Three little words. We all know how big an impact three little words can have.
For years we have waited as the two finest exponents of the ?sweet science? this generation, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd/Money/PrettyBoy/Wife-beater Mayweather jr, made a merry dance around getting it on.
When Mayweather was sentenced to three months in jail ? for beating up the mother of his children ? most of us feared that the fate of the superfight was sealed. But, as is the way in America, a judge deemed that Mayweather?s pulling power ? and an already secured May 5 contract to fight in Las Vegas ? was enough ammunition to delay his jail stint.
All Mayweather had to do was point to his ability to bring in the big bucks.
Only in America, it seems, can a criminal choose when to start his sentence. And so, having got the judge on his side, Mayweather switched his attention to getting an opponent. You see, the judge didn?t even realise that all Mayweather had was a date pencilled in. No opponent, no fighter?s licence. Nada. It was the ultimate bluff and the judge gobbled it up.
With all the red tape aside, Mayweather turned his attentions to the Pacman. And all it took was three little words on Twitter. But they were not the words that St Valentine will soon fleece reckless romantics with, come mid-February.
Oh no, there is precious little love lost between the two camps. From racial taunts, drug cheat smears, public goading and all manner of posturing, one thing has become crystal clear.
Mayweather and Pacquiao do not like each other.
One is a nice guy, a man of the people who dabbles in politics, karaoke and knockouts.
The other is brash, brilliant and undefeated. He also chooses his opponents with care and has now been exposed as a woman-beater. I?m sorry, but any man ? let alone an undefeated world champion ? who strikes a woman is stooping to a level that warrants nothing but dishonour and public shame. It?s classless, gutless and heartless.
It goes without saying that the neutrals will shout for Pacman when they eventually step into the ?squared circle?.
But, and this may seem bizarre, my money will still be on, er, Money. Not real money, of course, as the festive season took its inevitable toll on one?s best laid financial plans for the year. But I digress.
Despite Mayweather?s traits, I can?t help but marvel at his ability to reduce every opponent he has faced so far to a lumbering mess. He is possibly the greatest defensive fighter that ever was and the entire world wants to see his big mouth shut.
I just can?t see it happening. Not now, not next year, not ever. He will go down in the Hall of Fame, but he needs this scalp to cement his legacy.
That?s why his uttering of three little words towards Pacquiao had the sporting world licking its proverbial lips. Heck, by hook or by crook, the biggest fight since the Rumble in the Jungle is back on.
And after all the smoke screens, delays and diva-like posturing, all it took was three words by the not so eloquent Mr Mayweather to rekindle the flames.
And what sweet nothings did the Money man come up with? ?Step up, Punk.?
Come May this year, the world and its dog will finally get to see who the real punk is. It?s almost too good to be true.
