Freddie Roach: Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather, Jr Will Never Happen
by Luke Thomas on Nov 2, 2010 12:00 PM EDT
in Boxing
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Some of you don't like boxing talk here, but our combat sports cousins often grapple with issues that either relate to or spill over into our universe. In this particular case, there are a number of ways to parse Roach's bold statements. Roach thinks this is a simple matter of Mayweather ducking Pacquiao. While he may be right, there's obviously more to the story.
This is also a story about the architecture of boxing and co-promotion, although not to the extent some suggest. Despite massive incentives for both boxers as well as promotional arms Top Rank and Golden Boy, a deal seems highly unlikely. The truth is the promotional rivals have been putting a number of compelling fights on by working together, so the "co-promotion doesn't work" meme is overstated insofar as boxing is concerned. But if a fighter wants to roadblock the effort, particularly one of Mayweather's stature, there isn't much that can be done. Frankly, though, even if both fighters were Top Rank or Golden Boy boxers, making the fight happen would also be difficult to do.
The larger issue for me is if Roach is right, what this all means. It would suggest boxing has lost what is not only the best available fight the entire sport can offer right now, but also a generational combat sports event. Losing that to failed and bizarre negotiations only underscores existing perceptions of the sport: entrenched power - promoter or fighter - isn't interested in truly offering the fights fans want to see.
Let's assume, though, that Mayweather overcomes his legal troubles and is interested in fighting Pacquiao. If Pacquiao loses to Margarito on the 13th, the mega fight between he and Mayweather all of a sudden goes from being must-see to probably-still-worth-seeing-if-you-are-hardcore-enough. Fight promotion is very much about striking while the iron is hot, although more so in MMA where erratic outcomes can undermine potentially lucrative future fights. While Pacquiao is still considered to be the favorite heading into his next bout, his camp has had serious issues and Margarito does pose some unique challenges on the size and weight front.
I pray Roach is wrong. Perhaps this is more a negotiating tactic than anything else. But if it's true candor, one can't help but wonder what was lost because of misplaced priorities and rotten bureaucracies.
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Bingo...
And if shit remains the same, the same thing will happend w/ StrikeForce and Bellator. We complaine about this shit when it comes to boxing but when it comes to the sport we love, its “oh well, let it go”. Having the best fight the best was why MMA went up and shit like this is why boxing is on its way down. Fans switched from Boxing to MMA becuase of this type of bullshit, and if MMA isnt careful, they’re gonna lose fans too. Does anyone know if American Kickboxing is still hot these days??…..
Sometimes things are as they seem
Roach is right. Floyd is ducking Manny, and anyone else he sees as a threat to his zero. He has more money than even he knows what to do with, and as long as he makes $20 mil for per safe fight, there’s no reason for him to take a risky fight that will pay him $40 mil. It’s depressingly simple, and is a great reminder when we get the inclination to start bitching about the power of the UFC.
Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
Co-promotion FTW!
Seriously though, this is a damn shame, bad news for combat sports fans of any stripe. Manny vs. Floyd has the potential to be the biggest fight in boxing history, and would easily be the defining combat sports event of our (my) generation. And well never get to see it. Damn shame.
Give me smallest finger on man's hand. I'll produce information. Computer unnecessary.
by hobbie on Nov 2, 2010 12:20 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Ducking? Kind of Interesting
This is the same guy that told Shane Mosley that he doesn’t want to offer him a fight against Manny Pacquiao because he’s too good and Of course “there’s not enough money.”
Don’t get me wrong, we all know Mayweather Jr. is smoking his own brand of PR and bullsh*t but come one. This is boxing. Let’s not act like either side plays on an even field. What weight limit does Antonio Margarito has to make for this Pacquiao fight?
Yeah, Mayweather Jr. stop the bullsh*t.
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VEe is ANIMated!
They’re fighting at 150, 4lbs below the super welter max, and 3lbs higher than where Margarito fought Mosley at. This is actually a pretty dangerous fight for Manny, they let the weight advantage go to a naturally bigger fighter. De La Hoya was a taller guy, but not really a big dude. Margarito is a big dude for that weight..
hilarious.
that is, the attempts to make pacquiao vs. margarito look like anything less than a complete beatdown.
Listening to Bob Arum promote this fight is worse.
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VEe is ANIMated!
by VeeisAnimated on Nov 2, 2010 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I gave up on Mayweather-Pacquiao after the 1st failed attempt to make that fight.
Yes, it is sad we [the fans] don’t get to see two of the best go head-to-head.
by higgledy-piggledy on Nov 2, 2010 12:42 PM EDT reply actions
Who cares........
Sick of hearing about this fight. Floyd is to busy beating on his girl while Pac-man is scared to take the roid test 2 weeks b4 the fight. (Yes he agreed to the test but the time frame was the issue)
The fight is dead….Move on!! Roach is annoying ass hell.
Man, I re-watched Muhammed Ali vs George Foreman a couple days ago
and it reminded me of how amazing and monumental boxing once was, compared to its current washed up self. For any MMA fan who hasn’t seen the Rumble in the Jungle, watch the fight. Boxing these days is a bunch of bullshit, and it’s overshadowing a fantastic history.
Watch the documentary on it as well…When We Were Kings. Best sports documentary of all time for my money.
"If you can accept losing, you can't win." ~Vince Lombardi
Tweet Tweet.
by ZeroIndulgence on Nov 2, 2010 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions
When this fight was first announced, I would have done anything to get tickets to see it live…. but now I just don’t care anymore.
by Nick Thomas on Nov 2, 2010 12:50 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I'd still pay to see it, but I seriously doubt it will ever happen.
Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
by Dave Strummer on Nov 2, 2010 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions
It doesn't really have much to do with power
If a fighter doesn’t want to fight someone, then the fight will not happen. In a free society, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Even an iron fisted promoter like Dana White couldn’t do any better in such a scenario. If Floyd won’t fight Manny for $50M+, why would he fight him for $1M?
Let Floyd face the wrath of the boxing community, the embarrassment of everyone calling him a ducker, and the lost sponsorship money from this whole ordeal.
I dont think it will happen
I don’t follow boxing but am actually kind of dissapointed this fight didn’t happen. Both can make obscene amounts of money taking fights that they will more than likely win and I can’t blame them. I truly hope the MMA scene never ends up like this
Whatever. Just ban me. You're all gay. - Josh Grant
"I remember some things.. I'm just not too clear on being so old.. and black. Why am I black? And where did I get this suit? It's ridiculous." - Carl
Truth is...
MMA fans accept excuses for why fights don’t happen from promoters and boxers that they don’t accept in boxing or other sport. How many college football fans prefer the BCS because it limits the pie to just major conference teams? How many boxing fans are happy or OK that David Haye isn’t gonna fight a Klitschko because its easier to beat up bums on PPV and makes him just as much money? Exactly. In MMA, those sorts of scenarios are good.
I’m confused about your point…how do MMA fans accept excuses that boxing fans don’t? Boxing fans are even more pessimistic about Mayweather-Pacquiao happening than MMA fans were about Fedor-(insert anyone here).
More importantly, just because fans don’t accept certain excuses as true doesn’t mean they can change what happens. I bet most college football fans would prefer a playoff, but they’re not the ones with the bargaining power.
GZL5000
Are you in Harrisburg, PA? I see the Central Pa MMA avatar
"Wait why didn't I kill that motherfvker"
They are pessimistic, but you don’t see boxing fans thinking that it is actively a good thing for one side or the other that it doesn’t. Nor do they cheer against it happening.
by VirtualBalboa on Nov 3, 2010 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions
If boxing was anything close to being a healthy, functional sport, I would probably follow it more closely than I do MMA. I understand the intricacies of boxing in a way that I may never grasp the super-technical aspects of grappling. But the complete lack of any structure or logical progression makes boxing really hard for me to watch and/or care about. You can’t just string fans along with the promise of superfights and no structure for building up-and-comers. This whole debacle just illustrates why boxing is such a depressing sport to try to follow.
Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
Love or hate Zuffa... big fights happen in the UFC.... for the most part.
Yeah, Fedor is the biggest one that didn’t happen and wont ever. But Brock, the UFC’s cash cow, is fighting the top fighters in his division. The UFC could have protect him and made bank for a while like they do in Boxing.
What boxing promoters don’t get is that fans don’t mind a loss on their favorite fighters record if it was a result of fantastic fight.
Who cares?
Move on. Tell Bob Arum to back off and let Pacqiuao call out someone. Someon elike Sergio Martinez if he beats Paul Williams
I also HIGHLY recommend you guys watch Paul Williams vs Sergio Martinez II. The first one was VERRRY NICE.
this is representative of what is wrong with boxing and does little to sway any middle of the road/on the fence fan between the two sports that boxing can/will change things if, and the article is right, this is a generational fight, cannot be made of some things that truly only are determined by negotiation(s).
Gatti. Dekkers. Pele. Aoki. Kang. Vanderlei. Basillio. Harry Greb.
by theworldsoldestsport on Nov 2, 2010 5:12 PM EDT reply actions
Styles make fights
Mayweather will beat any orthodox fighter, all his padwork since he was a kid is based on how to defend and counter a right handed fighter.
Like Roach said, he stays away from fast south paws. Watch the Zab Judah fight, Mayweather adjusted and finished strong though
Styles make fights
Fedor on the other hand… has every style and can take it to his opponents weakness. He is still the best fighter in the world and isnt ducking anyone imo
I love how brock can get “caught” in an ankle lock.. and ranked #1 a few fights later
and people say fedor got “smashed” and is forgotten, thought of as a ducker. (see: got caught after knocking down opponent, gnp’ing from the best guard in MMA, escaping submission attempt, and instead of stand up, on Ego reentering guard and get caught, Werdum in no Big Nog off his back)
yes i am fedor sensitive…
Blah blah blah...
Enough of the apologetics. Brock became ranked #1 by consistently fighting top opposition.
Fedor is “forgotten” because he’ll end up fighting once this year after losing in 69 seconds (no matter how much Fedor accomplished in that fight before then, which wasn’t as much you’d like to believe), and for the last FIVE years has fought competition ranging from the truly lame, to the merely ok.
No…he is not the best fighter in the world because for the last five years, he’s allowed that title to be questioned. Losing to Werdum didn’t help validate that or anything.
PS Fedor does not have every style. His wrestling has never been good, and I’ve always felt like a good wrestler with good submission defense could grind out a decision against him.
by David Castillo on Nov 3, 2010 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions
consistently fighting top opposition.
Brock fought some dude in K1, was losing round 1 to 44yr old randy, got beat up by shane Carwin and Velasquez, subd by mir…
Who’d held the HW belt the longest in the UFC?? it changes every year, how many former champs are no longer in the UFC? how many contenders no longer in the UFC? You wanna talk about consistency? Fedor has dominated the hardest division to stay on top of in MMA for the past 10yrs, what He did to Big nog at the time, to CroCop, in Affliction…
people’s opinions change, but when he was in pride he always fought the #1 contender, same with when in Affliction and Strikeforce, he’s never ducked anyone, I have all the respect in the world for him.
Don't care anymore.
Pacman is so far ahead of Mayweather in both style and accomplishments.
Having no losses doesn’t really, in the end mean that much.
Pacman is a politician, a singer, a future president, and has 8 titles in different weight classes.
Mayweather likes to go on racist rants.
Pacman doesn’t need fairweather.
"One should always be cold minded and remember that a ridiculous incident may occur any time."
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