In a recent Elie Seckbach video, promoter Bob Arum claims that Floyd Mayweather turned down a substantial amount of money to not fight his current cash cow, Manny Pacquiao. This time, the amount is $65 million. In another video, released weeks ago, Arum is also seen making a claim that Mayweather demanded $100 million for a Pacquiao fight.
Let’s forget the fact, for a moment, that Bob Arum, a self-confessed liar and briber of officials, is the only source for this “info.” Let’s also forget that, in both cases, the alleged fight proposals were issued by mysterious benefactors in Africa and Singapore. Let’s also forget the fact that Arum is a jilted ex-member of Team Mayweather with a definite axe to grind and a vested interest in promoting Mayweather’s chief rival, Pacquiao.
The one major question that remains is how any boxing scribe, who cares in the least about truth, integrity, or self-dignity could actually run with such a flimsy story and print it as fact. Really, how could someone be proud of running an unsubstantiated accusation and feel good about attaching their name to it?
When confronted with an accusation like Arum’s, a real professional actually takes the time to investigate and dig up neutral witnesses to verify the claim. To do otherwise is simply not fair. It’s not fair to the subject of the accusation and, more importantly, it’s not fair to the readers who are, ostensibly, reading your work in order to actually be informed. These so-called journalists pounced on the story as soon as they saw the video, posting penny click articles within minutes, with complete and total disregard to any sense of ethics or morals.
Printing a “Mayweather turns down $65 million to Fight Pacquiao” article is just as irresponsible as those dim-wits on the other end who printed “Pacquiao on PEDs” articles, using only the Mayweathers as a source.
While Pacquiao fans have been conditioned to delight in hearing negative stories about Mayweather (just as Mayweather fans love hearing bad stuff about Pacquiao), people should take a step back and pay attention to what’s really happening.
Could it be that these guys who jump the gun and post articles just for the clicks are actually using Pacquiao’s loyal fan base? Could they be pandering to Pacquiao’s hard core followers, dishing them info and stroking their sensitivities, just for monetary gain? Is it right to throw another man (and his career) under the bus for their own, selfish purposes?
To a lot of fans, Pacquiao represents a Christian lifestyle and sensibility. This is taken seriously by the fans and, obviously, by the fighter himself. Aside from being unethical in the world of journalism, these pandering pan-handlers give no regard to one of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” And, just as strongly, as mentioned in Exodus 23:1 “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.”
This will likely fall on deaf ears, but it’s something that certainly needs to be said.
