Is there anything sadder than a once-proud athlete pining away for another shot at undoing a critical defeat? Well, maybe there IS something sadder?a fighter who generated hundreds of millions of dollars over the course of a two-decade career having to lower himself to take a bout purely for the paycheck.
?Boxing is my main source of income. I can?t rely on my salary as a public official,? Pacquiao recently told CNN Philippines.?I?m helping the family of my wife and my own family, as well. Many people also come to me to ask for help, and I just couldn?t ignore them.?
And anyone was supposed to believe that Pacquiao?s so-called retirement would last? Was anyone supposed to believe that the ?this is Manny?s final fight? baloney back in April was anything other than a marketing ploy to try and sell a pay-per-view with Timothy Bradley that nobody ever wanted in the first place?
It has always been clear that if Pacquiao chose Jessie Vargas for his November 5 ?comeback,? that it would be for a safe paycheck. Terence Crawford was THE opponent to face if Manny wanted a real challenge and a chance at redemption after the Mayweather loss. But Manny and his team chose the safe route against the modestly-skilled Vargas, who is unproven on the main stage of the sport.
From the way things have worked out, one gets the feeling that the only way Manny ever risks a loss again is if there?s ?Mayweather? money involved?and that?s sad for a guy who walked the walk of a real warrior for nearly two decades.
That also brings us back to Mayweather, who beat Pacquiao fair and square back in May of last year despite whines to the contrary (If you get in the ring, you are assumed to be healthy. No excuses, no after-the-fact finger pointing?Period). By all accounts, Team Pacquiao is very eager to get Manny back in the ring with Floyd again and Pacquiao, himself, has seemed to be almost delusional at the idea of revisiting the mega-fight (and most lucrative prizefight of all time).
But if Pacquiao isn?t about challenging himself against the likes of Crawford or Keith Thurman, then why should we assume that the urge to fight Mayweather is about anything other than money?
Once upon a time, Manny would?ve been given the benefit of the doubt and it would?ve been reasonable to say that he?s all about revenge against Mayweather and about overcoming the challenge Mayweather presents. However, everything Pacquiao has done over the last couple of years?right up to his decision to fight Jessie Vargas– screams the opposite.
Shall we call him ?Money? Manny now?
