Putting drum majors and drum sticks aside, we go into the Way Ahead machine and rocket into the near future.
It is minutes before Saturday turns into Sunday in Las Vegas and the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao has just concluded. November 18 is shortly to turn into Nov. 19, 2011.
Mayweather is on the postfight press conference podium and now he newly assesses the Pinoy Idol.
?You guys know all the nasty things I said about this guy. You know how I called Poochiao and ranted about his sushi rolls and all that nonsense,? Mayweather said.
?I apologize for all that namecalling and idiocy but my goal was to hype up the possible fight. I never thought Pacman would agree to completely random drug testing…but he did that.
?I never thought he would agree to 49 percent of all the money with me getting 51 percent. I felt as an American superstar living right here in Vegas, having the fight in my hometown, my home state and my home country, that I deserved that small edge…but Manny did agree and put his name on the lines which were dotted.
?Now you all just saw us go 12 hard, competitive rounds…and I am no longer undefeated.
?I take my hat off to Manny, to all his fans and I’m not embarrassed to no longer be undefeated because I am still a great fighter who lost to a greater fighter, at least he was greater tonight. I do demand a rematch and I believe his fans and mine will demand the same.
?But I’m a sportsman. I know Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali and the great Ray Robinson all lost fights also. The true sign of greatness is bouncing back from defeat. I know Manny did it years ago and my comes my test.
?I’m going off to a hospital now…nothing serious, nothing broken, just a regular, postfight checkup.
?Before I leave the stage, let me tell you my new nickname for Pacquiao.
?I call him the Bus Driver…yeah, that’s his new nickname…I call him the Bus Driver because, tonight, he took me to school.?
We now return you to the present, tense or otherwise.
My crystal ball has a turkey bone in it but let me remove it and, under the heading of better late than never, give you some Turkey Weekend fight picks.
First, though, get well wishes to solid trainer and good guy Coach Kenny Adams, battling kidney issues in Las Vegas. I’m betting on this old soldier to rally…
ABRAHAM OVER FROCH: Temptation is to pick a double KO but I fear that the mouthy Froch will find a way to lose at neutral site, Helsinki. In a fight to the finish, for the Finnish audience, I just think King Artie is the tougher, more durable guy.
MARQUEZ OVER KASTIDIS?A fairy tale ending would have the plucky Aussie upending the Mexican counterpuncher as Kastidis mourns his jockey brother’s sudden death but the ring is no place for fairy tales. Juan Ma improves his chances to get a third crack at Bus Driver Pacquiao as he wins on points clearly after 12 rounds. Juan Ma needs to stop talking catchweight, though, and agree to meet Manny at 147 pounds. If he wants to be a little lighter, he can.
BERTO OVER HERNANDEZ?You can rip Berto, Haymon and loyal liege DiBella all you want but this is a WBC mandatory in which Berto sails to victory.
WARD OVER BIKA?Mikkel Kessler used to wax enthusiastic about how rugged and dangerous Bika was when they sparred in Copenhagen. But slick Ward beat Kessler and Kessler was better than Bika so you do the math. Ward may put on another Oakland clinic.
