The pre-fight hype of a fight is like a maze of smoke and mirrors of quotes and psychological warfare, posturing and grandstanding, truth and propaganda, false and real.
The Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather fight is no different.
The underlying theme of this fight is simple and clear to open-minded ring observers. Pacquiao aggressively pursued the challenge of Mayweather for over five years and now finally, through the help of destiny, fan and media pressure, fate, his own media campaign of mocking and taunting Mayweather, the coincidental Miami face off, and most of all the emergence of the powerful CBS CEO Les Moonves into the equation.
Now Mayweather has been forced — and with a brave face, has fully committed to overcoming the greatest threat to his career.
Through it all Pacquiao has not blinked or shown any sign of relinquishing the mental edge he surely possesses – because he KNOWS Floyd was forced into this fight and wanted to bypass Pacquiao forever. When you know your arch rival does not really want to fight you, it’s a massive psychological advantage.
To cover up the wounds of insecurity Floyd showed by ducking Pacquiao for five years, Mayweather has been training hard and conveying an air of confidence, boasting some outrageous claims, such as saying he’s better than Muhammad Ali. It’s big talk that will impress and thrill some simple-minded, impressionable fans but really it’s just empty, immature talk.
Pacquiao has actually spoken the most powerful combination of words so far in the pre-fight hype. By far. These words were spoken reluctantly and they had to be provoked out of Pacquiao.
Now let me say, I know words can’t always be trusted, even an honest man with the best intentions, can make a verbal error. But sometimes the words or a sentence of a champion boxer before a major fight, simply reveals everything.
An example: Before the first Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson fight in Las Vegas, Holyfield guaranteed to the media that he would win the fight and he actually instructed the cluster of reporters who were around him to “bet your rent money” on him to beat Tyson. Now, that’s bold, undeniable, direct, pinpoint accurate confidence. It’s a veiled guarantee. Of course, Holyfield decisively defeated Mike Tyson by stoppage in that fight – and the reporters who took Holyfield at his word, were handsomely rewarded for their wagers.
To my boxing sensibilities, Manny Pacquiao has also spoken a stunningly blunt declaration of unbreakable, certain, confidence. A veiled guarantee. During the ESPN interview with Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith in March, Pacquiao was asked by Bayless why he always wanted to fight Floyd so much. Pacquiao, smiling, paused and hesitated – perhaps because he didn’t want to sound immodest or not humble, but then he decided to proceed and stated firmly: “I want to prove… … … I can easily beat the undefeated…”
I’ll repeat it: “I CAN EASILY BEAT THE UNDEFEATED.”
Now coming from a humble man like Manny Pacquiao, that’s ten times more powerful and confident and in-your-face than anything Mayweather has stated – during this pre-fight hype process – about what he’s going to do to Pacquiao. Surprisingly and uncharacteristically, Floyd has actually been humble and respectful and careful with his choice of words regarding Pacquiao. Which suggests his confidence about facing Pacquiao may not really there.
After dropping his knockout words, Pacquiao also added a few more shots for extra emphasis, in case the targeted party didn’t quite understand: “I will say this: The Lord, my God that I’m serving, will deliver him into my hands on May 2.”
OUCH.
But along with all the history of this fight buildup over the last six years, all the ducking, all the excuses, all the fake retirements and obstacles and deceptive blaming, I believe one sentence, just that one simple humbly spoken sentence is the actual beacon of what will unfold on May 2…
“I want to prove…I can easily beat the undefeated…”
