It?s the post-fight Pacquiao vs. Bradley press conference and Bob Arum, in response to some MGM maneuvers, is in full throttle; ??A fifteen to one fight being advertised (Mayweather vs. Maidana)?I come from an era to see competitive fights?a 25-1 fight, on the undercard (Mayweather-Maidana)?a guy facing a guy whose hasn?t fought in two years, that?s pretty bad?good money to see nonsense?boycott the nonsense on May 3?if you (the public) want to see that fight tell your readers not to buy it on Pay Per View and not to buy tickets?? Its hard not to argue with someone like Bob Arum. Clearly his success in the boxing world dating back to the first Chuvalo vs. Ali fight in the storied Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens speaks for itself.
Is it that time? Boycott the Pay Per View Mayweather Fight?! Certainly Maidana?s losses speak for themselves and promoting Maidana to being other than what showed in those losses, by way of beating Broner, is smoke and mirrors for certainly ?The Problem? is not even remotely at all what he would like you to believe. That much was clear in his fight with Malignaggi and Ponce De Leon. Money Mayweather, in picking Maidana, has chosen another slow footed, slow handed opponent perfectly suited for his style. Meanwhile the fast footed, fast punching, K.O. artist Keith Thurman waits!
Money on Manny
This past two weeks various boxing websites were posting silly articles in regards to the first Bradley vs. Pacquiao decision and somehow relating that to boycotting the Pay Per View rematch. Don?t ask me how the two thought processes connect!
Why do we like Manny? We like Manny because he comes to fight. When Manny speaks of boxing he speaks of bringing entertainment and that he does. In aggressive fashion he entertains us while forcing the action with power and speed. When Mayweather speaks he speaks about Mayweather. He speaks about career management and chosen opponents. It?s not for your viewing pleasure. The following scenario will give a clear example of what to boycott and what not to boycott.
Cast of Characters
Every year my good friend ?Schmidty? (Michael Schmidt) would hold entertaining boxing parties with emphasis on entertainment for that is what it was. Schmidty has two perfect venues for these boxing parties. On occasion we would run them up at his Northern retreat on one thousand feet of Georgian Bay beachfront. We?d run a three hundred foot cable down to the beach and have the fights broadcast live under the stars. Fireworks and fireworks afterwards! More times than not Schmidty would have them at his principal residence, in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, which has a nine foot cedar hedge surrounding a large back yard including a three tiered twenty five foot illuminated waterfall. Two French door entrances and three linked TV?s made for a great evening packed with forty characters of various background! We haven?t done those dating back to Lewis vs. Tyson and Pacquiao vs. Hatton.
This past weekend Schmidty, through a multi media advertising agency that he is a minority shareholder of, Jensen Strauss Agency Limit?e, at the invite of a friend, organized an entertaining Pacquiao punch fest at a friend?s mansion (one hundred plus acres, man made lake, a high school sized gym built right into the side of the house, etc.). What a cast of characters we had! Amongst the crew of some forty people were the following (as in the photo at the start of this article); Marvin ?the Weasel? Elkind, Jimmy Hoffa?s driver Police Informant, and driver friend to the likes of Ali, Liston, Frazier, Marciano, etc., myself with the Tecate hat, famed referee Steve Smoger, the legendary George Chuvalo, Schmidty?s lawyer brother J. Stephen Schmidt, Canadian cut man and movie actor Carlos Varela Jr., Alexis Arguello?s original trainer up to and including the Ernesto Marcel fight, Carlos Varela Sr., and Tommy ?Loss Prevention Services? Doyle (surveillance and private detective work).
We believe supporting those that support boxing so it was most certainly a Tecate legendary night! Schmidty and I have for years run impromptu friends betting pools on these events. Its pass the Tecate hat and throw in your forty dollars each! I?m proud to say I have somewhat become, in my own humble statements, a Tecate pass the hat legend having taken home twelve hundred dollars when Lennox Lewis knocked out Mike Tyson in the exact round I needed, having watched my beloved New York Giants win the Super Bowl while taking nine hundred dollars out of the hands, or hat as it were, of J. Stephen Schmidt as a football was caught at the last minute on the top of a receivers helmet one handed (Nothing like taking money out of a lawyer?s hands for a change I assure you!), and when Manny knocked out Hatton.
The point being to all of this get together story is we all enjoy the collegiality of each other?s company by way of a boxing entertainment event and there in lies the problem of Mayweather. The entertainment simply isn?t that entertaining and gets that much more frustrating when he refuses to engage offensively on a particular threat. My money was on Manny and I?m proud to say that the Tecate hat, and its contents once again, went home with yours truly. My P.P.V. money was on Manny and rather Manny than Money.
Manny on the Money
He may not be the fighter he was but neither was Roberto Duran when he stepped in the ring to scientifically destroy Iran Barkley. Philboxing.com?s Ronnie Nathanieisz had it most specifically right this past week when he wrote of the congratulations being given to Manny for transitioning from fighter to boxer. He may not have the same explosiveness and speed but rest assured if Manny continues to fight as he did this past week, intelligently mixing what?s left of his speed and power, he remains a continued threat and isn?t going anywhere in terms of disappearing on the constant Mayweather issue!
Money No Matter
At the post-fight press conference Manny eluded to possibly attending the ?Cotto vs. Martinez? fight. There was a gleam in his eye and most assuredly a subtle message that he would be interested in fighting the winner. If that winner happens to be Martinez and if Manny steps up and takes that fight, much as the legendary Duran took fights against much bigger opponents, then, win or loose Manny?s legacy, in the end result, will be that much greater than Mayweather?s. A legacy of time appropriate hand picked opponents does not bode well down the road and, if indeed, it?s all about the money for Money then as a fan one should also think about the money. Simply don?t watch the P.P.V.!
For my entertainment dollar I may just take up Bob Arum on the boycott comments. And that?s entertainment! Bang for buck freedom of choice and I?m looking for entertainment not risk adverse, caution first, defensive round by round manipulation. Schmidty pass the Tecate over but do not pass over on the Tecate!!! Not yet!
