WOODS: Let's All Let Floyd Be, Stop Begging Him To Fight Pacquiao

Written by Michael Woods

Monday, 06 June 2011 21:45

MayweatherMosleyFinalPC_Hogan43 So he turned up his nose at $65 million bucks. Floyd Mayweather, with $65 million reasons to say yes, instead said no, I will not at this time fight Manny Pacquiao.

Difficult to believe, isn't it? We've all played the game "what would you do for a million dollars?" game with pals, and suffice to say, the bulk of us would allow ourselves to be semi debased and disgraced in exchange for securing a fat pile of loot. $65 million, even chopped up into portions for the taxman, and management types, is actually an obscene pile of loot.

The liberal softie in me does some math calculations in my head, dreams of all the good that $65 million could do. Starving kids in Africa could get plenty of nourishment for a long spell with that dough. You could build a real nice cancer wing in a big city hospital for that. And the jokester in me points out that you could get the IRS off your back if you owed him back taxes, if you said yes to $65 million.

But Floyd said no.

Promoter Bob Arum told videographer Elie Seckbach that despite his being an optimist, he now believes Mayweather will never fight Pacquiao. Arum said last week "legitimate people" from Signapore put $65 million on the table for Mayweather to meet Pacman, and "he turned it down...What does that tell you? It tells you he doesn't want to fight Manny Pacquiao."

"Everybody who knows boxing knows Manny Pacquiao would clean his clock," said Arum, skillfully speaking to Mayweather's ego, trying to get him to take the bait, and spurn all those people who know boxing. (By the way, count me out in this Arum scenario...I still lean toward Mayweather, one of if not THE best defender boxing has ever seen, if and when he and Pacquiao meet. I thought Manny took a half step back against Mosley, and wasn't impressed at times with his footwork as he tried to track down Mosley, who was in "not be hit" mode for 95% of the night.)

Arum said Floyd's legacy will take a hit if he doesn't fight Manny, that his record should be 41-1, because he has ducked Manny.

You might think that I will now delve into conjecture, and ponder reasons why Mayweather hasn't embraced the challenge. You might suspect that I will offer my belief that Mayweather enjoys the thrill of the chase as much as the actual preparation and combat, that he gets off on being wooed, on being romanced. You might think I'll offer some speculation on his psyche, talk about his fear of losing, of a fragility of ego. But I won't.

It's time for all of us to ditch the speculation, end the water cooler chats, cease the discussion as to why Mayweather won't fight Pacquiao.

Mayweather has made up his mind, and we have reached the point where the situation is ludicrous. Too much time has been wasted on trying to convince this man to do something he's not inclined to do. For two years, the keyboard tappers have churned out column after column, talking about blood tests, and PED allegations, and played amateur shrink as we covered the "will he or won't he" drama...Well, the drama has become stale, played out. The plotlines have been exhausted. There is nothing new, nothing fresh to be reported. What's next, Floyd will be offered $100 million to fight Pacquiao, and will turn that down?

Let's move on and deal with the concrete, with athletes who unabashedly seek the the challenges that make great sportsmen into legends. Let's focus on the people who don't shrink from the possibility of failure, for whatever reason, and luxuriate in what it is that makes them what they are. Let's let Mayweather fade away, build his brand, brag about his bets, however he wants to spend his time, and if and when he's ready to rock, and sign on to meet Manny, then we'll play along.

Comment on this article

Real Talk says:

I just watched the Mosley fight. Maywaether UD, shocks the world, especially the Eastern side...well maybe not a lot of martial artist in China...but anyway. Pacquiao's style is taylor made for Floyd who will use timing and inches as well as pot shot and smother Pac who will not have any understanding of these things because he's never been in the ring with anything on the level of Floyd skillwise..at all. Pac has speed and power and is dangerous but honestly...I give him four rounds just like the rest of'em...then the vault door slams shut. If he couldn't get to Mosley with that bad footwork and movement what will he do with Floyd who will actually be popping and puting the hands on him? All Floyd needs is one mybe 2 of the first four rounds then the lesson starts. Nothing against Manny who is one of my favorites just calling it like I see it. Floyd should take one fight before he fights Pac just because he's been inactive. Shout out to Radam G, #1 Pacfan and Misterlee. Where in the world is DonPuto69? Hope he's in good health and free. My lady works with a lot of Pilipinas out Va. Cool peoples, good peoples(spelled on purpose). The Pilipines is deep out here. I wouldn't mind going there. I saw the Island on fight camp 360 and it's magestic. Peace n Blessings

nashingun says:

to be frank with you mr writer, floyds defenses didnt really lived well with sluggers like dela hoya. his rolling shoulder were never effective against southpaws. so if you think you'd convince me floyd is the best defensive boxer, id demand him to fight cotto, margarito, clottey for that matter and most of all pacquiao before i say yes, floyd is truly the best defensive boxer around. but if you'd only claim this and that without concrete basis its empty claims. if floyd could prove me wrong and fight this tough boxers in hand.

if you'd ask me who had better performance on mosley... its obvious! pac drop mosley in round 3 while floyd got wacked by mosley on 2nd round. now hows that to you? when pacquiao was mistakenly counted for a knock down in 10th round pac really had it and boom there goes mosley's skills in the basket. pac just kept coming after mosley with just 2 more rounds to go you'll notice mosley's face red and beaten. just imagine that. now, how much did floyd damage mosley? in comparison pacquaio has given mosley his worse fight so far more than floyd did, even in the UD rounds won.

so please, enough with floyd mayweather hyping. the guy wont survive pacquiaio inside the ring and he knows that thats why he is not accepting even a $65M offer. and i'll bet even $100M wont do. floyds ego is too big he cant take the shame of a loss. this is precisely the cowards struggles, they cant just simple face their fears.

ultimoshogun says:

There's been alotta news about people making these big offers to Pacman and Mayweather lately, except the Mexican dude who supposedly offered Manny $65 million wants him to fight Canelo instead. Mayweather has already denied Arum's story... The most interesting story i've read over on Fighthype is about the people here in the states that have offered Mayweather and Pacquiao $75 million each, and the first $25 million comes when they sign their name on the line, kinda sounds too good to be true, but if the offer is legit both fighters would be stupid not to take the deal and make the fight.... Supposedly Mayweather has some announcement he'll be posting on Twitter at noon ET.

Radam G says:

I agree that everybodee and dey momma should leave Money May alone about if he should dance with Da Manny. Money May is simply a modern-day Sugar Ray Robinson. Da Sugarman didn't and wouldn't fight Jack Chase, Kid Cocoa, Charlie Burley, middleweight Archie Moore, middleweight Ezzard Charles and a lot of heavy-on-da-ebony-skinned-hued brothas. So why is it not all right for Da Moneyman not to fight Tony Margarito, Miguel Cotto and Da Manny. Money May is simply a ducker of any brown-skinned pugilist, who can get down. We know that JL Castillo gave Money May a serious whuppin and scare in the first bout. Money May is into ducking Aispanic and Hispanic who may torch his arse. Don't be surprised to see that Vicious Victor will give him all that he can handle. Yall oughta quit hating and double talking.

What was good for SRR is also good and a go for MM/PBF. Da Sugarman ducked da Ebonican fighters of his day. Da Moneyman is a ducker of an Aispanic kick-arse and whup-arse Hispanic fighters of his day. Holla!

"B" says:

wow...............

the Roast says:

The fight is looking good right now people. Floyd beats Ortiz. Manny beats JMM. Let the hype begin. What have we learned after all these years? Follow the money. It will happen. Too big not to.

nchs78 says:

Thanks Micheal Woods,

I think you hit the nail on the head, Lets not try and decipher why the heck Floyd keeps making excuses and won't fight Pacquiao and just accept the fact the he ain't gonna do it. I disagree with you about who would win if Floyd ever gets the cajones to take the challenge. Cotto was roughing him up with those looping lefts on the ropes. Pacquiao has that straight left and can definitely reach floyds chin standing right in front of him , unless he leans right outside the ropes to evade. It was kind of weird how folks were stating that it was floyd, cotto was his best performance to date. Folks can make all the excuses and justifications in the world (Cotto was weight drained etc) but Pacquiao beat the living crap out of Cotto and Mayweather struggled mightily. Floyd pretty smart and that's why he won't fight Pacquiao. (oops , I said I wouldn't speculate on the why)

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