We?re not suggesting that Pacquiao develop a dependency to uppers and downers or that he dies on the toilet?
We thought, though momentarily, that it was a slight possibility. The torch of welterweight supremacy hasn?t been passed as much as it?s actually been forcefully taken. A new batch of talent has taken hold of one of the most talent-stacked divisions in boxing and many of us are happy for the news. The one individual who held a firm grip on the 147-pound class said farewell, or at least so we think (or hope) last summer with a novelty bout against a fighter from a completely different combat discipline.
On the other side of the welterweight coin, there long existed a hard punching, zigzagging dynamo with jackrabbit speed. He hailed from the land where Ferdinand Magellan was stopped dead in his tracks in his attempt to circumnavigate the Earth almost 500 years ago. Waxing history aside, many of us may have been looking forward to April 14, when Terence Crawford is set to embark on his first task towards becoming a welterweight champion in the wake of his thorough cleaning out of the division seven pounds to the south.
Most of us aren?t aeronautical physicists or robotic engineers, yet we don?t have to be to understand the absurdity of Jeff Horn?s unanimous decision win over Manny Pacquiao last July. Two judges scored the contest seven rounds to five for the hometown fighter from Brisbane, Australia, while one had the chutzpah to give nine of twelve to Jeff Horn. Maybe it was the fact that the bout took place in the afternoon so that it could be beamed across the Pacific to American shores on a Saturday night.
It didn?t matter that Pacquiao landed twice as many punches as his opponent from ?down under.? We?ll never know, yet it can?t be all put on the judges, Thirty-six minutes to seal the deal. Any longer and it?s in the hands of three potentially blind mice.
Once the contest was done, Pacquiao stressed that he had to respect the decision of the ringside three. He indicated such instances happen in the sport and that it?s simply part of its nature. Manny didn?t go so far as to cover himself with nothing but a sombrero in the same fashion as Juan Manuel Marquez in late 2011 when he was given what far beyond many saw as a gift decision victory.
On Saturday, April 14, Terence Crawford is scheduled to fight Jeff Horn in Las Vegas. For a while, we were led to believe that Pacquiao would face ?Mile High? Mike Alvarado on the evening?s undercard. According to most sports betting sites, one would have to bet $2,000 to win back $100 in regards to a Crawford victory. In short, a co-main event involving one of the most popular and most accomplished boxers of this generation would indeed be a welcome addition. Alas, it?s not going to happen. Regardless of the humble nature we normally like to associate with the ?Pac Man,? we also know that he carries with him plenty of extra baggage in the form of those who always claim to have his best interests at heart.
On Thursday afternoon, the news broke that Pacquiao had outright rejected a bout with Alvarado because, as his mouthpiece (formally known as a media relations officer) Aquiles Zonio put it frankly, ?is an insult.? ?The world knew who won that dirty fight in Brisbane,? he said. ?It was the biggest broad daylight boxing heist.? But of course, it was. Just as were the sentiments by irate fans in 2008 and 2011, respectively when his career and aura of infallibility, invincibility and marketability were only bolstered with questionable decision triumphs over the aforementioned Marquez.
Take it as you receive it, Manny. As one writer on this website so eloquently stated, he?s entering his ?Fat Elvis? stage. We?re not suggesting that Pacquiao develop a dependency to uppers and downers or that he dies on the toilet, yet time is no longer on his side.
The welterweight class is now in good hands with talented fighters such as Keith Thurman, Errol Spence, Danny Garcia, Shawn Porter and perhaps for a few more weeks, Jeff Horn. We?ll likely add Terence Crawford to that list next month. Basically, Aquiles Zonio has indicated that Mike Alvarado is beneath his fighter.
If he wants the title back that he feels was stolen from him last summer, then backing out of shaking off some ring rust against someone as game as Alvarado isn?t the best way to go. Most signs point to Crawford wresting the WBO world welterweight title from Horn in a few weeks. Manny, have at it. Challenge the soon-to-be champion to a showdown and if he should he turn you down, then take the time to re-evaluate just what can be considered an insult. Try to do so as you push closer to the age of 40.
