Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr.: 10 Reasons the Fight Will Never Happen
A fight between Manny “The Pacman” Pacquiao and Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. would undoubtedly be the boxing event of the century. Fans and media alike have been clamoring for the super fight for years, asking at every opportunity, “What about Pacquiao-Mayweather? When will it happen?” But the coveted match has yet to happen, and here are ten reasons why it never will:
Reason #10: Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s IRS Troubles
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Mayweather has a long and muddled history with the IRS, which slapped a tax lien on his property for $3.1 million in 2004, and $6.1 million in 2008. The second lien forced Mayweather out of retirement to fight Juan Manuel Marquez in order to settle his beef with the IRS.
But now, the IRS has sent a $3.4 million tax bill to Mayweather for income taxes from 2009, the year in which he reportedly earned $25 million for the Marquez fight. If “Money” Mayweather can’t manage his funds and pay his taxes, it would serve him well to avoid a huge payday for fighting Pacquiao, which could put him further in debt to the IRS if he doesn’t correctly report his earnings.
Reason #9: Roger Mayweather's Legal Troubles
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Floyd’s uncle and trainer, Roger Mayweather, is set to go on trial Aug. 2 for allegedly attacking female boxer Melissa St. Vil. Roger Mayweather has pleaded not guilty, but could face up to 16 years in prison if convicted.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. has good reason to avoid the media spotlight and the frenzy that would surely surround a bout with Pacquiao, in order to avoid answering uncomfortable questions about his uncle or drawing attention to the trial.
Reason #8: The Boxing Super Fight Hype
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The hype surrounding the proposed Pacquiao-Mayweather super fight is almost unprecedented in the boxing world. Fans around the world are clamoring for the current pound-for-pound champion to fight the former pound-for-pound best.
With so much fan demand and media speculation, the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight has drawn attention to boxing in a way that advertising and promotions never could.
With attention, comes attendance. And with attendance, comes revenue.
Avid boxing fans will continue to tune into boxing matches and press conferences, hoping for any glimmer of news, as long as the Pacquiao-Mayweather future remains uncertain.
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Reason #7: The Post-Super Fight Fallout
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Just as the media saturation and constant speculation of a super fight helps the sport of boxing maintain popularity, the aftermath of the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight would be brutal for the sport.
There are no other boxers with the skills, titles, and cross-cultural fan following of Pacquiao and Mayweather, and no other boxers to generate the huge amount of interest in the sport.
If the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight were to happen, fans would be left wondering “what now?”
Reason #6: Manny Pacquiao's Confidence
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The motivation of a fighter is to prove he’s the best. To train as hard as he can, fight the best he can, and win as much as he can. A boxer’s quest is to win bouts and prove that he is the best.
Pacquiao has done that, in eight weight divisions.
Pacquiao’s unparalleled success has made him the pound-for-pound king, and the humble fighter is no longer bound by the inherent need to prove himself. After his victory over Shane Mosley, Pacquiao was asked about the potential Mayweather fight, and he replied, “I don’t really care about it, but the fans want it, so I’ll do it.”
Always looking to please his fans, Pacquiao says he would fight Mayweather, but he no longer has the mindset that his career depends on it or that he needs a win over Mayweather for validation.
Reason #5: Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s Demand for Drug Testing
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In a seemingly just assertion of his rights as a fighter, Mayweather wanted drug testing to be conducted prior to a fight with Pacquiao.
However, Mayweather demanded Olympic-style random blood testing, and Pacquiao refused the proposed regime, claiming to get weak when he gives blood so close to a fight, and saying that his opponent didn’t have a right to create his own set of rules.
Pacquiao has never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, but that hasn’t stopped the Mayweather camp from accusing and insinuating to the contrary. Pacquiao ultimately sued Mayweather, alleging that he made false and defamatory statements.
Bad blood between the fighters got worse thanks to the drug-testing saga, and things aren’t looking any better.
Reason #4: Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s Legal Troubles
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Issues on the legal front just keep piling up for Floyd Mayweather Jr., who was charged this week with two misdemeanor counts of threatening to cause bodily injury to another person. The charges stem from an alleged incident in October, when Mayweather reportedly threatened two security guards who were issuing parking citations for Mayweather’s vehicles parked on the street in his gated community.
Mayweather is also facing a string of felony and misdemeanor charges resulting from the alleged assault and threatening of his children and their mother, Josie Harris.
The evidentiary hearing for the case is set for July 29, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and if convicted of all charges, Mayweather could face up to 34 years in prison.
It’s understandable that Mayweather wouldn’t want to expose himself to media questioning about his legal woes if he were to be in the public eye leading up to a fight with Pacquiao.
Reason #3: Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s Fear of Facing Manny Pacquiao
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Both Mayweather and Pacquiao are formidable opponents, but Mayweather has to be more wary of Pacquiao since the Pacman’s brutal defeat of Antonio Margarito in July 2010.
Fighting at Super Welterweight, Margarito had a 17 pound weight advantage, 4.5 inch height advantage, and 6 inch reach advantage over Pacquiao, and was still brutalized by the Pacman, suffering a fractured right orbital bone that couldn’t be operated on for three days because his face was so swollen.
Standing 5’8”, Mayweather has just a 1-inch height advantage and a 5-inch reach advantage over Pacquiao. After seeing Pacquiao dominate Margarito (Roger Mayweather even admitted that Floyd was watching), Pretty Boy Floyd has to be admittedly a little more wary of Pacquiao’s disfiguring power punches.
Reason #2: Manny Pacquiao's Devotion to Filipino Congress
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In May 2010, Manny Pacquiao was elected into his home country’s congress by a landslide of votes. The Filipino boxer is revered in his home country and has found his calling as a public servant.
Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddy Roach, voiced his concerns about the political distractions during the lead up to Pacquiao’s fight with Margarito, even speculating that Manny might retire soon and pursue politics full time.
After his victory over Mosley, Pacquiao voiced his desires to get back to congress, further proving that his priorities have shifted, and that if the Mayweather fight doesn’t happen soon, the Pacman might not wait around.
Reason #1: Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s Ego
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The number one reason that the Pacquiao-Mayweather super fight will never happen is Mayweather’s ego.
Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. might have an affinity for fast cars, huge mansions, and flashy jewelry, but perhaps his most prized possession is his undefeated 41-0 boxing record. While Pacquiao has long been touted as the fighter with the ability to beat him, Mayweather doesn’t seem to want to risk it.
With his next fight slated to take place at Cowboys Stadium on Sept. 17 against Victor Ortiz, Mayweather seems to be looking for a huge payday - thanks to Jerry Jones - without the risk of losing his precious perfect record—but how perfect is it if you clearly haven’t fought the best?
Mayweather is notorious for talking trash and boosting his own ego, and that self-congratulatory rhetoric slips off his tongue much easier when it’s backed up by 41-0. Mayweather is a brilliant defensive boxer, who knows how to dodge a punch in the ring, and when it comes to Pacquiao, he seems to be just as skilled at dodging the ring altogether.
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