During his campaign for the presidency Barack Obama frequently said, “cynicism is a sorry sort of wisdom.” I’ve been thinking of that quote often lately in relation to Floyd Mayweather, who fancies himself not only the best fighter in the world, but the smartest and most shrewd businessman.
Floyd knows all the angles. He was born into the business and understands it as well as anyone. He never makes a foolish move.
We’ve all heard the endless arguments over whether Floyd has ducked opponents or if he has merely consistently chosen the prudent path. I generally fall on Floyd’s side and have found most of his decisions wise. He made the right choices for the money and the risk and he has been rewarded with wealth and fame.
But the problem is Floyd is just a little too smart, a little too much of a businessman. Floyd has been a little too cynical, and fans understand it. I don’t begrudge Floyd his choices, it is prizefighting and any man who steps into the ring should try to get as much as he can for his dangerous endeavor.
But there really is more to it than business, ultimately. There is a romance and a narrative that is also part of the sport and Floyd has lost it along the way. Sometimes it is wisdom to take a chance that might not be entirely prudent. Might Floyd have lost to Antonio Margarito? I doubt it, but it is possible. From a strictly business point of view it was probably logical not to take that fight. But it wasn’t wise.
The Pacquiao negotiations also struck me as a cynical move. Does Mayweather honestly believe Pacquiao is on steroids? I think so, but I don’t really think that’s what it was about. I think it was about mind games and mental warfare. He saw Pacquiao hailed as the embodiment of good and wanted to stain him. It was a brilliant move. Brilliant, but cynical. It ultimately brought the fight down and endangered a career-high payday.
For Mayweather, the smartest man in the sport, it has been a slow education. The difficultly wasn’t so much getting to the top. Mayweather took on challenges and tried to make things happen. But once he grabbed the brass ring from De La Hoya and became the biggest star in the sport he has been too clever by half. While he went into retirement and plotted low-risk paydays Manny Pacquiao stepped forward and captured fan attention by fighting. Manny hasn’t always made the most prudent choices in picking fights, but he’s taken the tough ones, and there is a wisdom in that.
Now Mayweather has received a gift. He was trapped a week ago, with no relevant fights and a public angry at his caution and cynicism. It’s time for him to take the proper path and fight Shane Mosley. It’s more risky than a fight against Kermit Cintron or the rest of the pretenders, but it’s the wise path. I fully expect him to take it.
Some of Floyd’s criticism has been the result of unfortunate chance. If Kostya Tszyu had not lost to Ricky Hatton I believe Floyd would have eventually fought the Australian fighter. If Carlos Baldomir had not upset Zab Judah that victory would have been a defining achievement.
Shane Mosley was ten days away from a dangerous fight he might have lost. Floyd won’t blow his chance this time.
And I don’t think he’ll blow it with Manny Pacquiao later this year either. Floyd says he doesn’t care about legacy, but about checks. Pacquiao will be both, and Floyd now knows just how fragile those qualities are.
The troubling thing was that Floyd never needed to be so cautious. Floyd Mayweather is good enough that he never needed to make the cynical choice. He’s that good.
It’s time he fights Shane Mosley and proves it.
