Certainly by now, most boxing fans have moved on and away from the thought of a potential showdown between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.
Contrary to some theorists, the sport of boxing has done just fine without such a contest and even more so without the incessant banter on sports networks by those who assume the Sweet Science can only be sweetened and lowered by one or both of these future legends.
(Main pic courtesy of Showtime)
The drum seems to be tuned and beaten by Floyd, or so it would seem.
Manny has steadfastly stood beside his ?call me? approach whenever he wasn?t stressing his concerns over pre fight blood tests and its respective hindrance to his training.
This past weekend, legendary CEO of Top Rank, Inc. Bob Arum appeared to be not only fed, but force fed up with Mayweather?s consistent changing about of the terms and hurdles standing in the way of the mega fight for which world has so long clamored.
Headlines buzzed and the fight game?s rendition of ambulance chasers jumped all over Arum?s assertions that Floyd Mayweather, Jr.?s smoke and mirrors act was akin to the inability of various world leaders to appease Adolf Hitler.
Many threw shoes of all sizes for Bob to insert into his mouth and save him the trouble of using his own.
To be sure, Arum is not the owner of a controversy-free style of history.
Bob Arum, center, with Marvelous Marvin Hagler, left, and Thomas Hearns (circa 1985)
Of course, you don?t make omelets without cracking a few eggs and Arum?s comments should be taken with a pinch of salt and paprika. A bit of background information is probably due.
For over 40 years, Arum has run a tight ship and has looked after the futures of many of boxing?s all-time greats.
The sport of boxing owes a monumental show of thanks to Top Rank for how their business methods and mannerisms helped to pave the way for the superfights which are now commonplace in our time. Since 1973, Top Rank has arranged for some of the fight game?s top athletes to meet up in the ring.
Their list of pugilistic greats include Muhammad Ali, the late Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Oscar de la Hoya, the aforementioned Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, just to name a few.
Although several new promotional companies have surfaced in the past several years, Top Rank still remains the torchbearer in regard to amassing unforgettable fight cards, one after another.
It should not be forgotten that Bob Arum is 82 years old. Many of us may need to request a six foot high as opposed to six foot under style of grave as the closest means of remaining vertical when we?re just south of the age of 85. He has seen a lot and his age would also suggest that he lived through parts of World War II.
The year of his birth confirms that he was grade school age when Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and that he was a teenager when the horrible conflict was finally done.
Give the guy a break.
Bob Arum was not directly comparing Floyd ?Money? Mayweather, Jr. to Adolf Hitler, one of the vilest and most disgusting human beings to have ever lived.
Are we really to believe that Arum thinks for one moment that Floyd?s list of demands can be compared, contrasted or even mentioned in the same last breath as former United Kingdom Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain?
That particular gentleman decided appeasement was the best way to satiate Hitler?s stomping of the globe and aspire for ?peace in our time?. We all know how that went. So, maybe Arum went a little overboard according to some with his recent comments, but we can be certain that he would still say yes to a ?Money vs. Manny? showdown if all the cards somehow fell into place.
Appeasement doesn?t apply in this case. Hitler wanted such so he could take over the world and fool the rest of us of his true intentions. Some fool heartedly believed that he?d become a friend and most importantly, not an enemy.
All Arum wants is the demands to stop so Manny can get him in the ring and have a chance to give so much of the sporting world what they want – A stoppage win over the sport?s reigning pound for pound king.
Now, that?s appeasement.
