Manny Pacquiao: Why His Recent Decisions May Kill Boxing
There's no doubt that Manny Pacquiao is the most recognizable name in boxing.
The pound-for-pound champ won both his fights last year over Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito, but he left many shaking their heads when he announced he would be fighting Shane Mosley in May. With Floyd Mayweather Jr. out of the picture, Mosley was picked over Juan Manuel Marquez and Andre Berto. On talent alone, Mosley is a step up from last year's opponents, but he is also coming off a lopsided loss to Mayweather and draw with Sergio Mora.
As humble and well-mannered as he is, Pacquiao's decisions raise an interesting question: Is he actually damaging the sport, and maybe even killing it?
Consider these 10 factors, and it will make you wonder:
10. He Had The Power To Say No
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There were reports that promoter Bob Arum presented him with offer sheets to face Mosley, Marquez or Berto. If he was a young up-and-coming fighter needing to pay his dues, Pacquiao would have had no power to say no. But this is the sport's top fighter, who isn't hurting for money and has already carved out a hall of fame career.
Let's face it: He wasn't forced to take this fight, but chose to do so.
9. Not What The Fans Wanted
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Obviously, sports fans and boxing fans wanted Pacquiao to face Floyd Mayweather, but it remains to be seen if - and when - the fight will ever happen.
With that up in the air, the next best option was for fans to get a third fight between Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao has been great about facing the best in the sport, defeating the likes of Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Marquez, Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya.
Mosley has that level of talent, but does anyone seriously think it will be as entertaining as the two Marquez fights or any of the fights with Morales? Expect a repeat of the De La Hoya mismatch.
8. Wasting Their Money
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It would be easier to stomach this fight if it was on regular cable, but it's absurd to demand that fans throw down $50 to $60 to catch this on pay-per-view.
Sports fans have plenty of options on how to spend their money and would probably be better served watching one of the sports movies out, college or pro football, or an actually UFC card that at least provides a chance to see a compelling matchup.
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7. Not Choosing Berto
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Whether he deserves a shot with Pacquiao is a whole different discussion, but Andre Berto is younger than Mosley and faster. Pacquiao knows the sport could do a better job of giving fighters more exposure, and he was once in Berto's same position.
Sure, Pacquiao would probably steamroll him, but he would also do the sport a favor by giving fans a chance to see one of its bright, up-and-coming stars.
Instead, he elected to go with Mosley, who got booed along with Sergio Mora in their last fight.
6. Overlooking The Amazing
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One other name fans wished to see Pacquiao fight was middleweight king Sergio Martinez. Of course, the size comparisons are insane, and heavily favor Martinez, who said he was opened to the possibility of facing Pacquiao.
But it was never even a consideration in Pacquiao's camp. That's sad, when you consider what's made boxing fun was when fighters tried to accomplish amazing feats, like when Roy Jones Jr. went up and won a unanimous decision over John Ruiz to capture the WBA heavyweight title in 2003.
Then light heavyweight champion, Michael Spinks did the same back in 1985 when he faced then heavyweight champ Larry Holmes, and won a unanimous decision in what Ring voted as the Upset of the Year.
5. The Easy Way Out
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By picking Mosley, Pacquiao also takes the easy way out to discussions about how he's never fought an African-American fighter. Of course, there weren't any legitimate opponents for him to face as he made his way up the ranks, and the one true test - Floyd Mayweather Jr. - has disappeared and said nothing recently about facing Pacquiao.
4. Double Talking
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Long before Mosley became Pacquiao's next opponent, promoter Bob Arum questioned whether he deserved a shot at Pacquiao following his performance against Sergio Mora. He even brought up whether Mosley was too old.
Suddenly now that's not an issue.
"Now that Mosley has declared himself free from Golden Boy and negotiated the deal directly with Arum, he's just perfect for the fight," Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com. "This should not shock anyone because apparently, as Arum once famously said, yesterday he was lying but today he is telling the truth, about whom he wanted Pacquiao to fight."
Arum can talk out both sides of his mouth if he wants, but fans are sharp enough to spot a mismatch. And by agreeing to face Mosley, Pacquiao is complicit in peddling this farce to fans.
3. The Steroids Discussion
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Facing Mosley also brings back up discussions surrounding Mosley's alleged involvement in the BALCO steroids case. Mosley recently dropped a defamation lawsuit against BALCO founder Victor Conte, who told AOL Fanhouse it was "the Marion Jones case with boxing gloves." Jones, the former Olympic gold medalist, served time in prison after lying about not using steroids.
Many, however, still question whether Pacquiao has used steroids. He even filed a defamation suit against numerous people, including Oscar De La Hoya and Mayweather, for saying he was taking steroids.
2. Insulting Their Intelligence
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Fighting Mosley also forces fans to sit there and read statements like the one Mosley made to a Filipino television station: "It’s going to be a war, ‘cause styles make fights. It’s going to be really exciting fight. Manny has speed and power, I have speed and power."
Then there's this gem Arum gave AOL Fanhouse:
"People are like, 'Well, what about Mosley's last two fights?' Well, what about his last two fights? Mosley fought Mayweather, and he's the only guy in Mayweather's whole career to really hurt Mayweather and to really have him in trouble. So Mosley is capable of hurting Manny...."
I guess that first fight Mayweather had with Jose Luis Castillo wasn't close at all.
Maybe I'm thinking of a different fight. My fault.
1. It Just Won't Happen
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Chances are, Pacquiao will hammer away and do what he needs to get a decision. It could be lopsided, too, which is a shame. A slugfest is highly unlikely. Fans will forget about the Mosley fight in a month. But they still talk all these years later about other classics.
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