This writer spent Saturday night sitting ringside with the legendary Roy Jones Jr. We were attending the Deontay Wilder (US bronze medalist 2008 Olympics) fight in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Of course we talked a bit about the Manny Pacquiao fight, and Roy makes it no secret, he likes Manny Pacquiao. The legendary Roy Jones respects the fact that Pacquiao takes on all comers, he ducks nobody. Jones and Pacquiao have a mutual respect for one another that was shown in a phone conversation between the two earlier in 2010 from Wild Card Gym. Both men enjoyed the talk, and were excited to speak to each other. I told Roy that Manny was very happy after he hung up with him, and Roy answered, “So was I, I love that guy, a great fighter and a great guy.”
Another legend who respects and supports Pacquiao is the former 4 time heavyweight world champion, Evander “The Read Deal” Holyfield. In a recent interview with Holyfield http://http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/2661/2010-06-24.html he made no bones about it, “It doesn’t always mean that the man with more skills will win.” Holyfield went on to win, “What makes this fight good is the good and bad thing. When people see Pacquiao, they look at him as the good guy, they want to see him win morally. These are the people that don’t like Mayweather, so what makes this fight big is the ultimate good and evil. It is surprising that two small guys like that can bring it out. It only happens once and awhile. Just like Tommy Hearns and Duran, and Sugar Ray Leonard did. Pacquiao has a big crowd of people that wants to see him win because of his good attitude. Whoever he fights, he gives it his all. He’s not gong to go in there and just put on a show that’s not productive. I don’t think that 60/40 is going to work.”
These are two of the biggest names in boxing, and have legendary status so what they have to say means something. Even those in boxing who think Pacquiao will not win, they all say that it’s no guarantee that Mayweather will. Manny has already proved that size is not an issue, he has defeated bigger opponents already. For those who think Mayweather will win this fight because he is bigger, you may need to re-think this.
Unfortunately, contrary to what a few boxing websites have reported, this fight is not a done deal. The negotiations still have a few snags to get past. Hopefully the announcement will come shortly, and it will be good news.
