Floyd Mayweather Needs Manny Pacquiao Fight to Recapture Fans' Interest
It may seem like it always comes down to this when discussing Floyd Mayweather’s boxing career, but the undefeated champion needs Manny Pacquiao. The only difference now is that Mayweather needs him more than ever, at least if Mayweather cares about interest from the fans.
Mayweather handled Marcos Maidana in a rematch Saturday with his overall boxing skills, speed, counterpunches and ability to dodge Maidana’s haymakers. Mayweather won in a unanimous 12-round decision to retain his welterweight and super welterweight titles and push his record to a perfect 47-0.
There was really no doubt that Mayweather was the better boxer, even if Maidana did truly challenge the champion the first time around.
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The fact that the crowd audibly booed at times throughout the fight said more about that bout than the actual action, or lack of action, did. Mayweather’s patient style seemed to be testing the crowd and its interest, and the fight just wasn't that memorable.
Perhaps there is a feeling of inevitability surrounding a Mayweather fight against a lesser foe that has led to lesser interest. David Purdum of ESPN.com reported that Jay Rood, the vice president of race and sports books for MGM, said Saturday’s fight attracted less than 50 percent of the betting action that Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez did in September 2013.
William Hill director of trading Nick Bogdanovic added to that notion that Mayweather simply isn’t the draw he used to be, via Purdum: “Floyd’s not the most popular guy. His fights aren’t really exciting. People are tired of it.”
Even soccer commentator Ian Darke prophetically weighed in on the lack of appeal before the fight began:
Mayweather isn’t going to change his style, and why would he? He has accumulated a perfect record and fought off every challenger who has come his way thus far. That means the one way to immediately boost interest in a Mayweather fight (and the resultant bets that come with it) would be to schedule that long-anticipated showdown with Pacquiao.
CBS News passed along Mayweather’s thoughts on the subject after his victory over Maidana, according to Reuters: "I got to go back and talk to my team, I'm not ducking or dodging no opponent. If a Pacquiao fight presents itself, let's make it happen."
There is more to this from Mayweather’s perspective than just the windfalls from the betting, pay-per-view and incredible hype that would accompany this match.
His career is gradually coming to a close, and a victory over the boxer who has been so closely tied to his own ascension in the sport would be the perfect way to end an undefeated run. Mayweather would prove himself to the doubters who put an asterisk next to Mayweather’s perfect record because this fight has never happened and shape his boxing legacy in the process.
It would be a clash of styles between the aggressive Pacquiao and the patient and clinical Mayweather and represent the last true challenger to Mayweather’s current throne as the king of the sport.
Let’s make it happen.
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