Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao represent the best in boxing: two young warriors who are willing to put their well-being on the line to earns millions of dollars while entertaining those who are paying to watch.
Entertaining Fighter + Entertaining Fighter = Profit and Happy Consumer.
The formula to producing an exciting and profitable boxing event is that simple.
Top Rank knows a lot about creating entertaining events, Latin Fury Pay Per View shows aside.
Unfortunately for Bob Arum’s Top Rank, not every fighter in their stable has the lion heart of a Cotto or Pacquiao.
It has been reported earlier today that Kelly Pavlik will be returning to the ring on December 19 in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio against Miguel Espino with the bout likely to be on pay per view.
Pavlik + Espino + Pay Per View = Boxing Garbage.
I, along with many observers, find it a bit fishy that Pavlik will be fighting on the 19th of December, after pulling out of a fight twice with Paul Williams – one of the fights with Williams was scheduled on December 5th.
The pullouts by Pavlik have been due to an infection in one of the sluggers’ hands.
We are to assume that Pavlik’s physical ailments have been cured, just a few weeks after postponing a potential fight of the year type bout against Williams, and he is now ready to go against a much tamer opponent.
Sounds like somebody got cold feet, twice, and I am not talking about Paul Williams.
In reality, Pavlik – who has been heavily pushed by Top Rank after awe-inspiring performances against the likes of Edison Miranda and Jermain Taylor – is left looking like he is ducking Paul Williams.
Can I blame “The Ghost” for disappearing after being dissected and brought back to the world of the living by future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins a year ago?
Regardless of which fighter your backing this weekend – Cotto, or Pacquiao – be thankful that we have two stars who are putting the excuses aside and willing to meet inside of the ring.
Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao carry the Top Rank banner, while Kelly Pavlik is left behind with a handful of excuses.
