“I don’t know if the two-year layoff is going to affect me, but I feel fast, I’m strong and my timing is there,” Mayweather said Wednesday. “I think the break actually helped, because I haven’t had a break since ’87. My body gets a chance to heal, and I just grew mentally as a person … and I feel good.”
I, for one, am shocked and appalled to learn that rapper Jay Z has mentioned Manny Pacquiao in a song.
Imagine how Floyd Mayweather, the music impresario and owner of the highly successful (insert laughter here) Philthy Rich label, feels.
Isn’t “Money May” supposed to be the ring icon of choice in the thimble world of big time rappers?
Wasn’t it bad enough that Pacman encroached upon and then swiped Mayweather’s Pound For Pound crown in his 21 month absence from the ring?
Now Pacman has muscle his way into rap music?
This is all the more reason that Mayweather, who must feel like he and his Sept. 19 comeback bout against Juan Manuel Marquez, is getting blocked by the Dallas Cowboys offensive line, has to do something spectacular when the first bell goes ding 14 days hence.
Mayweather must make a statement that says, I’m back, I’m the real master of this domain and Pacquiao’s reign was just a temporary thing.
First, look at this sagging promotion’s final days.
Pacquiao does a Yankee Stadium press conference with Miguel Cotto on Sept. 10.
Thus, Pacquiao owns the Internet and the newspapers that day.
Then Miguel and Manny repeat their dog and pony show in Puerto Rico and, again, they own the Internet and the newspapers.
Ditto for stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego (no Cotto at this stop).
Add it up, you’ve got five precious preflight publicity days totally blocked and dominated by Pacman and his Boricua buddy.
If we didn’t know what a sportsman Bob Arum is, we might harbor a suspicion that promoter planned it that way, that he is trying to further sabotage Juan Ma and PBF.
But, come on, your Uncle Bobby wouldn’t do such a thing, Perish the thought.
But, despite all this, Mayweather will fight and he will win.
But winning, I repeat, is not enough.
Pacquiao put Juan Ma down four times in two bouts. Does this man Mayweather has to drop him eight times?
Nay, nay.
But, to put his name back on the map, to really replant his flag, Mayweather has to do something spectacular in his 36 allotted minutes or less.
Is he up to it against a virtual midget?
I think he is and then, as far as Mayweather-Pacquiao, the fire will start flaming out of control.
Burn, baby, burn!
Marquez-Mayweather is hardly a hot match but it could ignite a fearsome fire that will deliver the One Fight The World Demands.
When it happens, I want to see Jay Z back at ringside with a little Filipino flag in hand.
Now he’s Manny’s homeboy, after all.
