By Robert Big Moe Elmore: Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao. The analysts want it. The boxers who fight themselves want to see it. The whole world wants to see it. Shoot, I want to see it. As a Mayweather fan, I have to honestly say that I’m pretty tired of the charades between these two as well.
Floyd’s recent rejection of Pac’s request of a 50/50 split has sent people who were completely turning the tables on Top Rank right back to hating Floyd. Even the Pac fans were jumping on board. But if I can be real with myself for minute; I don’t think either fighter had intentions of getting together in May. It was simply a matter of trying one party trying to gain momentum going into their next fight/negotiations.
Let’s face it. Neither side was going to give ground on where they stand. Mayweather probably knew right off the top that his aim was not going to be Pac (I can only speculate given his latest rejection). Plus on top of this; who wants to go straight to jail after a fight of this magnitude? He might want to go home and rest and do some stuff after weeks of training, promoting, and signing autographs. The blood testing protocol can go both ways. It could be used as a tactic to get inside of Pac’s head or it could be genuine. And the relationship between Floyd and Arum just puts the cheery on top. I don’t believe Floyd would give Arum the satisfaction of letting him feel like he has the upper hand. Floyd has called his own shots after leaving Top Rank. He has set pay per view records, made over 40 million a fight (Ortiz included), and has made a great name for himself.
For Pac, given his track record of “letting his promoter pick his fights” was no more on board than Floyd was. His “I’ll even fight Floyd in jail” and Man up and fight me in Jue. Pac was aware of his jail date and he knew what he was doing by demanding Floyd fight at the end of May. He also seems to be content with the selection of opponents Arum and Bruce Trampler (Top Ranks match maker) has made for him and has made quite a few demands himself; the catch weight of Miguel Cotto in 2009 for the WBO title and Antonio Margarito for the WBC junior welterweight title; Oscar De La Hoya; the ten million dollars penalty for every pound over weight he proposed to Floyd in the first round of negotiations; holding out for more money against De La Hoya and Ricky Hatten. And then you have Bob Arum.
Arum has a good track record of sticking to his guns when it comes wanting things done his way; to where he can control both fighters; the money, the promotion etc (Pac vs Mosley; Margarito; Cotto; Marquez; Clottey) Mosley and Marquez had to leave Golden Boy in order to get their shot, the excuse of Manny’s cut, the building of an outdoor stadium, to bringing in investors for the mega fight and any more he will probably think of later on. Manny is Arums only cash cow on Top Rank and he wants to squeeze every last single dollar out of him before he lets him go. Plus Arums percentage of what he could make off this fight would a certain pocket padder.
FT: So there you have it. Three ego’s; two pens; a couple contracts; a couple fax machines, telephones, cell phones, twitter, and yet nothing has transpired. I haven’t lost faith on this fight. But when they actually get in the ring is when I’ll really believe it.
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