I remember laughing hard a few years ago when basketball’s Charles Barkley declared he was misquoted in his own autobiography.
I never thought that would be possible until fellow examiner Michael Marley quoted me in his column today being on the negative side of “The Fight” possibly being close enough to being announced.
http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m6d2-No-coward-Give-Floyd-Mayweather-Jr-a-standing-ovation-IF
When did I become so cynical? I want “The Fight” to happen. I want all big fights to happen for that matter. But had I grown so cynical about Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao?
I even checked the Dallas Cowboys schedule and confirmed the Cowboys were on the road for two consecutive weeks in November – thus enought time to arrange Cowboys Stadium to put on a major fight Saturday November 13th. Possibly a Manny Pacquiao fight.
I have been waiting over a week – albeit with a long holiday weekend for the USADA’s Travis Tygart to call me back after I agreed to talk to him and hear the truth as he sees it as opposed to mine on blood-doping.
Maybe I lost my way for a while, but, I really want “The Fight” to happen before Mayweather reaches age 34 – when I believe a fighter starts to slip out of his prime.
Now that the elections in the Philippines are over, Top Rank will have put its Yankee Stadium Slugfest to bed between Yuri Foreman and Miguel Cotto late Saturday night, there is not much to shield promoter Bob Arum from the press and talking about “The Fight.”
I don’t know about all this back-channel negotiating I’m hearing about between Top Rank and Golden Boy. I don’t think anyone has the authority to make coffee without Arum’s approval.
But I’m hoping I’m wrong. I’m hoping behind the scenes that details are being worked out to bring this mega-fight to reality.
