BY GARETH BUSH – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
Floyd Mayweather Jr., without a doubt, is one of the most dominant boxers in history. He’s 43-0. He’s won eight world titles. He’s basically cleaned out two weight divisions. He’s arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
What, you don’t believe me? Well don’t worry, he’ll tell you. He’ll throw stacks of money in your face while blowing his own horn so loudly that the sound wave might make its way around the world and be the first thing to ever knock him out.
Yes, I have a bone to pick with Floyd Mayweather.
It’s not just his arrogance that makes him one of the most hated athletes on the planet. It isn’t his obsession with reminding the world that he’s rich. It isn’t making LeBron James seem down to Earth. It’s the act of calling himself the greatest champion the world has ever seen while refusing to fight the only boxer that people believe could legitimately beat him.
March 19, 2009: Coming out of another short-lived retirement, Mayweather knew that “there is one Godzilla, and that’s a fight with Manny Pacquiao” according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com. Beating Pacquiao would grant Mayweather the status as the undisputed best in the eyes of boxing fans everywhere. Floyd appeared to be very aware of that, despite his constant reassurance that he’s the “face of boxing.”
May 27, 2009: Floyd “Money” Mayweather sticks to his name. He vehemently crushes any chance of Pacquiao getting a 50/50 split in a potential fight’s purse, telling the Associated Press, “He faces Floyd Mayweather, he’s not getting 50/50. No one does.”
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With many calling Mayweather an underdog in this bout, if there was ever a fight where Floyd should “settle” for 50/50, it’s with Pacquiao. But I digress; let “Money” Mayweather demand his cash.
Sept 15, 2009: Mayweather’s camp, out of seemingly nowhere, accuses Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs.
“My honest opinion, I believe he’s on some kind of supplements,” Floyd Mayweather Sr. told the Grand Rapids Press. “He don’t have that kind of skill.” Apparently anyone who goes on a dominant run in boxing comparable to Mayweather must be juicing. Go figure.
Dec 12, 2009: Mayweather’s team announces its request for Olympic-style drug testing, which includes random blood and urine testing conducted anytime until a few days before the bout.
Pacquiao’s camp stated they had no problem with standard testing, but in regards to blood doping after the weigh-ins, therein lies the dilemma. It was reported that Pacquiao did not want to have blood taken within 30-days of the bout based on a superstition of testing so close to a fight. This became the new roadblock.
In the years since then, the boxing world has been at a standstill. The designated weight of the mitts, the date, the venue choice, even putting off the fight to focus on his uncle’s minor legal issues. Mayweather and his camp have continuously found reasons to prevent this fight from happening.
Knowing Mayweather’s terms were strict enough to make Gary Bettman seem flexible, Pacquiao eventually gave in. He offered Mayweather the 55/45 split that he demanded, and agreed to any drug testing in the process.
Done deal, let’s get in the ring and give the world the biggest fight boxing has seen since Tyson vs. Lewis. A fight that many think will push boxing back into the mainstream.
Sept 27, 2012: Despite the requested terms being met by Pacquiao, Mayweather’s camp rejects the offer.
“Manny Pacquiao can’t tell Floyd Mayweather [expletive],” said advisor Leonard Ellerbe. “If and when the fight takes place, Floyd will dictate the terms.”
Let’s look at the facts. Mayweather says he wants to fight Pacquiao provided that he takes a smaller cut of the money and complies with unusually strict drug testing. Pacquiao agrees, offers to fight him on those conditions, and gets rejected because “Floyd will dictate the terms.”
In the mean time, he continues to call himself the best in boxing while labeling Pacquiao “afraid” and doing everything he can to maintain everyone’s attention, most recently through fake “beef” with rapper 50 Cent.
The elephant in the room is age. At 35 and 33 respectively, both Mayweather and Pacquiao are exiting their prime. The longer we have to wait for this super-fight to happen, the more illegitimate the potential result becomes.
He continues to hide from his greatest threat to date, which ultimately keeps boxing in the shadows of its counterpart, the UFC. In the process, he’s keeping himself out of the conversation as an all-time great. Legends never avoided contenders.
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