Mississippi is a southern state located between Louisiana and Alabama and south of Tennessee. The southern part of the state along the Gulf of Mexico is a tourist area with beautiful beaches, casinos, restaurants, and old colonial homes dating back to the American Civil War. Hurricane Katrina damaged some of the old homes, but the state is coming back now, better then ever.
The Northern part of Mississippi plays host to wide open cotton fields for as far as the eye can see. This is the Mississippi Delta region, where the Blues were invented. Small towns, very poor counties, and good soul food. The Central part of the state is more modern with the city of Jackson sitting along highway 55 and the Pearl River.
Boxing happens in Tunica, MS at the Fitzgerald’s Casino about every 7 weeks. The fans come from Memphis, TN and northern Mississippi for the most part. In the south of Mississipp, boxing usually takes place in Biloxi, MS. Some big fights have taken place down there. Roy Jones Jr Vs. Jeff Lacy, Collazo Vs. Berto, Timothy Bradley Vs. Edner Cherry, the list goes on.
What’s all of this have to do with Manny Pacquiao? Plenty. Pacquiao impacts boxing all over the place. He’s the talk of the town wherever boxing happens. Manny Pacquiao will sooner or later come up in conversation in the seats, the hallways, the casino, the lobby, wherever.
Anyone who’s anyone that has a chance to make whatever weight Pacquiao is campaigning at all want their shot at him. Pacquiao is the cash cow.
Mississippi would love to land a Manny Pacquiao fight one day, but honestly? We don’t have a big enough venue. Pacquiao brings too many fans! The man has lifted the sport of boxing.
Pacquiao has a few more fights left before he wraps it up and I will enjoy it while it lasts.
Whenever Manny does decide to retire there will be a big void in boxing. The sport will survive, and it will move on but it will sure miss him.
