Mayweather-Pacquiao: No fear, no mercy, no excuses

In just a few hours, the boxing world's Fight of the Century will commence at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. The protagonists, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, have proclaimed that they have done their homework and are ready to rumble. They promise to give the fans the fight of a lifetime and we expect them to deliver nothing less.

Thus, we expect them to be at their best when the bell rings. It will be a fight between two fighters considered to be among the best of all time. We will witness tonight a chess match between the best defensive fighter of his era versus the most explosive offensive fighter of his generation.

The case for Floyd Mayweather, Jr, to defuse Manny Pacquiao's attacks lies in his ever-present intelligent jabs and a very vicious right. Add the patented shoulder roll, the ring smarts and ring generalship to the lot and you will have a defense that will be hard to penetrate. Mayweather can pick his spots and can snipe Manny Pacquiao with clean shots every time Pacquiao strays into his territory.

On the other hand, Manny Pacquiao's unorthodox fighting style that gave many of his previous opponents fits must be present tonight if he wants to break into Floyd Mayweather's vaunted defense. Pacquiao's footwork, power and speed must work in unison in order for him to deliver his bombs to Mayweather.
The old classic offense versus defense boxing cliche will still be a factor here. Both fighters are considered to be some of the best, if not the best, when it comes to their craft; thus we expect them to try to impose their will and their brand of fighting on each other.

In a fight of this magnitude, an offensive juggernaut like Manny Pacquiao should start fast and deliver his 'shock and awe' early to put Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on the defensive. Pacquiao's relentless attacks should put a siege that will paralyze Mayweather's defensive fortifications. Pacquiao should rain hell coming from all angles into Mayweather by using his superior hand speed and powerful straight lefts down the button to obliterate his foe. Pacquiao's seldom used right hand, the "Manila Ice," can be a big factor in the fight.

But Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is not an easy prey to collar -- the main reason why he is still undefeated going into the megafight. If Mayweather survives the Pacquiao onslaught in the initial stages of the fight and adjusts as he always does to disrupt his opponent's rhythm, his pin-point accuracy with both hands can put Pacquiao in trouble, as the Filipino dynamo is still susceptible to the overhand right that Juan Manuel Marquez used to demolish him in their fourth fight. Timothy Bradley tried this strategy as well and was successful at times, but ultimately failed to crack Manny Pacquiao's now suspect chin in their second fight.

In order for Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao to deliver on their promises, the fighter who will emerge victorious in tonight's match should be able to stick to his game plan and impose his will over his nemesis. The winning fighter should be able to control and dictate the tempo of the fight and should show no mercy in finishing off his opponent when the opportunity knocks.

Hence, this writer will go against the majority flow and have Manny Pacquiao taking out Floyd Mayweather, Jr. inside the distance of a brutal albeit tactical fight.

Note: Any comments, reactions, and suggestions are welcome. Hit me up at detexam@yahoo.com or join us at Detroit Boxing Examiner Facebook Page.

*This article was first published on Detroit Boxing Examiner.

Mum's the word: How many times did USADA tests Mayweather for the Super Fight

Lost in the hoopla of the Super Fight is the story about the USADA-led drug testing protocol for the fight. In this day and age of illegal performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), the deafening silence on the Mayweather front is quite intriguing, considering the media mileage that he got when he launched his so-called crusade to clean up the sport of boxing some five years ago.

The camp of Manny Pacquiao has stated that the Filipino pugilist has been tested thirteen times already, with the latest one occurring just hours before Friday's weigh-in for the Super Fight. On the other hand, we have no information on the side of Mayweather about his United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) visits. And unlike in past editions of Showtime's All Access that showed Mayweather being visited by the drug testing team before previous fights, the pre-fight Inside Mayweather Pacquiao did not show any clips of the USADA team paying a visit to the pound-for-pound king to collect his blood and urine specimen.

For about five years, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his minions regularly attributed the failure of the "super fight" with Manny Pacquiao to come to fruition back in 2009 to the Filipino superstar's refusal to take an "Olympic-style drug testing." For years, "Take the test! Take the test!" was Mayweather 's battle cry -- he claims that he wants a clean fight and a level playing field against any fighter that he will face.

But whether he was serious enough about cleaning up the sport, or if it was just a ploy to avoid Manny Pacquiao, we now all have our own conclusions and opinions that will warrant another article. Suffice it to say, some of the boxers who were caught doping after the much-publicized call for random Olympic-style drug testing were members of The Money Team (TMT).

Manny Pacquiao, since being kayoed by a 'suspicious' Juan Manuel Marquez in their fourth fight, has undergone and passed drug-testing for most of his succeeding fights under the auspices of the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), hands-down the best entity that administers drug testing in the fight game today.

The Mayweather-Pacquiao Super Fight has been dubbed as the "Fight of the Century." Interest in the fight from both die-hard and casual fans is at an all time high, and the corresponding media coverage is on overdrive. What better way to promote Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s advocacy of a clean sport that can reach across the board than his showdown with his bitter nemesis Manny Pacquiao?

Sadly, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., whether it was by design or not, failed to capitalize on the opportunity that was presented on his lap to further enlighten the boxing world of the benefits of systematic drug testing in boxing. Not only was he silent about the visits of the USADA team during his training period, but also he employed people with checkered pasts who were in one time or another linked to the illegal performance-enhancing drug trade.

It was alleged by some boxing observers and writers alike that chemist and an admitted steroid dealer Angel "Memo" Heredia, the architect behind Juan Manuel Marquez's hulking transformation preceding the fourth Manny Pacquiao fight, is in bed with the Mayweather camp for this fight.

Alex Ariza, the erstwhile strength and conditioning coach of Manny Pacquiao who, on several occasions, has been credited by Mayweather for Pacquiao's success, has hinted about the S&C's role in Manny Pacquiao's fist power on several occasions, including in a May 2, 2012 interview with David Mayo of MLive: "Eventually, it'll come out. The truth's going to come out now. I told you. Everybody's about to point the finger- 'He's done this, and he done that, and he was taking this, I didn't tell him to do it, you told him to do it.' That's what everybody is going to say."

Bob Ware, Mayweather's cornerman since the Marcos Maidana rematch, was once implicated by TMT boxer J'Leon Love as the source of the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide that he took before his fight against Gabriel Rosado. Following the fight, the Detroit boxer was suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission for six months, fined $10,000 and had his contested split decision win changed to "no-contest." In a June 28, 2013 report by David P. Greisman of BoxingScene.com about the controversy, J'Leon Love "took a pill... without asking what it was... from strength and conditioning coach Bob Ware."

It is puzzling to many boxing observers why Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who has professed on many occasions that he wants to clean the sport of drug cheats and purveyors, would remain mum before the biggest fight of his career on the testing regimen that the USADA administered on him, which could have potentially immensely helped enlighten people in and around boxing about the process.

It is mind-boggling to the boxing world that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. would still surround and associate himself with controversial strength and conditioning trainers and coaches whose characters are suspect when it comes to illegal PEDs, while at the same time wants to picture himself as boxing's poster child of Olympic-style drug testing.

As one commenter on an online boxing forum opined: "It is really funny that the one who was accused without proof of being on illegal PEDs is the one who is more open and vocal about the random testing for this fight than the one who proclaimed that he wants an Olympic-style drug testing to clean up the sport, who decided to be secretive. What's the real score, USADA?"

Note: Any comments, reactions, and suggestions are welcome. Hit me up at detexam@yahoo.com or join us at Detroit Boxing Examiner Facebook Page

*This articles was first published on Detroit Boxing Examiner.

Foot Locker's Week of Greatness: It's happening feat. Manny Pacquiao

Mayweather wins ugly, dangles September rematch with Maidana

After all the last-minute hullabaloo (see: #glovegate) en route to Saturday night’s ‘The Moment,’ as well as the last-ditch effort by the fighters and promoters to make a ruckus of the possibility that the Mayweather-Maidana fight may not push through -- which many boxing observers noted to be just for show to hype and encourage the fence-sitters to buy the pay-per-view... whether the people behind the punch-and-judy show succeeded with their objective remains to be seen.

The fight that many fans lambasted from the get-go produced an unexpected twist inside the ring but turned up with the usual expected result -- a win by Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to snatch Marcos Maidana’s WBA welterweight belt and add to his WBC and Ring versions and stay undefeated at 46-0.

Still, Marcos Maidana, who, before the fight, was condemned to the slaughterhouse by oddsmakers, writers and fans alike, defied expectations and made Money Mayweather worked hard for his money, as the Argentine banger brought the fight to Mayweather right off the bat and made it ugly.

Thus, the anticipated 12 rounds of one-sided shellacking that many expected Mayweather would dish off to Maidana quickly vanished into thin air the moment the bull from Argentina came out of his corner and started firing in the first round.

Marcos Maidana rushed Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to the corner and bullied the American champion to the ropes as he unleashed his unorthodox but powerful shots with mean intentions. Maidana threw wicked left hooks in succession as well as those bad and swift overhand rights, combinations that would make a lesser fighter cringe in horror and abandon all hope in the face of adversity.

But Marcos Maidana is not fighting an ordinary fighter. He is fighting one of the best fighters of his generation, with a prodigious boxing talent to boot and a defensive whiz. Despite the early hiccups, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., as was his wont, put his game face on and buckled down to work. Mayweather found a way to escape all the traps that Maidana laid out for him: he timed and pot-shotted the slow and plodding Argentine, and held and wrestled his way to clinch the victory.

After Jimmy Lennon, Jr.'s announcement of the 114-114, 117-111, and 116-112 majority decision victory in favor of Floyd Mayweather, Jr., the powers that be at Showtime and Golden Boy, as well as the camps of the protagonists, immediately jumped the gun and announced that they planned to have a rematch of the fight in September.

And because of the said announcement, some boxing fans have already shared a piece of their mind regarding the possibility of a Mayweather-Maidana rematch via social media. Many opined that they smelled a fix, but whether their allegations or conclusions are true or not, we really do not know, since there is really no evidence to support the said issue. But as the late Jimmy Cannon once wrote, “boxing is the red light district of sports,” and so we can say in a way that everything is possible until proven otherwise.

As for this writer, all I can say is thanks but no thanks. There is really no rhyme or reason nor a compelling narrative to warrant a repeat performance of what has just transpired right before our very eyes.

Do we really think that a slow and plodding fighter like Marcos Maidana will be better off the second time around and do his thing against Floyd Mayweather, Jr.? Do we really think that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. will change his style and stand toe-to-toe and knock out El Chino in a rematch?

Yes, the fight was close, but not really close. Yes, Marcos Maidana gave Floyd Mayweather, Jr. something to think about in the future, but there was really no way that a rematch can top the result of the first fight.

To illustrate the fight, it was not what many would have expected, but it failed to provide the necessary fireworks to be considered an exciting fight. At first, there was an element of surprise, a surge of adrenaline in anticipation of what could potentially unfold inside the ring, but as the fight wore on, round after round, it was just the same old refrain that eventualy became tiresome, predictable and futile. Mayweather may have been caught off guard by Maidana’s game plan, but he was never in serious trouble, let alone in any danger of losing the fight. To paint the big picture, Marcos Maidana tried his best, but his best just was not good enough to put a dent in Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s undefeated run.

One Hit Wonder: Maidana's chance against Mayweather

Marcos ‘El Chino’ Maidana, the bull from Argentina who sports a record of 35-3 with 31 wins coming by way of knockout, has worked his way up the boxing ladder due to hard work, brave heart and punching power.

Marcos Maidana always comes to fight, and has persevered and overcame adversity on his way to become one of the most exciting fighters in boxing today. He packs a wallop in both hands, and with the exception of one or two occasions, he was never involved in a dull fight.

After taking the brash and then undefeated champion Adrien Broner to hell to snatch the WBA welterweight belt, Maidana won the biggest sweepstakes of them all -- the megafight tonight with the current pound-for-pound king Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather, Jr. for the WBA, WBC, and Ring welterweight belts and then some.

But the boxing world has already written him off and proclaimed that Mayweather will just waltz through him en route to 46-0 to maintain the American champion’s unblemished record and move on to another fight in his quest of being The Best Ever (?) in the history of the sport.

They say that Marcos Maidana is no match for the skill and talent of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and that Money will just blitz El Chino with his blinding hand speed and dazzling footwork to carve out the customary lopsided UD victory that is the hallmark of every Floyd Mayweather, Jr. victory.

Yet Marcos Maidana is unperturbed by the odds stacked against him for he believes in himself; he knows how to handle pressure, get out of a bad situation, and come back to win the fight. Most of all, El Chino has confidence in the power behind his fists that have brought him to where he is now -- the biggest fight of his boxing career.

Marcos Maidana’s list of victims is not as impressive as his foe’s, but is quite solid. The list includes Victor Ortiz, Victor Cayo, Jesus Soto Karass, Josesito Lopez and Adrien Broner, just to name a few. After tonight’s fight, the Argentine banger wants to add to that list the biggest fish of ‘em all -- Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

But that is easier said than done considering that “45 have tried and 45 have failed” against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Marcos Maidana is “not as talented and skillful” as the American superstar and will surely be outworked and outclassed as pointed out by many boxing observers -- that’s why he is a huge, huge underdog in this fight.

There is one thing that is going for Maidana in this fight, though: unlike many of Floyd Mayweather, Jr’s opponents in the past, El Chino is not afraid nor in awe of Mayweather’s mystic as a fighter and aura of invincibility because El Chino believes in himself -- that he will be the one that can blemish Mayweather’s immaculate record.

So, the question that will be answered tonight is: can Marcos Maidana do it?

It will be a very long shot, but Marcos Maidana has the shot that can drop an opponent with one punch, and Floyd Mayweather’s chin has not been tested this much since Shane Mosley cracked and penetrated the pound-for-pound king’s vaunted defense in 2010.

And yes, as they usually say, “if you shoot for the stars and hit the moon, it’s OK.”

Note: any comments, reactions, suggestions are welcome. Hit me up at detexam@yahoo.com or join us at Detroit Boxing Examiner Facebook Page.

*This article was first published on Detroit Boxing Examiner

Moment of Truth: The Mayweather-Maidana fight is a hard sell to boxing fans

It is the eve of the big event in Las Vegas dubbed ‘The Moment,’ which features Floyd Mayweather, Jr and Marcos Maidana vying for the world’s welterweight championship, yet as of this writing, a lot of tickets remain unsold or still available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com and other ticket outlets that this writer checked online.

It is unfathomable that a big fight that will purportedly showcase the talent and skill of undefeated Floyd Mayweather, Jr., the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, against Marcos Maidana, one of the most determined and biggest punchers in the division, is having a hard time selling tickets. Unless a miracle happens, ‘The Moment’ is bound for a disastrous showing at the box office.

It is unthinkable because Showtime Networks and MGM Grand, together with their friends in the boxing media, are not remiss in advertising, pushing and promoting this fight at every nook and cranny of the boxing world (which even sparked the ire of Top Rank impresario Bob Arum because of the way MGM Grand handled their promotional end on the recent Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley rematch last April 12). Yet the responses from the fans are anemic at best, and most show derision and contempt for what many perceive as a ‘sham-down’ between two opposing fighters who should have no business facing each other and should have been squaring off against different opponents this coming Saturday night.

On various social media outlets and boxing forums, the sentiments of the majority of boxing fans are very palpable and glaring. Yes, while they have nothing but respect for Marcos Maidana’s achievements in the ring, they are unanimous in proclaiming that Maidana has no chance whatsoever against Mayweather. Thus, they regard the Mayweather-Maidana bout as just not worth their time and money.

That is why, no matter how hard the promoters are pushing Mayweather-Maidana’s ‘The Moment’ down the boxing world’s throat, they are having a hard time convincing the majority of boxing fans (except for the die-hard supporters of the contending fighters) to buy the $70 pay-per-view price tag.

Here are some of the comments one can encounter on social media regarding ‘The Moment’:

“Mayweather 11 rounds to 1. I will not pay $70 for this bull****.”

“Set up fight... Slow Maidana got no chance.”

“Who cares?”

“We all know Money May is going to tear his a** up!!!”

“One-sided fight. We deserved a better fight than this one.”

“Boring fight. A waste of money as Floyd will just dance the night away.”

Judging from the comments above and the ones that will inevitably pop up on social media in the wake of this fight, it is a far-gone conclusion who in their minds will emerge victorious on Saturday night. To many of them, ‘The Moment’ is just a formality or a validation of what they expect as another easy win for Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

It is really interesting how the fans’ overt outrage affects the pay-per-view sales of the Mayweather-Maidana tiff off -- or how the vitriol towards the ‘The Moment’ will affect Floyd Mayweather, Jr.‘s future fights with Showtime to fulfill his rich contract.

Note: any comments, reactions and suggestions are welcome. Hit me up at detexam@yahoo.com or join us at the Detroit Boxing Examiner Facebook Page

*This article was first published on Detroit Boxing Examiner

PunchDrunk: 50 Cent teases Floyd Mayweather, Jr. about his loss to Nelly

On the eve of the The Moment in Las Vegas, aka the Mayweather-Maidana sham-down, we are debuting the PunchDrunk section in this blog, which will be all about the flipside of prizefighting.

Starting tonight, we will feature from time to time articles and videos that deal with the funny, the hilarious, the absurd and the comedic side of the fight game.

The Moment: Mayweather-Maidana folly

On Saturday, Floyd Mayweather Jr. will return to the ring against Marcos Maidana in an event dubbed as ‘The Moment’ as part of his six-fight, 30-month pay-per-view deal that the Grand Rapids native inked with Showtime Networks a year ago, which was described by the boxing world as the “richest individual athlete deal in all of sports” and will make him $200 million plus richer when he is done with the contract.

At present, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. commands the biggest purse in boxing and owns, or is part of, the biggest pay-per-view returns in boxing history. And there is no doubt that Mayweather is a major draw, not only because of his talent and skills inside the ring, but also because of his colorful personality outside of it, and at first glance, the investment by Showtime seems to be justifiable.

But if we dig deeper into Mayweather’s recent fights, most boxing fans will agree that with the exception of Canelo Alvarez, who posed the possibility of ‘danger’ (yes, danger here is in parenthesis because some people in boxing have come up with allegations that the fight was rigged, so as not to squander the huge investments by the network) to Mayweather’s myth of ring invincibility, there is no other fighter out there (aside from a few that include Manny Pacquiao, who he won’t dare fight even in his sleep) that can touch him.

In an ideal world, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., being crowned as the world’s no. 1 pound-for-pound fighter and proclaimed as the best in the business by many boxing organizations and media outlets, should have been tangling with a fighter that is equal or near his caliber on Saturday night. And Marcos Maidana should have been fighting Adrien Broner in a rematch of their highly-competitive fight. But this is the world of boxing nowadays, wherein the legitimacy of many major events is questionable and most of the time, the paying boxing fans are left with nothing but disappointments at the end of every major pay-per-view fight.

And if only the fight fans will realize who really holds the ‘power of the purse’ in this business and begin to show their disdain for inconsequential fights that insult their intelligence, then this Mayweather-Maidana charade should have never been considered nor made in the first place.

So, the buying public is left with no other recourse but to accept what the powers that be at Showtime, aided by their rah-rah boys in the boxing media, put on their plate and swallow hook, line and sinker that Marcos Maidana deserved the shot to be Floyd Mayweather, Jr.’s next dancing partner?

Forking over $70 of hard-earned money for a fight that both the die-hard observers and casual fans alike at this day and age consider to be a sparring session is insane. And no disrespect to Marcos Maidana and his never-say-die attitude, but he is not in Floyd Mayweather, Jr.’s class, and Maidana is not who the boxing world really wants to see squaring with Mayweather inside the ring on Saturday night.

Picture this: Marcos Maidana, a natural light welterweight and the smaller guy, will climb into the ring against Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who is considered to be the most talented and the best fighter in the world, and is a natural welterweight/junior middleweight. What else would we expect the result will be?

Picture this: Marcos Maidana, a slow and plodding boxer (his power punches notwithstanding) trying to hit Floyd Mayweather, Jr., one of the most elusive fighters in the world blessed with fast hands, very good footwork, and superior boxing IQ to boot, and we think that Maidana has a chance of pulling an upset?

Just two scenarios point out that it doesn’t take a genius or a rocket scientist to realize that this so-called championship fight is a mismatch and a sham. That is why whatever contempt and derision held by the fight fans towards The Moment is just right and justified.

Note: This article was first published on Detroit Boxing Examiner

ShoBox: Do not hate on J'Leon Love

In the main event of Friday night’s ShoBox: The New Generation at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York, Inkster’s J’Leon Love (17-0-1, 10 KOs) stopped the overmatched but pesky Vladine Biosse (16-2-2, 7 KOs) in the final round of the 10-round super middleweight bout.

Vladine Biosse, who played football for the University of Rhode Island in college, was never in the fight, as the talented and skillful J’Leon Love kept him at bay with his stiff jabs, good footwork and well-timed combinations for most of the night.

The only significant thing that Biosse did to Love was when he was able to inflict a cut above the latter’s left eye courtesy of a headbutt in the fourth round. Otherwise, it was a one-sided affair in which the outcome was never in doubt. Another win, another successful outing for the young fighter being groomed for bigger things by The Money Team.

Love cut, bloodied and punished his opponent all night with shots coming from all angles, and the game Biosse took them all. It was a picture of contradiction as Love had all the talent and skill but Biosse had all the heart and determination. Biosse ate all the leather that Love could give, but still did not quit. Biosse withstood Love’s onslaught for 9 full rounds and even up to those fateful last minutes of the 10th, or so we thought.

That is why when the referee Benjy Esteves finally decided to end the fight with more or less a minute and a half remaining in the 10th and final round to give J’Leon Love the TKO victory, many fans were dismayed, since although Vladine Biosse was cowering and cornered on the ropes and J’Leon Love was teeing-off, the shots were not landing solidly and were in fact deflected by Vladine Biosse’s glove and movements.

As one of my friends put it, “C’mon, give the man a break. He lasted this long; let him finish the fight on his feet.”

“They just want to put a TKO on his record,” added another. Sometimes this writer found it amusing when people would throw in the ‘conspiracy angle’ on things that did not suit their tastes or beliefs.

The ShoStats showed J’Leon Love’s overwhelming dominance over the hapless Vladine Biosse by outlanding him 263 to 99 in total punches, with a 224 to 85 edge in power punches.

In pummeling Vladine Biosse in lopsided fashion, J’Leon Love showed us why he is considered to be a future world champion and highly regarded by no less than the great Floyd Mayweather, Jr., as shown by the pre-fight brotherly hug and whispers that the pound-for-pound king gave his fellow Michigander.

Still, to some boxing observers, J’Leon Love’s victory left something to be desired. Yes, he was dominant and showed a lot of weapons in his arsenal, yet people were left wondering that there was something missing in his performance. Yes, all the essential things were there -- movement, accuracy, hand speed and good defense -- but

people want to see in J’Leon Love the spark, the fire and the ability to destroy an opponent, especially if that opponent is a fighter like Vladine Biosse who is not in his league.

Vladine Biosse, in their eyes, had no business to trade gloves with J’Leon Love in the first place, and him lasting that long in the ring was an indictment on Love’s ability as a fighter rather than his opponent’s durability.

As for me, J’Leon Love’s inability to finish off Vladine Biosse early was the only element that was missing in a rather impressive performance in my book. And this writer can live with that small bump at this point of J’Leon Love’s career.

But if J’Leon Love wants to be a bankable star in the future, he needs to elevate his game more. He needs to start fighting and destroying more credible opponents rather than feasting on journeymen and patsies.

How about a rematch with Gabriel Rosado for a start?

Note: This article was first published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

First Take: Larry Merchant sells his take on Mayweather-Pacquiao megafight

photo credit: HBO Boxing

This morning, respected boxing analyst Larry Merchant graced ESPN's First Take in what host Stephen A. Smith called as "ESPN collaborating with HBO on boxing," that was hailed by many boxing observers as a move in the right direction for the networks.

For people who regularly follow the show, the guest appearance of Larry Merchant was like a breath of fresh air after being exposed for far too long to the daily diatribes of the two hysterical, loquacious, and hilarious motormouths in Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith. On a side note, the addition of Cari Champion as the moderator between the two protagonists is a welcome addition, too.

Larry Merchant, a hard-hitting veteran of the boxing circuit, who is not afraid to speak his mind on any topic, knows his boxing really well. He will not hold any punches to dish out verbal jabs, hooks and straights on anyone if he deems it necessary to convey his point. He is a straight-shooter inside and outside the ring and is probably one of the greatest, if not the greatest, TV boxing analysts of all time.

The topic of the discussion was: "Running Scared: Is Floyd Mayweather really afraid of Manny Pacquiao?", showing video snippets of Pacquiao proclaiming on one of his earlier appearances on First Take that he is willing to accept a lower percentage of the fight revenue (45%-to-55%) and that his earlier objection to random drug testing is now a non-issue ("No problem even at the night of the fight, no problem").

But the most telling piece was when Manny Pacquiao was asked whether Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is afraid of him. Manny Pacquiao laughed at the question and seriously stated that he believes that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is really afraid of him -- "I think it's kind of that."

But true to form, Larry Merchant had a different opinion on the matter: "Mayweather is not afraid of fighting Manny Pacquiao. I think, number one, what's held up this fight, and I've been in the 'yes it's going to happen' category when the nos have been carrying the day for a few years, is that there's a disincentive financially."
He further explained that both fighters are "making upwards of 40-50 million a year: Pacquiao by fighting twice, Mayweather by fighting once. There's no urgency. It's a business as well as a sport."

Stephen A. Smith then offered his 'solution' of "stop buying the pay-per-view other than a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather, Jr." fight and went on to say that he believes that Floyd Mayweather will win it because "he is the best boxer on the planet."

Larry Merchant went on length to convey his views on Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. -- "They are the heavyweight champions in America in terms of their popularity, in terms of reaching beyond boxing to the casual fans."

"I think Floyd Mayweather thinks he's going to beat Manny Pacquiao. He will be the favorite. What Mayweather is afraid of more than anything else is an L, a loss. He has marketed himself as this unbeaten and unbeatable fighter, and to a lot of new fans or unsophisticated fans, they think that's a big, big deal, which it never has been, because if you fight enough good, young fighters in their prime, somebody's gonna beat you. It happened to Pacquiao even in a bad decision, but against a tough, good kid."

Skip Bayless pressed Larry Merchant further, "Does Floyd think he'll win or lose to Pacquiao?"

"I think he thinks that Pacquiao is the greatest threat to him. Why take, in the risk-reward equation, if I can make $40 million for fighting some guy (and) I've only got to give him $3 million to take the fight, why am I going to do that (fight Pacquiao)? There have been comparable situations in the past. Lennox Lewis and Tyson didn't fight 'til well into their careers and broke records; they were past their primes. So, it's business. Will the heat still be there? Will they both have maintained their star status? Will they lose it? It's not unprecedented in boxing. Hopefully it'll happen someday. Meanwhile, we've got 3 big pay-per-view events in boxing in a year instead of one big blowout."

And Stephen A. Smith, not to be outdone, posited this silly question to Merchant-

"Who's the best boxer on the planet right now?"

"I think Mayweather is on top and I think Pacquiao is right there." Merchant then confessed though that he "likes Pacquiao's style as a puncher-boxer."

Then Larry Merchant added this nugget of a wisdom on the possible Mayweather-Pacquiao scenario:
"The old expression "good defense beats good offense." It was the pitcher for the Pirates Bob Veale who said, "good pitching beats good hitting" and vice versa. It's the good hitting that sometimes beats good pitching."

The round-table discussion continues with Skip Bayless interjecting that he is on record that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is "ducking Manny Pacquiao because he fears that Manny is equal to him in hand quickness but has more punching power, and for the first time in Floyd's career, not only does he stand to take the L but he stands to get hurt, to get caught."

Larry Merchant, in his own irrepressible way, delivered the counterpunch: 'I'm surprised that Skip has such strong opinions on this thing" that elicited laughter among themselves.

"My attitude about the fight is I wanna see it happen. Mayweather fought Cotto; it was a good fight, a better fight than expected, and the 4th Marquez-Pacquiao fight may be a better one than the first three, all of which were good fights."

Cari Champion then asked that if Mayweather and Pacquiao get together, "Who do you think is gonna win the fight?"

Larry Merchant refused to answer the question directly but has this to say:

"I'm gonna wait 'til it happens. And because things happen between now and then, there's no doubt that Mayweather will be the favorite. And that if you go by the history of these things, the boxer, the guy who comes out of the dressing room with his first and second thoughts are 'I'm not gonna get hit' and is a master at that," and in Merchant's opinion, "it's hard to beat him."

Many fight fans are hoping that Larry Merchant's first appearance on the show will not be his last. And even if we do not agree with some of his views, it is refreshing to listen to somebody as knowledgeable and eloquent as Larry Merchant sharing his thoughts regarding some of the issues plaguing the sport.


Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

ESPN First Take: Mayweather-Pacquiao Saga Continues

ESPN First Take: Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. speaks about his future, jail time and Manny Pacquiao

Credits: David Becker/Getty Images

After his release from jail, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has so far managed to maintain a low profile when it comes to his career and personal life. Except for a few interviews here and there, Mayweather has been quiet on all fronts; no mean feat for a person who historically craves the limelight and a magnet of controversy both in his words and actions.

In one of the interviews he did for FightHype, a sober Floyd Mayweather, Jr. opened up his mind and bared some of his plans. He spoke about his personality ("It's about having personality, you know. You gotta be outspoken and have personality. It's not really the bad guy. I enjoy entertaining. That's what it's about, giving the fans excitement and entertainment. Some pay to see me win, some pay to see me lose, but they all pay."), his relationship with his rapper buddy 50 Cent ("everything that he touch turns to gold"), his promotions company, his time in a Las Vegas prison, and of course, Manny Pacquiao.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. gave us a glimpse of his life in jail which included his distrust of the food that was being served, "I was surviving off commissary. I didn't eat the food at all...I don't like it and I didn't trust it" and the activities that he did to keep himself in good physical shape, like ridiculously pushing himself to do push-ups -- from a few hundreds to a thousand push-ups or more per day -- "I started doing 436 pushups a day. Then I went from 436 to 872. Then I went to 1308, so I was doing like 1300 pushups a day."

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. also divulged that he also found time to read while incarcerated, "I was doing a lot of reading from the fans, and just reading different books, different magazines." It would have been interesting to know what kind of books and magazines Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has found a liking to, except that the interviewer did not pursue the topic.

But the most telling part of the interview was the one regarding his views and positions on fighting Manny Pacquiao. His ambivalence on the topic was palpable as he tried to explain his reasons, as well as reiterating his uncompromising stand on his demands.

"I don't have any hate towards Manny Pacquiao, you know. I respect him, but I'm just saying, it's not a crime. I'm also saying I'ma do random blood and urine testing, you know, just so I can be in a clean sport. That's all I'm asking."

"Actually, we don't do the same type of numbers, so how can we split? We don't draw the same type of money."

"It's kind of hard. I mean, Arum wants money, but the thing is, it's about putting the fighters in a good position. It's about Pacquiao and Mayweather. It's about putting both fighters in a good position, and of course I'm going to put myself in a good position."

"I can't really say why he won't do the random blood and urine tests...at this particular time, I don't know if he wants to do it or not."

These pronouncements are nothing but empty rhetorics though, since we have all heard this before. These pronouncements are nothing but a sad refrain from a fighter who is showing ambivalence in fighting the one person who could test his will and limits as a prizefighter. There is no question that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is one of the greatest fighters of his era and is actually favored to beat Manny Pacquiao if ever they face each other in the ring, but until the day happens we will never really know the answer.

Obviously, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is putting the blame on Bob Arum for the failed negotiations of the megafight. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is still adamant that he will call the shots when it comes to the purse split as well as the percentage of the pay-per-view revenue. And lastly, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. makes it appear that Manny Pacquiao is still against random blood testing. (For the record, Manny Pacquiao has gone on record on numerous occasions that there is no more problem on his part with the blood testing issue -- random, Olympic or otherwise.)

And Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has this to say as a parting shot, "The only thing I can continue to do is, if I do fight again, I'll fight whoever they put in front of me."

It would have been great for boxing if only Floyd Mayweather, Jr. would be true to his pronouncements, but based on his track record, we will all need to take everything that he says with a grain of salt.

  Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Manny Pacquiao at the crossroads

Credits: 

Jeff Bottari/Getty Images

Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao can't seem to find his head these days. Even prior to his controversial loss to Timothy Bradley, Pacquiao's focus regarding his boxing career was already being questioned by many observers. As if his duties and responsibilities as an elected representative in the Philippine Congress were not enough, his newly-found religious fervor now also has to compete with the time that he has to spend in the ring.

As of this writing, Top Rank and Manny Pacquiao cannot seem to agree on the timeframe of his return to the ring as well as on his preferred opponent if ever he decides to fight again this year. This uncertainty coupled with his actions and behaviors in the past is another obvious sign that shows his heart is no longer 100% into his boxing career.

But one thing is certain, whether Manny Pacquiao decides to fight on November 10 or on a later date in December, the list of familiar opponents being touted does not excite even his die-hard fans more so the casual ones.

Timothy Bradley, Miguel Cotto, and Juan Manuel Marquez are all good fighters in their own right, but to many fans they are not the fights that they want to see, especially at this stage of Manny Pacquiao's career. But we also cannot deny the reality that Manny Pacquiao has very little options left except against Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

But since Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is enjoying an extended sabbatical from boxing after his stint in prison and trying his darndest best to evade the Pacquiao question, the boxing powers that be have given us just three choices to pick on who will be Manny Pacquiao's next dancing partner if and when he decides to fight.

In this writer's opinion, Miguel Cotto should not even be in the equation, especially after the brutal beating that the Pacman inflicted on him. There is no drama nor the element of surprise here as the fight was conclusive and one-sided. The loss to Floyd Mayweather, Jr., even though the Boricua fighter gave a good account of himself, further disqualifies him in many boxing observers' minds.

Timothy Bradley, despite all his pronouncements lately, just does not cut it out. The boxing world knows who won the fight that night in Las Vegas, except the boxing judges who robbed Manny Pacquiao of his belt and gave it to Bradley, despite Bradley doing almost nothing to improve his stock in the fight. The dole-out was just inconceivable even to the eyes of the casual boxing fans who probably don't know the difference between a right hook and a bare-handed slap. No boxing fan in his right mind would want to undergo the experience of watching a snoozefest the second time around.

That leaves us with Manny Pacquiao's perennial nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez. The Mexican is probably the only fighter who was able to solve the Pacquiao puzzle and was not intimidated by the Filipino's mystique in the ring. Their trilogy was very competitive albeit controversial as both camps and their supporters believed in their hearts that their own fighter was the rightful winner regardless of the result of the fight.

Juan Manuel Marquez provides danger and a challenge to Manny Pacquiao. The Mexican fighter is like a bad nightmare that never goes away. Manny Pacquiao needs to put a stop to Juan Manuel Marquez's emphatic claims regarding their past fights.

Yes, Manny Pacquiao should choose Juan Manuel Marquez from the list in order for him to put an end to the lingering doubts of the skeptics regarding his close victories over the Mexican legend. Manny Pacquiao needs to stamp his class and put Marquez away decisively and for good.

But before he puts his name on the dotted line, Manny Pacquiao should try to look inside himself and find out whether he still has the fire and desire to continue fighting. Otherwise, it is time to walk away from the fight game.

 Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

The gospel according to Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao once shared a story that one night: after his life and death experience inside the ring with his nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez in November 2011, he was awakened from a nightmare in which God had talked to him about him straying away from His teachings. He promised Him that he will do everything in his power to change and lead a better life.

Manny Pacquiao now avers that he is a completely different person from his old self.

"The old has passed, the new has come."

Manny Pacquiao, as a result of that 'conversation' with God, has transformed himself into what he is now: a man who is at peace with himself and with God, which in his opinion is a turn for the better.

"It's better for me. I know if I die today where I'm going. I'm not worried about what fits in this world. I'm worried about what happens to me in my eternal life."

But we may ask ourselves, how can a man who makes a living through violence, by hurting other people inside the ring, at the same time preach about peace among his fellow men without affecting his job and the manner on which he does it?

The contradiction is obviously not lost to his critics who called his sudden transformation from a man who openly wallowed deep in sin into a Bible-quoting preacher just plain hypocrisy. The same people also quickly jumped to the conclusion that Manny Pacquiao's so-called awakening is nothing but for show. Yes, the transformation has elicited both negative and positive responses from every man on the streets, to everyone who wants to have his two cents heard on the matter.

But Manny Pacquiao's transformation will not come as a surprise to many who religiously followed the Filipino fighter's career. Despite his frailties as a human being and the trappings of being a celebrity in his chosen profession, deep inside Manny Pacquiao is a very religious person and has a huge heart for the downtrodden.

Even when it comes to his rival Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s baseless accusations of PEDs use and constant tirades (that on many occassions border to the absurd) against him, Manny Pacquiao elected to be the better man and never uttered a single bad word against the American (although he opted to charge him for defamation but still, Pacquiao is giving Mayweather a legal forum to defend himself and a chance to prove his allegations).

And with Mayweather's latest predicament that landed him in a Las Vegas jail for domestic battery charges against the mother of his children, Pacquiao has only this to say-

"I don't judge people, I don't condemn people. I'm praying for him that everything will be fine and he will realize the truth."

Manny Pacquiao admits to having erred in his life by indulging in many sinful activities in the past, including indulging in alcohol, womanizing (which almost cost him his marriage), cockfighting (search YouTube for videos showing him betting millions of pesos on a single fight) and other forms of gambling. But now Manny Pacquiao proclaims that since following the teachings in the scriptures and giving up all his vices, he is now a happy and contented man.

"I don't like anymore gambling, drinking, girls, stuff like that, because I was reading the word of God. The sins we committed over and over, I stopped doing that. I found it in my manual for life, the Bible"

Because of Manny Pacquiao's recent pronouncements, a lot of people are wondering whether he still has the desire to fight and inflict harm on his opponents. Yes, a lot of people are now questioning whether Manny Pacquiao still has the heart and the fire to demolish his opponents the way that he used to throughout his storied career. The answer to those questions will eventually be answered on fight night, but here was the answer coming from the man himself-

"This fight?" Pacquiao referrring to his advertised battle royale against Timothy Bradley this coming Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, "this is my job. I have a job to make people happy. . . Yes, I'm happy doing this. This is what God made me to do."

So there.

Manny Pacquiao's claims of finding solace in the word of God is nothing to sneer about. The man is serious regarding his newfound calling. We can just view this as another phase, a stage of man's never-ending search for answers to his questions about Life and Faith.

So instead of casting the first stone, we should just respect his beliefs and be happy for the man as long as he does not renege on his promise to deliver his usual mayhem on fight night.

 *This article was originally published in Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Photo Credit: David Becker/Getty Images

Mr. Mayweather Goes to Jail

Today, boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather, Jr. appeared before the sala of Judge Melissa Saragosa inside the Clark County Justice Center wherein he was turned over to the proper authorities and was then brought to the Clark County Detention Center in downtown Las Vegas to begin what remains of his 90-day sentence after pleading guilty to domestic violence against Josie Harris, the mother of his three children, that occured in 2010.

Today is the day, after using his influence as a huge draw in cash-strapped Las Vegas to convince Saragosa to postpone his jail time in order to fight Miguel Cotto last May 5 and contribute some much needed revenue to the city, Mayweather was handcuffed and escorted to his cell, in which he will spend at least 23 hours a day for the remainder of his sentence. The 6-foot-by-10 foot jail cell is a far cry to the spacious and plush mansion that he calls home.

Continue reading HERE

Mayweather-Pacquiao: Who's the chicken?

IRS to ‘Money’ Mayweather: Where’s the money?

Undefeated boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather, Jr. who also goes by the moniker ‘Money May’ fashions himself as a very smart man when it comes to money matters but we all know that when it comes to ‘real’ money matters in the United States, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the only true king.

Recently, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has been bragging and tweeting about his winnings in the thousands of dollars betting on NBA games and painting to us how cool and savvy he is with his winning ways. Not a very good move from somebody who has a track record of not paying his taxes properly.

True to form and just a day after April Fools Day, the IRS reminded us once again that not paying our taxes is no laughing matter when it slapped a reported $3.4 million bill on Floyd Mayweather, Jr. for unpaid taxes from 2009. Suddenly, the IRS upped the ante and spoiled Money May’s big party.


Click on the link below for the full article:

IRS to 'Money' Mayweather: Where's the money?

Ron Artest promotes Mayweather- Pacquiao fight

Ron Artest, the unpredictable LA Lakers enforcer was in a good mood Tuesday night as he voiced his desire to help Bob Arum promote the 'predestined' Mayweather- Pacquiao fight.

The interview was done in the Lakers dressing room at the Staples Center right after the grueling 139-137 triple OT win by the home team over the visiting Phoenix Suns.

Mouthpiece: What now, Floyd?

The withdrawal of Andre Berto in his January 30th fight date with Shane Mosley further pushed Floyd Mayweather, Jr.’s back to the wall. Earlier in the year, Manny Pacquiao boxed and fenced him in and now Shane Mosley will provide the nail on the coffin for Money May to finally man up and step up to the plate lest he will be labeled as the ‘greatest coward of all time.’

This recent development coupled with his impasse with Team Pacquiao regarding the so-called Olympic- style drug testing put Floyd Mayweather, Jr in a very tenuous position. This recent development means Floyd Mayweather, Jr.’s days of shooting from the mouth are over and now he has to let his fist do the talking.

The onus is on Floyd to prove to the boxing world that he is for real, and that all his pronouncements of him being the best there is, are not just idle talk. Whereas if he was able to cherry-pick his opponents as well as fight fighters not his size in the past and get away with it, Floyd Mayweather, Jr literally and figuratively will now have to put his money where his mouth is. .

After the falling out of his mega fight with Manny Pacquiao, boxing fans will not be too keen of seeing him fight a green fighter like Saul Alvarez or a clown like Paulie Malignaggi or an old man in Nate Campbell or even a smaller Timothy Bradley when a real and ‘badder’ welterweight is just around the corner.

After the falling out of his mega fight with Manny Pacquiao, boxing fans will no longer tolerate him evading and ducking fighters that will challenge his claims of being ’the greatest fighter of all time.’

After the falling out of his mega fight with Manny Pacquiao, fans will not look at him too kindly while he continues to fleece them of their hard-earned PPV money.

After the falling out of his mega fight with Manny Pacquiao, his being a disciple of the roadrunner is over. Yes, he can still run but he cannot hide. Or better still, he cannot run and hide at the same time now. He is left with no other choice but to toe the line and fight Mosley, if you ask me.

After Manny Pacquiao, Mosley is the next best thing there is for Mayweather since he would never step up to fight Paul Williams anyway. You bet, he won’t and will never do a Pacquiao, that is, climb up in weight, fight and challenge bigger and meaner fighters than himself.

And despite his age, Shane Mosley is a legitimate P4P elite fighter. Despite his age, Mosley is still sugary sweet and will be a handful inside the ring for any opponent. Another thing, Mosley is a fighter who will bring the fight to his opponent which will make this one a really good fight. Most of all, Mosley called out Floyd and actually embarrassed him right after his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

But this makes us think if and when the fight actually happens, will Golden Boy Productions and Team Mayweather do an Olympic- style drug testing under the USADA aside from the customary testing being done by the Nevada State Athletic Commission since Mosley is an admitted PEDs user?

If Mayweather will not fight Pacquiao, I believe, this fight is the next best thing although I will not deal now with the hypocrisy of preferring to fight an admitted steroids and EPO user rather than fighting a fighter who has never tested for one nor has proven links to people and companies that deal with PEDs.

But this also makes me realize that if and when the fight actually happens, Mayweather can prove to all of his critics and detractors that he is really the fighter that he says he is. He can now silence them and even earn their respect because this will be his most important fight to date and a step up towards becoming a real man. This will be a very significant one if he is really keen on a ‘Battle Royale’ with the Pacman later in the year.

So, your move Floyd.


*First published in Now Boxing