LOS ANGELES – Filipino boxing fans have seen and heard enough over the past two years about a possible match between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
They’ve heard boxing analysts talk about it, break it down and even guess an outcome. They’ve seen Pacquiao rise through the boxing ranks and demolish every opponent that has stepped inside the ring to earn the No. 1 pound-for-pound ranking. They’ve seen Mayweather flaunt his undefeated record and money as he continued to defeat every opponent faced his way.
From disputes regarding how to administer the drug testing, a defamation lawsuit, angry promoters, a racist tirade by Mayweather, to the latest Twitter post, fans have Pacquiao-Mayweather fatigue.
Enough is enough.
“It’s time to step up for both of them,” said boxing fan Fil-Am Myron Marten.
“Pacquiao already said he wants this fight. [Bob] Arum needs to step up and make it,” said Emmanuel Lao referring to Pacquiao’s promoter.
It seems that there is no other greater sense of urgency than now to make this fight happen. There’s a date (May 5, always a big boxing weekend) and a venue (MGM Grand Garden Arena).
A Las Vegas judge postponed Mayweather’s jail sentence to June. Despite coming off a narrow victory against arch rival Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao’s popularity began to wane. What better way to regain the confidence of boxing fans than to demand a match against Mayweather. The two are set to make tens, perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars. And will finally give fans the match they’ve all been craving to see.
“There are only two names that brings controversy, pride and excitement to the current boxing world and that is Pacquiao and Mayweather,” said Marten, who has attended every Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas since 2005. “Both have shown interest in fighting one another within these past two years and any individual who even cares about boxing would love to see this dream match take place. Its not about who’s going to win. It’s about putting your gloves up and showing the world one of the greatest matches to ever be seen in boxing history.”
Unfortunately, fans like Marten and Lao will have to wait. Mayweather’s challenge on twitter has fallen on deaf ears.
The Associated Press has reported Pacquiao’s camp have declined Mayweathers’ May 5 date but left open a possible later date.
Saying there’s no “economic sense” to host the fight on May 5 at the 16,000 capacity MGM Grand, Pacquiao’s advisors want to maximize the potential bout and are hoping to strike a deal with Las Vegas magnate Steve Wynn to build a larger temporary outdoor arena.
Michael Koncz told the Associated Press on Thursday that a 45,000-seat boxing arena being built in Las Vegas won’t be finished before the end of May and staging the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight in a much smaller venue is “foolish from an economic standpoint.”
Much to the dismay of fans.
“It shouldn’t be about money,” said Marten. “Money will always be there. This is a one chance match, [because] once Mayweather hits prison, it will be a lost cause.”
If a Mayweather fight can’t be done, Arum is also looking into four candidates: a rematch against Miguel Cotto, a fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, undefeated but unknown WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley and WBA light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend Jan 14-17, 2012 Sec A pg. 17)
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