By Jordan Sargent: There was a time where boxing fans got what they wanted. Fans wanted Ali v Frazier so they got it. The fans wanted Tyson v Spinks and guess what, they got it! So what has changed? In this article I want to question why the two biggest fights in boxing cannot be made. The fights I am talking about is of course P4P kings Floyd Mayweather Jr (41-0-0, KO 25) and Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, KO 38) , and secondly World Boxing Association heavyweight champ David Haye (24-1-0, KO 22) versus one of the Klitschko brothers.
From a fans point of view it is confusing as to why these fights cannot be made with so much money being on the table. With millions of dollars, pounds and euros being thrown at the fighters you would think they couldn’t wait to get their hands on each other. This being especially apparent in the Mayweather and Pacquiao fight where the finances have been made so public. Us boxing fans are mainly from working class and middle class backgrounds, and would relish even a fraction of an elite boxer’s payday.
The question has to be asked ‘where does a boxer’s money come from?’ The answer is quite simple… the fans! The fans are the ones who buy the tickets and PPV fights and even more importantly, the fans are the ones who watch the fights. In other words, without you and I these elite fighters could not make the living they are now. So when we decide to shell out our hard earned cash especially through a time of economic hardship we ask only one simple thing. ‘Please… make it worth it!’ In other words ‘give us the fights we want with no excuses!’ That’s not much too ask… is it? Apparently it is…
One of the things I love about boxing fans apart from being passionate is that they are honest, they know what they want and when they want it. Every fan knows which fighters they like and have a list as long as their arm of potential opponents. So I see no reason why these paying fans cannot get their wishes. Every fan wants Mayweather and Pacquiao to fight and will pay to see it, that should be enough. Yet we see excuse after excuse!
It doesn’t matter to the paying public if Manny denies blood testing (which he accepted in the end) or if Floyd wants few more million to throw on the pile, all we care about is the fight! This fight will be the biggest PPV boxing event of all time and generate a huge amount of cash for the promoters, TV stations and fighters involved. However, what we see is Mayweather inactive and Pacquiao matched against former WBA welterweight champ Antonio Margarito for the WBC 154lb belt. Fellow Top Rank fighter Margarito is returning from suspension and will unlikely use plaster this time round.
In similar fashion, after Haye V Vitali/ Vladimir Klitschko fell through each fighter has gone their own way. Instead of probably the biggest heavyweight fight since Tyson V Lewis we will witness fights which will not reignite the heavyweight scene. WBA champion Haye will face former Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison (27-4-0, KO 20) who at 38 has never stepped above domestic level. We will see WBC champ Vitali Klitschko (40-2-0, KO 38) against a past best Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, KO 45) and IBF/WBO holder Vladimir Klitchsko (54-3-0, KO 48) taking on a declining Samuel Peter (34-3-0, KO 27). For all three of these fights I have just one question from an honest fans point of view…Why? Again, it doesn’t matter to the paying public who deserves more and where it is held (unless you want to travel to see the fight) all the fans want is the fight! If it is one division that is craving a much needed boost, it is without doubt the heavyweight division and a Haye V Klitschko fight would do just that.
So when examining both of the potential mega fights, it is clear that many parties will benefit. Firstly the fans will get what they want, secondly the fighters get a massive payday and lastly the sport gets a needed boost. Where’s the problem? It’s got to be either ego or greed …hasn’t it?
So what can be done? Should the fans boycott fights they don’t want? This only harms the sport they love further by lowering PPV figures and with rivals UFC growing quickly, is this good for boxing? Should the media do more? The media have built up and talked about Mayweather V Pacquiao for a while now and all it has achieved is rumour, speculation and unanswered questions. The answer lies with the fighters and their promotional teams. All involved should communicate efficiently and will have to make concessions to their demands. Only then will these fights happen, and the fighters will satisfy the people who make them a fortune… the fans.
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