Is Mayweather finished with boxing?
As some hip-hop artist once said, “ride or die.” As time goes on and Floyd Mayweather Jr. continues to exile himself from the sport he’s dominated for years, many of his biggest fans are pulling the plug on him. And for good reason. Floyd’s silence on a return to the ring and a potential mega-fight with Pacquiao is insulting and incomprehensible.
When discussions failed with Manny Pacquiao and Top Rank Promotions the first time around, blame wasn’t levelled on a person per se. It was put on the fact that neither camp could agree on a drug-testing arrangement. But this time negotiations have fallen flat for one reason—“Pretty Boy,” who still seems disturbingly nonplussed by the whole situation.
The facts are these: he’s refusing to fight, and he’s refusing to make a statement (outside of the laughable one made by his advisor Leonard Ellerbe recently that “no negotiations have ever taken place nor was there ever a deal agreed upon [...] to fight Manny Pacquiao”). And worst of all, he’s refusing to mend or add to the statement he did make last month: “I’m not really thinking about boxing right now. I’m just relaxing. I fought 60 days ago, so I’m just enjoying myself, enjoying life, enjoying my family, enjoying my vacation.”
Here’s a question: how long can a vacation be a vacation when the other world-dominating force in your profession continually launches the ball in your court, and demands that you respond? How long can you enjoy life and yourself when your opponent is publicly putting your manhood and that very “self” into question?
Floyd doesn’t live in a cave. Or maybe he does. But one thing’s clear: after Bob Arum publicly stated his team was willing to accept Mayweather’s drug-testing provisions this time around, as well as announced their side had agreed upon a deal and a deadline, everyone turned to Floyd in anticipation.
As it stands, one could give Mayweather the benefit of the doubt and come up with legitimate reasons he’d want to avoid the Pacquiao fight this year. There’s the pending trial of his uncle Roger Mayweather against a female fighter he once trained, which would mean his absence from Floyd’s corner in the fight (throughout his career Roger has always been in his corner). There’s a new lawsuit filed by TDF Investments against Mayweather Promotions for breach of contract and unpaid rent. There’s an ongoing battle with the federal government over income tax issues (Floyd could say that depending on earnings from a Pacquiao fight, these troubles could be expounded). And finally there’s the possibility that Mayweather could argue he’s a bigger draw than Pacquiao, and on that basis reject the fight until he receives a bigger purse. All of these could be argued. But that’s the point. Mayweather has refused to publicly announce any of them, preferring silence to an absolving explanation.
What Mayweather doesn’t seem to get is that silence on this issue is worse than defeat in the ring. Come on, man! Isn’t it clear this breaks down just like the LeBron James saga in that it’s not so much about the decision, but the way it’s handled?
What concerns Floyd at this point is to maintain his perfect record, and to get mad stacks of money. But that doesn’t make him a fan favourite or even a great fighter. That makes him prodigiously talented and narrow-sighted. What Mayweather is forgetting is that you’re not the best until the people declare you the best. And most people will never declare someone the best they don’t feel represents their interests.
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