performance-enhancing drugs.
I will give Mayweather credit for not using another excuse this time around. According to the Associated Press, this time Mayweather has stated that he does not want to fight Pacquiao because he is not thinking about boxing, and he wants to spend time with his family on vacation. Ironically, that sounds eerily similar to the same excuse that Shane Mosley initially used for not facing Mayweather, and Floyd criticized Shane for it.
I still hold the belief that Pacquiao, ever since moving up to 135 pounds and above, is one of the greatest off all-time, and the Mayweathers know it. Moreover, I would be surprised to see Floyd ever step in the ring again. After all, he is 33 years old. If he were to fight Pacquiao in 2011, he would be 34, and have been away from the ring for a complete year. These are circumstances that I doubt Mayweather, who has the council of intelligent advisors, is willing to risk in a bout next year.
Pacquiao’s speed would be too much for Floyd. Mayweather likes to pot shot and counterpunch. That will not work against the Pac Man. Pacquiao will walk through Floyd’s single-counter shots, and pressure him to the ropes with an assault from different angles. The bottom line is Floyd is just not as good as Pacquiao is. Pacquiao is finally competing in his appropriate weight division, and Floyd cannot beat a man who can walk through his shots and has more speed than he does. Pacquiao would have most likely, in my estimation, defeated Mayweather by a clear unanimous decision if the bout would have occurred.
Mayweather has officially retired in my estimation. I have read articles where writers have repeated the same arguments about how both fighters have too much money to lose: therefore, the bout will happen. I have always disagreed. Floyd at this point does not want to risk defeat — even $50 million is not enough compensation.
In the history books, Mayweather will be criticized as a fighter who was granted a hometown-gift decision in Las Vegas, Nevada in his first encounter with Jose Luis Castillo. And he will be remembered as the fighter who avoided about with the Pac Man, the Fighter-of-the-Decade Award Winner and the simultaneous Ring Magazine Pound-for-Pound best fighter in the world.The bottom line, in my opinion, is Floyd has never wanted to battle Pacquiao. In fact, no one can prove that Mayweather would have signed the contract to face Pacquiao earlier this year if Manny had agreed to the 14-day cut off point for random blood testing. I am skeptical that Floyd would have used another excuse to keep the bout from happening.
In the end, Floyd will forever be ranked below the Pac Man on the all-time pound-for-pound list. “Money” Mayweather is to blame for why the biggest bout in boxing history will not take place. And the historical record should note it.
(Contact this writer @ GNMalinconico@aol.com or GiancarloNM@aol.com.)
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