Money vs. Manny

SHUT UP AND LISTEN
by Deon Carson

Listen to me: YOU HAVE BEEN HOODWINKED, bamboozled, led astray, run amuck. Bob Arum (owner of Top Rank Boxing, and promoter of Manny Pacquiao) has fooled you. I know that a lot of you love Mr. Manny Pacquiao and a lot of you hate Mr. Floyd Mayweather Jr, but let's discuss the facts.

People say that Floyd carefully selects his fights and that Manny will fight anyone. If this is the case then how come until his upcoming fight with Juan Manuel Marquez Manny has fought guys whose records are a combined 0-6-1 in their last major fights (not counting a tune-up fight a guy may have taken) 3 (Hatton, Cotto, Margarito) were coming off of getting knocked out. On the other hand Floyds' last opponents including his upcoming with Victor Ortiz have all been coming off of KO victories and in some cases career defining wins i.e. Shane knocking out Margarito or Ortiz beating an undefeated Andre Berto. His last 6 opponents are 6-0 coming into the fight with one (Ricky Hatton) undefeated 44-0 at the time.

Now let's look at who really wants the fight between Manny and Floyd. As soon as rumors began to surface that Floyd was going to come out of retirement in 2009 to possibly fight Manny, Bob Arum immediately stated during an interview "The question with a Mayweather fight is at what weight? That's the big question. At 140, I don't think there's any problem making that fight," said Arum. (Bob Arum interview 2009 w/Doghouse boxing). Now Arum having promoted Floyd when he moved up from 140lbs knew damn well Floyd could not drop to that weight. Allow me to continue with Manny's trainer Freddie Roach he stated "At the right weight? No problem. At 147? Forget it," Roach said. "Manny doesn't need it. Manny's best weight is 140."(Freddie Roach interview with philstar.com). Now here are two guys that have the power to make the fight asking for something they know cannot happen now does that sound like someone that wants to fight.

Not to mention they already fought De la hoya at 147. Oh you need more convincing, well allow me to educate you a little more on the issue. October 7th 2009 in an interview with www.Boxingscene.com when asked about a Floyd vs. Manny fight after Floyd shuts Juan Manuel Marquez out. Bob stated "the fight that should be made is Mosley vs. Floyd but Floyd won't take that fight". They say they want to fight but after Floyd shuts out the guy who some think won beat Manny Bob Arum wants Floyd to fight a different fighter.

November 2008 Top Rank sends a contract for Floyd to fight Manny. This contract has several stipulations including one that Floyd pays $1 million per pound that he comes in over 147lbs, Top Rank would also chose the gloves, and the ring size, this was a ploy hoping that Floyd would not sign the contract buuuuuuut. Dec 1 2009 (Kevin Iole of yahoo sports) breaks the news that Mayweather has AGREED to all terms set forth by Pacquiao and has signed the contract to face him 13 March 2009. Freddie Roach states in an interview with www.fighthype.com that "March 13 is too fast." "I'd like to have more time". (Note Manny ended up fighting Joshua Clottey on that date and Roach had no issue with it.) Now Manny, Roach, and Arum would have you to believe that it's Floyd that is holding the fight up but Manny has never signed the contract.
Dec 22, 2009 it comes out that Floyd asked that both he and Manny submit to "random Olympic style drug testing". Dec 23rd 2009 Top Rank releases a statement "Team Pacquiao is only willing to do 3 non-random drug tests" (www.fighthype.com). They demand a 30 day cutoff for testing. Dec 28, 2009 a video surfaces of Manny taking a blood test less than 30 before the Ricky Hatton fight in which he won by 2nd round KO. Jan 7th 2010 Mayweather reveals a 14 day cut off was offered but Manny refused.

You can flip it anyway you want to but the FACT is Manny never signed the contract and Floyd did, Manny turned down a 50 million dollar fight and took an 8 million dollar fight instead just to avoid a drug test. It is also a FACT that Cotto, Margarito, Clottey, and Shane (only for 1 fight) were all under the same promoter as Manny. None of those fighters could move and counter punch they were all stationary fighters who would be there for Manny to hit. The last counter puncher that Manny fought was Juan Manuel Marques in 2008. Who got off the canvas 3 times in the first round and ended up fighting a Manny to a controversial draw.

I swear so called sports fans are like lemurs just following the masses straight off of a cliff. When the facts are right in front of your face to see you still allow outside influences to form your opinion for you.