So Floyd Mayweather Jr. pulled out of his fight set against Juan Manuel Marquez for July 18. I guess not even the invitation they extended to their respective presidents was enough for the fight to take off.
Perhaps sensing a massive letdown, Pretty Boy Floyd thought it would be best to save face rather than eat crow and realize he is not Boxing’s cash cow after all. If it weren’t for some heated arguements with an ESPN analysts here and there, people have really responded to the announced Mayweather Jr.- Marquez fight with lukewarm interest at best. The interest simply isn’t there the way expected from mega-fights should.
Perhaps Floyd’s ribs are located in his ego, and if it is so, then I can truly understand why it’s injured. Based on his public persona, Floyd has a big ego. Nothing wrong with that, as NBA legend Magic Johnson said, great players have great egos because it’s that similar quest for greatness that drives them to strive to be the best.
If Floyd Mayweather Jr. expected a grand welcome parade in his return to the sport he once ruled, what he got instead was a rude awakening that there’s a new sheriff in town, and that sheriff?s name is Manny Pacquiao. Floyd?s ego, aka his ?ribs?, first took shots from fans the very night he announced he was back in town. Pacquiao?s mesmerized fans with his 2-round destruction of Ricky Hatton whom Mayweather needed 9 rounds to dispatch. Fans were singing Pacquiao?s praises from all across the fight game.
Floyd?s ribs would again take on hits when fans and analysts were all of a sudden criticizing his decision to fight a smaller guyin Juan Manuel Marquez when he could?ve chosen to go after the likes of Shane Mosley and Paul Williams. Just a couple of days ago, super flyweight champion Ivan Calderon had his go on Floyd?s ?ribs? when he mocked ?Money May? saying he was planning to fight Floyd next since Mayweather seemed to be intent on fighting smaller boxers. Ouch! That?s got to hurt. The biggest blow that probably broke Floyd?s ?ribs? however is when ticket sales to his fight with Marquez have flopped and failed to live up to it?s billing. With his ?ribs? all jacked up, there was only one thing left to do- Pull out. In a statement published by Sports Illustrated, Mayweather said
“I am extremely disappointed that this fight has to be postponed,” said Mayweather. “I was training very hard and looking forward to getting back in the ring on July 18th.”
Don?t get me wrong, I’m not saying Floyd or Golden Boy staged the injury the way they staged the announcement for the fight on the day of Pacquiao’s big fight with Hatton, but I guess it’s for the best. For all I know, and as Golden Boy CEO Richard Shaeffer said “It’s a legitimate injury. We have talked to a doctor. My understanding is that it is muscle related. It’s a tough injury for Floyd because he was looking to fight twice this year. Now he is probably only going to get to fight once.”
Unfortunately boxing is boxing and injuries do happen- but so does conspiracy theories. The timing of this announcement (after Cotto?s victory over Clottey and a deal to fight Pacquiao looking imminent) is too hard to just brush off. In an interview ourNew York Boxing Examiner Michael Marley published, when asked about the cancellation of Floyd?s fight Top Rank boss Bob Arum said
?You know more than I do,? Arum said. ?We were a half hour outside Vegas when I got (text mail) word from Todd (DuBoef, Top Rank?s president) about the announcement. Did you ever hear of such a boxing announcement coming on a Sunday? I never did.?
Well fight fans, what do you think? Can you smell Pacquiao-Marquez 3 is this simply a precursor to the real fight every fight fan has been asking for? Pacquiao-Mayweather anyone?
