WITH no big fights for this week, there seems to be a deafening silence following the retirement of the sport?s pound for pound fighter.
Did Floyd Mayweather Jr. really leave that much of a void?
PERSPECTIVE. I think we may be overstating things here.
To tell you the truth, Floyd?s dismal pay-per-view numbers in his last fight against Andre Berto stamp a ring of finality to the notion that Floyd wasn?t really the major draw he portrayed himself to be.
Sure, his mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao may have generated the most money in the sport?s history but a lot of that had to do with his opponent- or rather the possibility of him being defeated by his opponent.
The same thing could be said with his fights against Oscar de la Hoya and Canelo Alvarez- which were pay-per-view blockbusters.
Conversely, whenever he fought no-hopers like Berto and Carlos ? Tata? Baldomir in 2006, he was a flop.
What rang true a decade ago still held consistently true in Sept 2015: Floyd by himself alone isn?t a pay-per-view attraction.
That also tells you a lot about how well loved he was. Apparently, fans came in droves and shelled out hard earned money whenever prospect of seeing him lose was quite real.
A fighter of that ilk can?t really leave much of a void, can?t he?
HYDRA. That and another reason makes me hopeful. Boxing has evolved into a multi- fighter sport- a hydra of sorts with several fighters propping up different fronts.
You have Pacquiao with a nation of more than 100 million behind him. Not only that , he has evolved into an icon, one revered and even deified by fans of his most fierce rivals.
On the Eastern bloc, you have fighters like Grennady Golovkin and Sergey Kovalev. Both fighters are undefeated and possess fan friendly styles. Middleweight king Golovkin has concussive power in both fists while Kovalev is the light heavyweight king and owns wins over Jean Pascal and the legendary Bernard Hopkins.
Then there?s Canelo who is currently the darling of the Hispanic fans. I haven?t forgiven him yet for his disappearing act against Floyd two years ago, but hey everybody deserves a second chance.
Heavyweight Deontay Wilder looks promising and with the thunder in those fists , has loudly proclaimed that he is the long sought after- next great American heavyweight.
In the lower weight classes you can now find the current pound for pound king, Roman Gonzales. Never before in pugilistic history has the top spot been held by a man fighting at 112 lbs. But watch him fight and he will leave you grasping for breath with his frenetic, take-no-prisoners approach.
Finally there?s Andre Ward whose skill level is arguably comparable to Floyd?s. He seems un?reluctant and unwilling to ascend to the apex, but that?s probably because of his personality. But there?s no denying the talent in those fists.
So fear no more oh ye of little faith. The sport will move on even without Mayweather?s coruscating influence.
We have a vaudeville crop of superstars who are quite capable of sustaining the sport?s momentum.
LAST ROUND. It?s on my inaanak, little cherub Cristina Claire B. Seno. Welcome to the Christian world, and congrats to Marty and May. Cheers!
