Tisk, tisk, tisk?
Here we are, not even month into 2012 and we are already talking about that super mega duper fight that just can?t get signed, and it looks as if we?ll be talking about both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao for the rest of the eleven calendar months.
Well, if you can?t beat em?, join em?, right?
The enduring saga is going on three years old, since Pacquiao stopped Miguel Cotto inside 12 entertaining rounds. Since then, there have been failed negotiations; steroid testing demands, defamation lawsuits, and all the while, each have fought people other than each other.
We?ve all got to try our best to stay optimistic though, right?
The all enticing defensive wizard/offensive warrior match up that this is could very well come to fruition, just when that is nobody knows. Look up Gabriel Montoya?s stuff on Maxboxing this week. He brings up a great point that boxing fans waited longer for a Sugar Ray Leonard/Marvin Hagler fight.
However, even when the dotted lines are finally signed sometime before or during Barack Obama?s second term as President, there are still many mountains to climb, the disputes will carry well into fight night, the promotional tour is going to be interesting, and simply put, even though the John Hancock?s will be official, its only the beginning of what will be, yes, the richest fight in history, but also the most agonizing and turmoil filled journey as it gets heading into the first bell.
Mike Tyson walking off the podium and going after Lennox Lewis?
Cool.
Riddick Bowe throwing a title in a trash can?
Cooler.
A Manny Pacquiao/Floyd Mayweather press conference?
Now you?re talking.
My hopes are that a lot of the specifics are in the contracts already when it?s signed. The venue, (which has already been debated) and of course the date have to be mandatory. Including those two, let?s hope more is already in there, because whatever is left out is going to be hotly negotiated and argued about, much like a schoolyard argument would go. Here?s hoping no one takes their ball and goes home.
The naming of the event is something that Mayweather has in the past been particular about. You better bet that this event is going to start with the name Mayweather.
Of course, Money is going to love it if Joe Cortez gets the call as the third man in the ring.
Who enters the ring first? Wouldn?t you know it? As it stands, Pac Man is the WBO champ, while Mayweather holds the green WBC belt. There?s an argument in the works right there.
Ticket sales? Let?s not even talk about that yet.
Pay per view price? Let?s really not even get into that yet.
As for what should be one of the most entertaining events prior to fight night would be the press tour.
For the Victor Ortiz/Floyd Mayweather fight, (I?m sorry, I mean Floyd Mayweather/Victor Ortiz fight) Golden Boy Promotions held it outside at the L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, which was what the Press Enterprise?sDavid Avila called the best press conference he?s ever been to. I agree.
Top Rank has made the Beverly Hills Hilton a regular destination for Pacquiao pressers, and for the recent Pac/Marquez tour, they went international to both the Philippines and Mexico.
Do you think Mayweather would go to the Philippinesfor a leg of the tour? I would hope so, being that he traveled overseas to Ricky Hatton land prior to their bout.
Wouldn?t it make sense to take the ?biggest fight ever? overseas for the promotional tour?
In summation, I?d say this once the signatures for the fight are signed
Let the games begin.
Vindication found in the ring, not outside it
Photo by Gene Blevins – Hoganphotos / GBP
Amir Khan and Co. withdrew its protest to the IBF following Khan?s loss to Lamont Peterson in December, having already won over the WBA to demand an immediate rematch of the entertaining fight, and issued a statement through and from his promotional company, Golden Boy Promotions, which read like this:
?Blah blah blah, blah blah blah??
Plain and simple, Amir needs to do one thing and one thing only:
Win back his title in the ring, not outside of it.
GBPand Khan have to bite the bullet and secede to the demands of the champion, Peterson. It will be no easy task, as the D.C. natives trainer/manager Barry Hunter is no pushover, and already scoffed at one deal to face Khan in mid 2011, only to double, almost triple the original offer and have the fight in D.C. last month rather than Khan?s native land.
Smart man. Smart team.
Just bite the bullet,GBP, pay the piper, and get the fight done.
The first match was solid; let?s hope the red tape doesn?t get in the way of the rematch.
Big props for the fight Mayweather is definitely fighting
It was reported this week that Money May is putting his money where his mouth is. The fight is one of the greatest fights of all, the one against breast cancer. Mayweather is pledging $100,000.00 to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Southern Nevada Affiliate, a breast cancer association, and deserves kudos for doing so.
Unfortunately, I was at USC Hospital this past weekend due to a family emergency, and walked by a memorial dedicated to a cancer foundation, with the names Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson listed as chair members.
It?s great to see that some of the high profile types in our society give back.
