Time For Manny Pac to Stop Cheating History, spot on article Options

[Mr P Dick Esq.]

By Jake Donovan

Another event, another catch… weight, that is.

Nothing but disappointment and grumbling has been expressed in the wake of yet another failed attempt to match together Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao, universally regarded as the two best fighters in the world today.

In a perfect world, a worthy alternative would be offered while at least pretending that something greater was waiting in the wings.

In today’s world, we get whatever promoters and networks elect to feed us.

Rather than a matchup to determine once and for all who is the best very best active fighter (and welterweight) in the world, we get a repeat of what we were already asked to pay for last year: Team Pacquiao inventing another weight class for the sake of chasing history.

From the moment promoter Bob Arum revealed in his after-hours conference call more than a week ago that the options for Pacquiao’s next opponent were limited to two of his own fighters, it was clear that the final choice would come down to the one more willing to bend over and take it however the Vegas-based promotional company wanted to give it to them.

Arum stated on the call that he was confident that a deal could be reached within 10 days, though also claiming that negotiations had never yet begun with either Miguel Cotto or Antonio Margarito – the two finalists in this year’s Pacquiao opposition sweepstakes.

The comment was peculiar considering that Pacquiao – for all of his charm, humility and in-ring greatness – has proven in recent years to be a bear to deal with at the negotiating table. Deals to face Cotto, Ricky Hatton and Oscar de la Hoya all dragged on until the last possible minute, with all three fights in limbo at one point or another before being finalized.

At the heart of most negotiating complications is money, but the deal struck with Cotto went well beyond that. The sales pitch for their November 2009 showdown was Pacquiao pursuing a title in a record seventh weight class, just months after having become the only fighter in boxing history to capture lineal world championships in four separate divisions.

The biggest hang-up most had with the manner in which he was gunning for Cotto’s title was his unwillingness to honor the actual welterweight limit. Cotto held his ground for as long as he could, demanding that the fight either takes place at 147 for his title, or at Pacquiao’s suggested catchweight of 145 lb, but without the alphabet hardware at stake.

With nobody looking out for his best interest (Arum promotes both sides but was never going to tell Pacquiao to back down), Cotto eventually gave in, accepting the payday that came with the fight and agreed to the catchweight and the title fight.

We are now at the same exact point, only the circumstances are far more suspect.

Without a deal in place, Arum has already claimed on the record that Margarito – who has now emerged as the frontrunner to face Pacquiao on November 13 – is willing to concede to Team Pacquiao’s demand for a catchweight of 150 lb.

If it were for any given fight, it wouldn’t be much of an issue – the weight or the fight itself. More than a few fans and media members have voiced their displeasure over Margarito being rewarded with a big payday while still being without a license to box in the United States. Those same outspoken critics have called for his banishment after being caught with loaded hand wraps prior to the eventual beatdown he would catch from Shane Mosley in their January 2009 fight. More so than the act itself, what doesn’t sit right with most is his always stopping just short of accepting full responsibility for what took place that night whenever pressed to recount what took place that evening in Los Angeles.

But all of that stuff merely makes Margarito the villain, the clear-cut choice to root against should a deal be finalized to face Pacquiao in November.

A villain is precisely what has been missing from Pacquiao’s last several promotions, and all the more reason why a showdown with Mayweather – who has perfected the role of Public Enemy #1 for any given event in recent years – would’ve resulted in the most lucrative prizefight ever.

You can argue that de la Hoya wore the black hat when he faced Pacquiao in December 2008, simply from the perspective of his having spent the past 11 years at 147 or higher, yet calling out a fighter who at the time had never fought heavier than 135. It was the first time in years that Pacquiao entered the fight as a considerable underdog, making it that much easier to root for him and only adding to the promotion.

Since then, the choice of opponents have hardly been the type of cats that you love to hate – Ricky Hatton, of whom there’s only one; Cotto, whom most either love or are simply indifferent two; and Joshua Clottey, who – even if you dislike him - never carried with the fans that level of interest to significantly add to any promotion.

From that perspective alone, Margarito serves a purpose - one more reason to root for Pacquiao, one more reason to hate Margarito, one more reason to buy the pay-per-view event.

That was never going to happen with a Cotto rematch; if anything, it would detract from Pacquiao’s popularity. Arum’s sales pitch that Cotto brings enough to the table to make a second fight even the slightest bit enticing never went very far; the lopsided beating is still far too fresh in everyone’s memory – as is the crappy undercard that preceded the main event.

Even worse, any record books that would recognize Pacquiao as an eight-division world champion – had he won – would’ve shown two wins over Cotto at two separate weight classes, neither of which would’ve come at the true divisional limit.

Sadly, part of that statement will still read true after November 13, should he get by Margarito.

At stake for this event will be a belt that was forcefully vacated by Sergio Martinez, to be contended by two fighters who between them make for zero notable wins at the 154 lb. limit.

Margarito’s most recent fight came at the junior middleweight limit, taking a 10-round decision over fringe contender Roberto Garcia. Prior to that fight, it has been six years since he fought at the weight – dropping a decision to Daniel Santos in their September 2004 rematch – and even longer since he won a fight beyond the welterweight limit.

In other words, nothing to earn the right to challenge for a title of any kind.

While Pacquiao arguably earns the right to fight for the belt of his choosing on social status alone, it’s been more than two years since he’s fought for any title sanctioned by the alphabet group who will recognize the winner of this fight as their junior middleweight champion. That fight for Pacquiao came three weight classes south, against David Diaz for a lightweight belt.

Pacquiao won that fight with ease, but never defended the belt or even returned to 135. That win came on the heels of his rematch win over Juan Manuel Marquez for the lineal junior lightweight championship, only to bolt from that division immediately after the fight.

His two-round blowout over Ricky Hatton for the lineal junior welterweight crown remains his only fight to date at the 140 lb. weight limit. Several publications (including Boxingscene.com) continue to recognize him as the champion, even though he hasn’t fought at the weight in more than a year, nor is it likely that he ever drops back down below the welterweight division.

In fact, for all of his belt-collecting in recent years, his12-round whitewash over Clottey earlier this year marked the first successful title defense at any weight since his days spent as the World featherweight champion more than six years ago.

Now, one fight into his welterweight reign, he eyes a belt in yet another division.

He doesn’t want to pursue it the old-fashioned way – by earning it – or even pursue one of its many other beltholders, but rather cherry pick his way towards a vacant title, in a fight in which the participants could potentially weigh no heavier than four pounds below the actual divisional limit if the present water cooler talk holds true.

The demands for last year’s Cotto fight – while not universally embraced – were at least somewhat forgiven, considering the fact that Pacquiao was at least facing a recognized beltholder.

But there are only so many times that a fighter and his team can keep dipping into the same well and expect his paying audience to come along for the ride.

The run in recent years has proven that Pacquiao is capable of sustaining his greatness even as he adds pounds to his frame and challenges himself in the ring against top-notch fighters.

But in the wake of failing to make a fight happen with Mayweather, and considering that there are plenty of other fighters in and around the welterweight division against whom the fans would much rather see him, the time has come for Manny Pacquiao and his handlers to stop cheating history.

[BBQmyNUTZ]

It's an excellent read for racists and enemies of common sense who want to see the sport fail.

[Mr P Dick Esq.]

All fact, no fuss. And it KILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSSSSSSS you.

[BBQmyNUTZ]

He's the money man, and he can do as he pleases. Fact is, he bent to the demands of the fans and the sport and did everything he could to get the only fight that matters now made... the other guy took his phone off the hook.

[Mr P Dick Esq.]

He's the money man, and he can do as he pleases. Fact is, he bent to the demands of the fans and the sport and did everything he could to get the only fight that matters now made... the other guy took his phone off the hook.

Your version is fantastic.

[BBQmyNUTZ]

It's an accurate description of the negotiations that never took place.

[Rayrobinson#1]

Cheating History? The writer needs to wake up. Belts are bought and sold by corrupt sanctioning bodies. Belts mean nothing. Who would seriously compare holding a belt today compared to the days of Armstrong? So when he says cheating history I have no idea what he means.

Pac has been in P4P rankings for a long time now. If he negotiates weight then other fighters dont have to fight him if they dont want to.

[D-GenerationX]

Pac is going to skate on the weight demands because no one has any sympathy for Margarito.

If this were a guy who not a convicted cheat, I think people would be raising more of a stink.

For the record, I think Pac's demands are silliness. 145 vs. 147...who fucking cares? Its seems to be more about wanting to dictate to people than gaining some sort of strategic advantage.

[2P1S]

Pac is going to skate on the weight demands because no one has any sympathy for Margarito.

If this were a guy who not a convicted cheat, I think people would be raising more of a stink.

For the record, I think Pac's demands are silliness. 145 vs. 147...who fucking cares? Its seems to be more about wanting to dictate to people than gaining some sort of strategic advantage.

But it's cool with you and BBQ because it is Pac. He is the money man he can dictate as he pleases but when Floyd does it all of a sudden it is all wrong. Floyd is scared. Floyd is a bastard. Etc. etc.

[Antrizzle]

Cheating History? The writer needs to wake up. Belts are bought and sold by corrupt sanctioning bodies. Belts mean nothing. Who would seriously compare holding a belt today compared to the days of Armstrong? So when he says cheating history I have no idea what he means.

Pac has been in P4P rankings for a long time now. If he negotiates weight then other fighters dont have to fight him if they dont want to.

Ok fine if you feel that way, but don't nobody come back later with this crap about him being an "8 division world champion" or whatever. The fact that this fight would be for a vacant 154 pound title is a joke, there's no way to spin that.

[Doug]

Cheating History? The writer needs to wake up. Belts are bought and sold by corrupt sanctioning bodies. Belts mean nothing. Who would seriously compare holding a belt today compared to the days of Armstrong? So when he says cheating history I have no idea what he means.

Pac has been in P4P rankings for a long time now. If he negotiates weight then other fighters dont have to fight him if they dont want to.

Ok fine if you feel that way, but don't nobody come back later with this crap about him being an "8 division world champion" or whatever. The fact that this fight would be for a vacant 154 pound title is a joke, there's no way to spin that.

You do have a point, but the counter-point would be that the sanctioning body was willing to put their belt up for the fight and the opponent was willing to meet the catchweight requirements. Technically, all parties agreed to meet the requirements set forth to fight for a belt. I understand the argument about catchweights being somewhat bullshit, but if everyone involved agrees to it and it gets us quality match-ups, I find more good than bad in such matches.

[Honest DB]

Cheating History? The writer needs to wake up. Belts are bought and sold by corrupt sanctioning bodies. Belts mean nothing. Who would seriously compare holding a belt today compared to the days of Armstrong? So when he says cheating history I have no idea what he means.

Pac has been in P4P rankings for a long time now. If he negotiates weight then other fighters dont have to fight him if they dont want to.

Ok fine if you feel that way, but don't nobody come back later with this crap about him being an "8 division world champion" or whatever. The fact that this fight would be for a vacant 154 pound title is a joke, there's no way to spin that.

Yes, and no one who is a Pac fan should mock Mayweather's negotiating. Pac is just as bad.

[Antrizzle]

Cheating History? The writer needs to wake up. Belts are bought and sold by corrupt sanctioning bodies. Belts mean nothing. Who would seriously compare holding a belt today compared to the days of Armstrong? So when he says cheating history I have no idea what he means.

Pac has been in P4P rankings for a long time now. If he negotiates weight then other fighters dont have to fight him if they dont want to.

Ok fine if you feel that way, but don't nobody come back later with this crap about him being an "8 division world champion" or whatever. The fact that this fight would be for a vacant 154 pound title is a joke, there's no way to spin that.

You do have a point, but the counter-point would be that the sanctioning body was willing to put their belt up for the fight and the opponent was willing to meet the catchweight requirements. Technically, all parties agreed to meet the requirements set forth to fight for a belt. I understand the argument about catchweights being somewhat bullshit, but if everyone involved agrees to it and it gets us quality match-ups, I find more good than bad in such matches.

That's like saying because the robbers, the patrons, and tellers, and the manager all went along with it, the bank robbery was fine to do. Of course everybody is going along with it! Arum manages both guys, he has the WBC in his back pocket, he get's to keep all the money, Pacquaio gets his "8th title", and Magarito has nowhere else to go.

And for the record, I don't think this is a good matchup. Margarito looked like shit in his comeback fight. He's even more slow and plodding than ever. He's so out of shape, it's clear to me he can't make 147 even more and even this 150 nonsense is probably a stretch. Pac wins 11 rounds to 1 on this guy now.

[thaiboxer]

Kinda odd, though, that a guy who started his career at 112 and made his rep from 122-130 would be in a situation where he's catching legitimate criticism for fighting junior middleweights at a catchweight of 150. On top of that, you've got guys saying "Pac should fight Sergio Martinez", a guy who happens to be the middleweight champ. Martinez would outweigh him by 20 pounds on fight night.

[Honest DB]

Lots of people are 112 when they're 12 years old.

[Antrizzle]

Exactly. Pac and Mayweather both fought at 106 when they were 16 years old. Brother Naseem had the best quote I've heard in a while in regards to Pac: "Pacquaio had done a great job convincing everybody that he's a small guy but the truth is he really isn't." Even when he was fighting at 126 and 130, go back and look at his fight night weights, he was always coming in at 140, 144, 147, etc...there's a youtube video that illustrates this. People make a big deal about him coming up to welterweight, but he hasn't had to gain as much as you might think.

[thaiboxer]

Exactly. Pac and Mayweather both fought at 106 when they were 16 years old. Brother Naseem had the best quote I've heard in a while in regards to Pac: "Pacquaio had done a great job convincing everybody that he's a small guy but the truth is he really isn't." Even when he was fighting at 126 and 130, go back and look at his fight night weights, he was always coming in at 140, 144, 147, etc...there's a youtube video that illustrates this. People make a big deal about him coming up to welterweight, but he hasn't had to gain as much as you might think.

I first broached the idea on these boards of a "hypothetical" match-up between Floyd and Pac at a "catchweight" in the ballpark of 135-140. The consensus was that it was ridiculous, because Manny was "too small". This was after he had moved up to 130, and before he announced he was moving up to 135.

[Honest DB]

Exactly. Pac and Mayweather both fought at 106 when they were 16 years old. Brother Naseem had the best quote I've heard in a while in regards to Pac: "Pacquaio had done a great job convincing everybody that he's a small guy but the truth is he really isn't." Even when he was fighting at 126 and 130, go back and look at his fight night weights, he was always coming in at 140, 144, 147, etc...there's a youtube video that illustrates this. People make a big deal about him coming up to welterweight, but he hasn't had to gain as much as you might think.

I first broached the idea on these boards of a "hypothetical" match-up between Floyd and Pac at a "catchweight" in the ballpark of 135-140. The consensus was that it was ridiculous, because Manny was "too small". This was after he had moved up to 130, and before he announced he was moving up to 135.