Harry How - Getty Images
6 months ago: LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 12: Manny Pacquiao celebrates his majority decision victory against Juan Manuel Marquez in the WBO world welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 12, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Let's get this out of the way right up front. Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Bob Arum, Oscar De La Hoya and more all share blame for Pacquiao and Mayweather not stepping into the ring to face each other. But there has been quite the shift in terms of public perception in the ongoing war of words and actions between the two over the past six months.
Somewhere along the line it was Floyd, the convicted criminal and obnoxiously cocky fighter, who became the good guy while the smiling, singing Pacquiao has participated in the assassination of his character by the coward Bob Arum.
Floyd had a May 5 date booked in Vegas and made it known that he was ready to make the fight with Pacquiao. Bluster or not, he put the ball in Manny and Top Rank's court. But then it seemed that his jail conviction would get in the way of the fight. Bob Arum showed up after the conviction and said the following (via BoxingScene):
"It's not an option," Arum said. "Manny is going to fight in May or June and if Floyd is available and Manny is successful, we'll fight Floyd in November. We are not going to operate Manny's career on what if, what if, what if. That doesn't make any business sense."
That was January 5. On January 6, Floyd was able to get his sentence delayed to June 1, allowing him to keep his May 5 date. Given that Arum said Manny would fight in May or June, that had to mean the fight was a possibility, right?
"I don't think it has any impact," Arum said, upon learning of the ruling. "No impact at all. Manny isn't going to be ready to fight until summertime."
The excuse for May suddenly being out of the picture? A cut Manny suffered against Juan Manuel Marquez on November 11 (pictured to the right, enlarged view here).
Yes, there's a cut and it wasn't a pretty one. But how dumb do you have to be to believe that Manny can't be ready to fight in six months? Because of a pretty standard cut?
Andre Ward suffered a nasty cut in training for his Super Six finals bout with Carl Froch and the bout was pushed from late October to mid-December.
Does anyone remember the cut Diego Sanchez suffered against B.J. Penn in December of 2009? Here's a reminder:
As horrible as that cut was, Diego returned to action in May of 2010. And it's not like that was a rare case. Vitali Klitschko suffered two horrible cuts (picture) against Lennox Lewis on June 21, 2003 and was back in the ring on December 6.
As Scott Christ pointed out at Bad Left Hook, it's always something:
It's kind of hard to think that Bob Arum wants this fight to happen. "Maybe later, maybe later, maybe later." He's said the fight could happen in November, or five months after Pacquiao is expected to be in the ring next. But that leaves plenty of time to find excuses again.
And I'm not saying Mayweather is the good witch, either. But we're at a point where you get this great big opening, with Floyd's sentence delayed, and now Manny won't be ready until a few days after Floyd has to report to jail?
It's always something, isn't it?
Met with the expected amount of criticism, Arum tried to deflect and insult Floyd's ability to do business in Vegas:
In an overseas telephone conversation with BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard, Arum said Mayweather "is apparently going to fight Robert Guerrero. Can you believe that. They won't do any business at all."
Arum claimed that MGM Grand which Mayweather's camp had long announced as the venue for the planned May 5 fight even before he was sentenced to a prison term, was "bulls**t because MGM didn't want to give him the date until they found out what Pacquiao was doing. Mayweather brings in no business."
First off, Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya? $18.419,200 at the gate. Floyd Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley? $11,032,100 at the gate. Floyd Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton? $10,393,950 at the gate. Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz? $9,000,000.
Seems like Floyd can do a little business.
Bad Left Hook: Floyd Mayweather vs Canelo Alvarez Leading Candidate For May 5
But that's really beside the point. It's just Arum trying to deflect. And it's Arum trying to deflect because he's lost the PR battle.
Manny was the hero of the people for much of the Mayweather/Pacquiao nonsense. For a while it was Floyd shooting himself in the foot with racist videos and other ill advised public outbursts. Now Manny is the man who the public can point at and say "he doesn't want it!"
Maybe he does want the fight, maybe he doesn't. But that's simply irrelevant with Bob Arum's inability to handle the situation.
Even in potential opponents you have Arum talking about Manny facing Marquez for a fourth time, Miguel Cotto in a rematch of a fight that Pacquiao dominate, Lamont Peterson who holds no advantage anywhere in what would be a farce of a fight or Tim Bradley (and Arum had the balls to talk about Guerrero being a nobody). All while Floyd seems set to fight Canelo Alvarez, a rising star and larger man.
Things are getting ugly for Manny.
2 recs | 71 comments
Unca Bob doesn’t want to do this fight, bottom line. Especially after Marquez, once again, made it clear that Pac struggles with crafty counter-punchers. Bob’s hanging on to the Pac-Man ATM as long as he can.
lcollins1 - January 8, 2012
really?
i do believe bob is a hog just like floyd jr and dela hoya… but making pac look like a loser is another story. you may say whatever you want but a counter puncher marquez is a lousy opponent just keep waiting and waiting. that itself killed the entertainment fight, not pacquiao. pac could have gone a long way and beat marquez but styles make fight and pac is not what you think he is. if you want to throw mud throw it on the right guy… arum. but put pac out of your silly talk.
Ernani Medenilla - January 9, 2012
Just as a reminder...
Sundays will be days where I write about major boxing stories. One article a week (except during major fight weeks). So don’t bitch.
Brent Brookhouse - January 8, 2012
What will Roth WWE days be then?
looking forward to them.
Dannie Ray - January 8, 2012
I like it
Sunday can be a little slow and I enjoy your articles on boxing.
discoandherpes - January 8, 2012
I like the occasional boxing story
It’s good to keep up a bit on other businesses with a relation to MMA, and Pacquiao becoming the perceived “bad guy” was something I had no idea about. Bob Arum being scum surprises no one though, fuck that moron.
Chromium - January 8, 2012
Arum is a goober.
That is all.
Rob Young - January 8, 2012 via mobile
agreed
Bloodsport - January 8, 2012 via mobile
A goofy goober!?
juanchoD - January 8, 2012
I don’t think this is ever going to happen.
Phildo - January 8, 2012
Oh and lol @ Lamont Peterson being mentioned.
Only way he wins is if he has his referee buddy in there helping him.
Rob Young - January 8, 2012 via mobile
Peterson was really competitive with Khan. The referee was in his own world but let’s not make it seem like he committed highway robbery.
Inspectorxr5 - January 8, 2012 via mobile
Well said. Peterson fought superbly, and it ain’t the refs fault Amir’s inside game consists entirely of clinching and pushing.
sheikybaby - January 8, 2012
His referee buddy who enforced the rules of boxing?
Jack.Barrington - January 8, 2012
Yup. He hasn’t been found guiltily of anything so he did his job. I don’t agree with the two pts but it was within his rights.
Inspectorxr5 - January 8, 2012 via mobile
Boxing is sh*it...
I just don’t get it… there is no big fight all year, or at least no interesting one. MMA has like 5 awesome fights a year and like 50 interesting ones. Boxing is too old… don’t bother me with boxing news please
Guruhonza - January 8, 2012
Maybe if you were more interested in boxing
You’d be interested in the fights.
The people that complain about the last of interesting boxing fights are the people who don’t watch it.
YPG - January 8, 2012
There were so many great fights this year. Instead of talking shit, do some research and find them.
Inspectorxr5 - January 8, 2012 via mobile
There’s this thing called scrolling, try doing it next time you see a boxing story homie.
sheikybaby - January 8, 2012
I have just the product you need:
This way you can get all of your MMA news without having to look at pesky boxing stories. Just adjust the Alterovision © rods to the left and right every time an offensive boxing/pro wrasslin article is posted.
Ubernoober - January 8, 2012
More to the point of the article, manny or whoever really needs to come up with a new gameplan for this. I’m surprised the “blood tests make me weak” or “afraid of needles” story lasted as long as it did, and this story makes even less sense.
I have no idea if he wants to fight Mayweather or not, but he needs to come up with better reasons if the fight isn’t going to happen.
Phildo - January 8, 2012
not to make excuses, but as a blood donor i know that i don’t feel 100% for physical activity for a good day or two after donation. obviously, Pacquiao wouldn’t have to give much blood for a test, but i kind of understand that some people don’t recover as well from having blood drawn. furthermore, i find it asinine that Mayweather’s and his people would demand this type of test from Manny and no one else.
in light of these new developments, it shows that these two are actively avoiding each other and it’s a shame. this is probably the biggest example of why boxing is no longer seen as such a major mainstream attraction anymore.
Victor Rodriguez - January 8, 2012
You know the little tubes they fill up within the first 5 seconds of donating blood? that’s all you need to give for a blood test. If they stopped after that, you would feel like a million bucks.
Phildo - January 8, 2012
I mean, if a guy that just rode his bike 100 miles can give blood and ride another 100 miles the next day, Manny can box the next day.
Phildo - January 8, 2012
i've seen it done.
totally agree, what i’m saying is that it was silly to ask him for blood tests in the first place when they won’t ask that of anyone else, and it seems plausible to refuse a blood test due to the ensuing fatigue until you realize that Manny wouldn’t have to give much blood in the first place.
i hate needles and i give blood for free. if you get millions like he does and want to cement your legacy as the best, you should be able to get over that too.
Victor Rodriguez - January 8, 2012
Floyd has asked for it from everyone. Did Manny ask anyone else to pay 1 million dollars per pound overweight? In boxing everything is negotiable.
Phildo - January 8, 2012
shit. didn’t know that.
guess i learned something today. sorry and thanks, i guess?
Victor Rodriguez - January 8, 2012
no problem. And if giving blood wears you out too much ask them to do 2 pints of red blood cells and pump the rest of the shit back in. You can do that and feel like a million bucks after.
Phildo - January 8, 2012
funny you should mention that
since i found out i have double red blood cells, i just started donating that way. after a nap and a bowl of my black bean soup recipe i feel like i have enough energy to watch Woodley’s fight from last night and not fall asleep.
Victor Rodriguez - January 8, 2012
Whoa
Phildo: agreed on all your points.
VR: dude, that is weaaak. Or you’re lying. A day or two? I weigh a buck twenty and literally feel nothing immediately after giving blood.
Now, in general: I used to think Floyd was the bad guy here, but I’ve made a COMPLETE 180 ever since Manny’s unadulteratedly pathetic and, frankly, disgustingly insulting needles excuse. You’re on the juice. You know it, I know it, other fighters know it…just like any credible MMA expert, fighter, trainer will tell you when they’re drunk that at bare (bare) minimum, and at the most conservative estimate possible, that 70% of MMA fighters are on PEDS. Call me a hater and troll all you want…but again, go talk to an actual fighter/expert/trainer for the first time in your life before attacking me.
Anthony Kang - January 8, 2012
perhaps you misread my previous point.
i was referring to physical activity after the donation has taken place. i don’t feel on the up and up to get a workout in right away, and the 1-2 day period i was referring to was as far as me being able to go 100% in physical exertion.
as far as fighters being on PEDs, i guess the amount or percentage of fighters depends on what you consider to be a PED. are we referring to steroids specifically, or other types of supplements or substances?
Victor Rodriguez - January 8, 2012
Mayweather was required it of every one of his opponents in recent years. (and himself). It is spreading, too, as Berto and Ortiz have contracted to elevated testing.
lcollins1 - January 8, 2012
wake up
maybe you need to stop look and listen before you speak. lol…
“blood test make me weak” is a fact you freak! i once thought i dont have trouble with blood but one time in college as i was covering an article on emergency rooms i cared to take pictures of an operation, when i saw blood all around i lost it, i was freaking dizzy just getting the smell of blood. so stop acting as if you dont jump scared seeing a mice.
for this article, pac always say he want mayweather but its always arum who offers his next opponent. so stop acting as if top rank is pacquiao’s.
Ernani Medenilla - January 9, 2012
Pacquiao can’t beat Mayweather, and Bob Arum knows it. Once Pacquiao is gone, Arum only has Julio Cesar Chavez’s son left to line his pockets with.
sheikybaby - January 8, 2012
Agreed
Mayweather wins
Inspectorxr5 - January 8, 2012 via mobile
Seriously
Mayweather is bigger, faster and better at everything that makes JMM a bad matchup for Pacquiao, and JMM just beat Pacquiao in the minds of most people who weren’t the 3 judges.
joker24 - January 8, 2012
This is pretty much where I’m at with it. I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that Floyd wins, but I think Arum knows that Floyd causes all kinds of problems for Pac that make it an extremely high risk fight for Pac.
The thing is, I don’t think it “ruins” Pac’s marketability, even if Floyd kicks his ass. Pac can still go fight JMM or Bradley for 10-15mil even if Floyd takes him to speed school.
I think, fundamentally, Arum still hates (straight up hates) Floyd for leaving him a decade ago.
lcollins1 - January 8, 2012
wow
as if floyd destroys his opponents all the time! lol
all floyd has is his speed. devastating punches, none. floyd failed to take on many supposedly opponents in his division to avoid loses. pac took most of them on a short time. marquez is a lousy counterpuncher who just waits. there is no need to say pacquiao will win or mayweather will but the reason this fight isnt happening is arums greed. dela hoya on the other hand wants a piece of the pie, and floyd wants to go to jail but failed to hide away. pac only waits for his next opponent…
Ernani Medenilla - January 9, 2012
What's the point?
Arum is a million years old and must have more money than he could ever spend even in a full lifetime. I don’t know why he’s ducking the fight, but it can’t be just about money.
Schwizzles - January 8, 2012
ducking?
who is ducking who? i dont think thats the issue here. its arums greed who wants it all for himself. MGM grand is not the best place of this MEGA SUPER FIGHT that will cost hundreds of millions of bucks. so if you think arum is stupid, think again… maybe you are. you need alot bigger place than MGM.
Ernani Medenilla - January 9, 2012
I got Mayweather all day in that fight.
discoandherpes - January 8, 2012
I honestly don't think either of them want the fight
so they’re playing this never-ending game of chicken, where the “winner” is the guy who looks less like he’s ducking at that particular moment.
Thanks to the bizarre economics and politics of boxing, both of them have more to lose from the fight than they do to gain, and since there are no adults anywhere in the sport to say “this fight needs to happen for competitive reasons,” it either won’t happen at all, or perhaps even worse, it’ll happen once both of them are too old for it to matter.
I love to watch boxing, but I won’t burn emotional and mental energy following it, because of how arbitrary and unorganized it is.
Dave Strummer - January 8, 2012
Nah after Pac-Marquez 3, Floyd is more than ready cause he has confidence he’ll win.
Inspectorxr5 - January 8, 2012 via mobile
Floyd wants it.
JMM showed him everything he needed to see.
AusEagle - January 8, 2012
JMM?
i dont think floyd saw anything there. pac still win. there is a delusion that make you think pac was weak in that fight… but wonder why the 3 judges saw it different from half of the audience watching that night? because you never got used to watching fight a smart fight. but i wonder why floyd suddenly confessed his sins and go to jail when he himself took a date at MGM this may? good thing the judge was also as lousy as anyone out there who prefers money more than justice and let floyd fight this may! lol
Ernani Medenilla - January 9, 2012
Lets be honest here, this fight won't happen in 2012.
amendamatrix - January 8, 2012
Boxing has experienced highs and lows over the years
but has never had a formidable competitor such as MMA. Douping the public with farces instead of fights, multiple titles with no meaning and antics such as this have swayed even the most diehard boxing fans away.
Floyd vs Pac is really in my opinion a last stand for boxing to try and get it right. The people who run boxing have been toying with people rather than doing what’s best for the sport in general.
Both Floyd and Pac are running out of viable options, while certain issues regarding their past negotiation breakdown are being exposed. No blood test? Fine, then Juan Marquez can hire a controversial S&C coach to play the same game. Dude looks better (both in musculatiry and in the ring) than he ever has.
Floyd is a problem all to himself, and will soon need the money, lest he have to fight much bigger guys for any respect and still make a fraction of what he’d make here.
I’m starting not to care at all any more. And I’ve been a boxing fan for a loooong time. Just tired of being jerked around by people who don’t care at all for the fans who actually make their sport.
DayuumHeGotDropped - January 8, 2012
This is so 2009.
Ubernoober - January 8, 2012
thank god
im not a boxing fan. this is fucking nuts. is there any other sport where the best dont have to play/fight the best? I. DONT. GET. IT. AT. ALL.
gspmademegay - January 8, 2012
Well, we didn't get Brock vs Fedor or Couture vs Fedor when they mattered.
Kid Yamamoto vs Urijah Faber never got made, Jon Jones has avoided Rashad Evans successfully for the past 8 months, Anderson avoided Hendo and Marquardt when they were number 2 and 3 in the division and has done an awesome job finding ways to not fight Chael again. Not to mention that Gilbert Melendez can’t and won’t fight for a UFC title despite being under contract with Zuffa, or how Gray Maynard wasn’t going to get his Edgar rematch so they could shoehorn Pettis in there, which still delayed guys on long win streaks like Jim Miller and Melvin Guillard who were among the best in the world before their losses. And let’s talk about Jon Fitch for a minute…
pdl - January 8, 2012
As a boxing fan, I wish my major complaint was an 8 month delay. Pac v. Floyd has been over-ripe for at least 2 years.
The Melendez and King Mo situations – those I don’t understand. I don’t know why Dana doesn’t move those two, in particular, to the Big Show.
At least Jon Fitch got a shot…
lcollins1 - January 8, 2012
You know as well as I do that the point of a duck isn't to never fight, but to fight under the best conditions for you or your fighter.
Rashad Evans is 32 and his game is largely predicated on speed and power. Jon Jones is 24 years old and a very raw fighter who doesn’t have many skills besides takedowns and elbows, but is rapidly developing his overall game. Who does every delay favor? And who knows how long he can keep this game up for? He’s talking about being ready to fight again right away when Rashad is fighting later this month. Maybe he fights Hendo in March or early April and Rashad has to wait until July-August. that’s assuming Rashad even beats Phil Davis, since you don’t get “stay busy” fights in MMA. I’m sure Rashad would have loved to fight Kyle Kingsbury this month instead, like the Marquez vs Ramos fight.
pdl - January 8, 2012
Yea.
This is how I feel about Sergio Martinez being forced to wait and wait and wait to get a shot at other top middleweights. 37 years old, clearly the best in the world, and Bob Arum calls Chavez Jr. “champion of the world” for as long as he can get away with it.
lcollins1 - January 8, 2012
Except that Chavez Jr. is never going to be a really good fighter.
I’d pick Darren Barker over him if they fought this week, but I’m also still really impressed with how gutsy his fight against Martinez was. Dude gained a lot in that loss IMO.
pdl - January 8, 2012
I hope Rubio shows up and ends that charade.
lcollins1 - January 8, 2012
-Anderson already beat Henderson, Marquardt, and Sonnen definitively. He’s just not that enthusiastic about doing it a second time, although I want to see the Sonnen rematch.
-Jones’ and Evans’ availability haven’t lined up last year due to injuries and false alarms from Jones’ personal doctor about needing surgery. When Jones saw a specialist, he was advised against undergoing surgery. Read it here – http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/05/13/jon-jones-elects-to-not-have-surgery-on-injured-hand/
Those situations don’t even compare to the Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations.
amendamatrix - January 8, 2012
really, bro?
Anderson ducking Hendo and ducking Chael? guys that he submitted [and in Chael’s case, with an injury]? Jones vs Evans didn’t happen in December because it was Rashad that got his hand hurt. you’ve made some great points, but be real here.
Victor Rodriguez - January 8, 2012
Arum looks like a moron right now, and he is terrified to lose his payday. This is the crap that is holding boxing back.
dpk875 - January 8, 2012
Bob Arum and guys like him are whats wrong with boxing
biggant - January 8, 2012 via mobile
Boxing promoters need to get it together to save boxing.
One of the two will have to lose first then they will agree to fight for one last pay day after nobody cares anymore. Don’t get me wrong the payday will be great but nothing like if they were to fight now
fightersvizion - January 8, 2012 via mobile
The interesting thing to me is that Manny has been the good guy while fighting Mayweather's leftovers.
People knew Mosley was done, but he showed some spark against Margarito and then Mayweather fought him. He looked like garbage, then he looked like hot garbage against Mora, and that’s when the Pacquiao fight happened.
Mayweather carried a “retirements” worth of ring rust into his comeback against Marquez and made him look old and slow. It almost looked like he carried him through the later rounds. Marquez went back to 135, beat Diaz, Katsidis, and then got some sham ring time before he had to balloon back up to 147 to fight Pacquiao.
Ortiz vs Berto was a legitimate fight to be #3 in the division. Both guys were given a bit more hype than they needed but it did establish the best guy at 147 besides Pac or May. And then Mayweather fought him.
Now it looks like Mayweather is going to take on a bigger man who is young and not a bad boxer either. Manny’s options are another Marquez fight, which we all know enough about, or Miguel Cotto who he has already fought and beaten a better version of. Lamont Peterson isn’t a real option just because LOL, and either way he’s likely getting a mandated rematch of the Khan fight. Tim Bradley is actually the best choice, mostly because he’ll use his head and get Manny another cut that will keep him out of a November fight.
pdl - January 8, 2012
agree.
At the time it was made, Floyd’s fight with Ortiz was a dangerous fight for him. Ortiz looked very legit at welter, and after Berto he appeared to have left his mental demons behind.
If Floyd fights Canelo Alvarez, I think it bolsters the idea that he’s taking on the more legit resume of guys.
lcollins1 - January 8, 2012
Envisioning future drama, will Floyd take manny as the first fight out of jail? I guess november or december will be pretty far off from his release date, but 3 months in jail is going to be different than 3 months of being home and not fighting when it comes to conditioning and whatnot.
I really just hope it happens in May because I don’t know if this fight is worth another year of this.
Phildo - January 8, 2012
They can "PR" all they want
In my book the fighter who bashes their girlfriend is the bad guy, period.
brad23 - January 8, 2012
I blame Pacquiao. He’s the attraction. He reaps the benefits. He goes with Arum’s BS then claims he DOES want Floyd. Then make it happen. Some other fighters may not have that power but Manny sure as hell does. Paciquaio can open his mouth and change all this.
Inspectorxr5 - January 8, 2012 via mobile
his gf properly told him he was ducking manny
so in reality that too is pacman’s fault
C.A.M. - January 8, 2012
Bob Arum...
Is a piece of shit. Nuff said.
Chin Check - January 8, 2012
in the end everyone is a asshole
MaZZacare - January 8, 2012
i can’t help myself.
can we all agree that we should unite and blame Kid Nate?
Victor Rodriguez - January 8, 2012
I’ve realized boxing is really fun to watch and BE’s coverage is always spot-on. People here post “why not go to a boxing site?” but it’s cool to have boxing articles written for MMA fans for small stuff like references to MMA fights and just for the sake of not interrupting the flow of my reading. Maybe I should see if there’s an opening to post this on that newer Mike Tyson robbery story.
Bolshevik - January 8, 2012
I don't Blame Pacman, I blame Arum and the mainstream media
They let Arum lie, time and itme and time again.
ARum is a massive compulsive liar, that shamelessly lie in a way a 10 year old sociopath would.
I mean from the 100 mil dollar “offer” he gave Floyd with his mysterious Indonisian “investors” from the “Floyd is a racist so he could hurt Pac’s political career” excuse.
“We refuse to be tested by USADA, we want testing from WADA” excuse.
The cut that won’t heal for 6 month excuse and yet all the dummies that believed this bullsh1t for years still blamed GB and Team MAyweather
Mohammedini Hussein - January 9, 2012
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