By Tom Graves: The super-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr, the two ‘pound 4 pound’ best boxers in the world is yet to be scheduled.
I am not getting into why it hasn’t happened or who would win the bout, I am simply making the following statement.
The last time the world waited so long to see two of the best boxers of a generation finally battle it out was in 2002 at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, when Lennox Lewis faced Mike Tyson for the WBC/IBO/IBF Heavyweight Championships.
This fight should have happened a matter of many years ago, both men were nearing their 40’s and were way past their primes, although the fight was legendary night in boxing history it wasn’t as half as exciting as it could have been if both men had of met in the primes of their careers.
So here is my true but hurtful statement.
If the fight of this generation doesn’t happen sooner rather than later, Manny Pacquiao V Floyd Mayweather Jr could well end up just like the Tyson-Lewis bout, not nearly as explosive, exciting and entertaining as it could once have been.
There was no logical reason in boxing terms that a fight between two men way passed their primes should have counted for so much,
but because fans believed it did and not only boxing fans the whole world wanted to see it.
This match up had been building for years so naturally it carried a lot of weight and importance.
Lewis and Tyson were rivals throughout their career who for one reason or another didn’t face each other until the end of the line
when they were only shadows of their former selves.
It was still the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history, until it was surpassed by De La Hoya vs. Mayweather in 2007.
Pacquiao is 32 years old and Mayweather Jr is age 33, I am sure both men only have a handful of fights left, I am not saying they are past their prime but
they have both achieved some tremendous things in the sport and combined have been boxing professionally for around 30 years.
Pacquiao is officially proclaimed congressman of the lone district of Sarangani and Floyd Mayweather has been accused of domestic violence cases among others and just like Mike Tyson spend time in prison, Mayweather could face up to 34 years If convicted of all charges.
It seems both of their minds are no longer completely focused on boxing.
On May 7, 2011 Manny Pacquiao will face Shane Mosley, an upset win for Mosley could create more distance between the chance of ‘Pac-Man v Money’, but a win for Pacquiao surely would only suggest there is no-one left to face but Floyd.
For the sake of boxing let’s hope the same thing doesn’t happen with the potential match up of this generation’s best two boxing rivals.
I am sure no-one wants to look back and wonder what would of happened if Manny Pacquiao & Floyd Mayweather Jr had of met earlier in their careers or god forbid had even met at all.
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