Ringside With Raymundo 7.30.10: There's No Crying in Boxing!
Posted by Raymundo Dioses on 07.30.2010
This week, how it's useless to mix public perception and boxing, Iole calls Mayweather a chicken and thoughts from ringside...
Prior to Antonio Margarito winning the ‘Manny Pacquiao sweepstakes' in what will be his grandest payday of his sixteen year professional career, Ring Magazine writer Erick Raskin penned this:
"The Tijuana native does not deserve the money that comes with fighting Pacquiao. But in the minds of many, he completely deserves the physical punishment. "
There will be plenty of drama and hype heading into November, as the ‘good guy vs. bad guy' carpet can be rolled out, even without Floyd Mayweather strutting down the aisle.
Margarito cheated and got caught.
Pacquiao is the perennial good guy archetype who was recently named back to back Fighter of the Year as well as Fighter of the Decade by the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Both fighters will square off in either Las Vegas, Texas, Monterrey, Mexico or someplace named Abu Dhabi.
Raskin's thought on the fight echoes the sentiments of many boxing fans, who feel Margarito cheated the sport, may have cheated prior to getting caught, and deserved to be banished forever from the squared circle.
One place that people who hold these beliefs would not want Margarito to be is across the ring from the pound for pound king in his most lucrative fight, especially since serving a one year banishment from the sport and returning in a tune up bout that couldn't be performed on American soil since he opted not to apply for a license, yet somehow finds himself the No. 1 rated super welterweight by the World Boxing Council.
It's a promotional move for the ages, as Top Rank head Bob Arum was contemplating what his next move would be should Floyd Mayweather Jr. not wish to step in against his fighter, Pacquaio. His plan B's were Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. Cotto had already felt Pacquiao's wrath via TKO last year, and by picking Margarito, Arum wouldn't be gaining many fans.
Arum didn't gain many fans by selecting Margarito as Pacquaio's next opponent, but there will be one thing the 80 years strong promoter will gain: pay per view buys and a sold out attendance at almost any venue he selects.
Also by staging Margarito v. Pacquiao, Arum scores 777's in what will be a win-win situation for himself and his company Top Rank.
If Margarito pulls out a win, Arum can stage a rematch. Pacquiao/Margarito II would probably be another blockbuster show if the ‘styles make fights' belief holds true come November.
If Margarito loses, well, he lost to the top fighter in the world, and can keep fighting afterward, just like Cotto extended his shelf life post Pacquiao in facing Yuri Foreman and now stands to land another big pay day against the likes of Alfredo Angulo or Miguel Cotto.
In either outcome, Top Rank keeps staging lucrative fights.
Not too shabby for an old man who's been in the fight game for 50 years.
There's no sense in trying to make a moral stand against a fight being made.
Boxers have come back from committing felonies and serving years in state institutions only to return to the ring and continue with their careers. Boxing is unique in that aspect; try going back to Mc Donald's after a prison stint.
If one focuses on the athleticism and competition that is occurring in the ring from the opening bell until the fight is finished, that is the purest way to view boxing.
Did public perception keep Mike Tyson, Diego Corrales and Paul Spadafora away from the sport? Nope.
Morals and ethics are traits that are seldom seen in the hundred year old sport; both while making a fight and during the contest. And that's ok. Boxing is a violent sport not intended for the weak or less than strong willed; boxing is a sport that pulls no punches; literally.
Think about it.
That's one of the reasons why Raskin's quote makes so much sense.
THOUGHTS FROM RINGSIDE
I recently enjoyed a nice night of boxing while ringside and next to a good writer friend in which we were treated to an entertaining night of club fights between up and coming young fighters who were filled with heart and showed it in the ring at a recent Thompson Boxing show.
The nice thing about it, along with the fights, was that not one time during the night did we discuss the debacle that is a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.
This past weekend in Temecula was a different story.
While most writers have expressed that they are plain sick and tired about penning articles about it, talking about it and constantly answering questions about a fight that never ended up happening, most all of the writers I've spoken to would pick Floyd Mayweather to win if or when the fight ever gets made; or does not.
Why is the person who the experts pick not even fighting again in 2010?
Actually, that is just as about, if not even more mind-bottling than Pac v. May not being made.
Well here's my take.
While Mayweather is the popular pick, it's Pacquaio who was willing to fight against whoever wanted some in November. He and his entire team's preference was Mayweather as an opponent, yet if that wasn't the case, Pacquaio was going to fight anyway.
That's the mark of a fighter who primarily wants to do the one thing his life is centered around; fight.
Iole calls Mayweather ‘chicken'
Earlier this week Yahoo! Sports boxing writer ripped Floyd Mayweather for not stepping up to the plate against Manny Pacquiao.
A caption for the article simply reads "at this point, one can only conclude that Floyd Mayweather Jr. simply doesn't want to fight Manny Pacquiao."
It is a vehement attack in which Iole states that Mayweather can no longer claim to be better than either Sugar's Leonard or Robinson, and that he "can't hold a candle to either."
Most fans decry the media for not calling out fighters in their articles and columns who are evasive in taking competitive fights.
Well, here you have it folks: one of the top boxing writers in the country straight shooting it to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the post ‘biggest fight in boxing history that failed to be made' era.
