It?s unfortunate but expected that convicted boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. has rejected Filipino boxing icon, eight division champion Manny Pacquiao?s proposed 50-50 sharing of the purse of the fight that everyone is waiting for.
In a dramatic turnaround from a brief telephone conversation between Mayweather (who initiated the call) and Pacquiao, last Thursday (Jan. 19) last week, hours before the latter received the ?Man of the Decade? award from People Asia Magazine during which time the two agreed to get the fight done on a 50-50 sharing of the purse, Mayweather has, through email, told the ESPN SportsCenter that he cannot accept Pacquiao?s proposal.
A few days earlier, on Monday (Jan. 16), I had met with Pacquiao at his congressional office in the Batasan complex. I personally invited him, on behalf of the Asian Tour, to play, as guest of honor, in the traditional professional-amateur (pro-am) tournament of the 96th Philippine Open to be held at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club on Feb. 8, the day before the four-day Open kicks off at WWGCC?s world-class East Course.
After I had accomplished the main reason for my visit to the fighting Congressman from Saranggani, I asked him his choice for his next opponent in May as he revealed to Top Rank?s Bob Arum. Without any hesitation, he said, ?Si Floyd (Mayweather) na yan (?It?s done, it?s Floyd?). When I asked him about the possible dates, he remained confident and so sure of himself, replying, ?Either May 26 or June 9?.
Since I failed to secure his permission to do a scoop of what he told me in a private conversation and not wishing to abuse his confidence, I refrained from telling my editors about Pacquiao?s statement and instead opted to wait for the next few days. I wanted to see how Arum and company would handle the erratic and unpredictable Mayweather after Pacquiao had chosen the American as his opponent.
I was therefore disappointed but not too surprised after Mayweather came out with his bombshell in ESPN SportsCenter to totally contradict Pacquiao who confirmed during the People Asia awards that it was a ?go? for the Pacquiao-Mayweather match up.
If the fight does not indeed happen because of Mayweather?s behavior (in his ESPN statement, he could not resist taking a swipe at Arum whom, it is well known, he does not particularly like for his own reasons), he may as well go to his cell in the Las Vegas jail and serve his 90-day penalty for beating up the mother of his children and deal with the tough inmates who are certainly just waiting to lay their hands on him in as many ways as they can. As Pacquiao was quoted to have said (and rightfully so), ?I?m not the one going to jail. He is?.
Pacquiao can therefore fight some other opponent on May 26 or June 9 and wait for Mayweather in November to be more beatable after the latter would have been emotionally, psychologically and physically scarred and wasted by the trauma and inconvenience of incarceration and the denial of one?s civil liberties.
In the meantime, Pacquiao can enjoy his life as a free man, a reformed Christian and a dedicated husband and father and public servant, all of which he portrayed when we visited him two weeks ago.
Pacquiao was seated behind his desk personally typing his schedule on his ipad while going over the rest of his February appointments. After a few seconds, he generously accepted the invitation (although he warned us that ?I?m not a good golfer?) upon being told that his participation in the pro-am was meant to raise funds for the thousands of victims of Typhoon Sendong. The idea is for Pacquiao to play golf in a fivesome that will include select friends, sponsors and a professional who will compete in the Open the next day. Other celebrities and sponsors will be in other four or fivesomes to be organized by Asian Tour, the National Golf Association of the Philippines and WWGCC.
The format of Pacquiao?s rare golf appearance for charity could be any of the following over lunch: Pacquiao auctioning off his memorabilia after the 18-hole game, including the sale of autographed boxing and golf gloves and paraphernalia or the ?I beat Manny Pacquiao? event which would involve donating to Typhoon Sendong a certain amount for every stroke better than Pacquiao. The donor then receives a miniature ?I beat Manny Pacquiao? trophy. More on this next week.
