SOURCE: M.D. Walton
My colleague Brian Ethridge just wrote an article about how this Mosley fight could potentially be Pacquiao’s last fight in the US. It got me thinking about Manny when it comes to retirement.
I recall a few years ago someone saying that Boxing was a dying sport. Can you imagine if boxing disappeared tomorrow and what it would be like? Would fight fans turn to MMA? Would boxers call up Dana White and beg for a job with the UFC? Okay, boxing won’t truly disappear, but it certainly will feel like it when Manny Pacquiao decides to hang up the gloves.
I feel like Floyd Mayweather Jr wanted to test the boxing public when he announced his fake retirement a few years ago. He wanted to see if he was truly missed by the fans. Reality check: The only reason people want to see Floyd fights is to see someone take him down. Floyd could care less about his legacy. He only cares about his Big Boy Mansion and his Big Boy Maybach..and his Big Boy Cash. You look up “Prize” Fighting in the dictionary and you see Floyd Mayweather’s name next to it. Only making fights cause the cash is right when you get “Big” enough to exceed 1 Million Dollars is what I call a “Bi#%# Move”. Right now, boxing seems to be okay without Floyd Mayweather in it.
But what happens when Manny retires in a few years? Who will be at the top of the sport then? Manny’s accomplishments have outshined so many people that he’s now as big , if not bigger than Muhammed Ali. Forget just the Philippines, he’s made waves around the world. 60 Minutes, late night talk shows, Congressman, Time Magazine Cover, Champion in 8 different weight classes. I once referred to Manny Pacquiao as the Filipino Martin Luther King. Manny has raised the bar so high that when he’s gone boxing will have taken a stab to the heart.
I feel like Floyd Mayweather Jr wanted to test the boxing public when he announced his fake retirement a few years ago. He wanted to see if he was truly missed by the fans. Reality check: The only reason people want to see Floyd fights is to see someone take him down. Floyd could care less about his legacy. He only cares about his Big Boy Mansion and his Big Boy Maybach..and his Big Boy Cash. You look up “Prize” Fighting in the dictionary and you see Floyd Mayweather’s name next to it. Only making fights cause the cash is right when you get “Big” enough to exceed 1 Million Dollars is what I call a “Bi#%# Move”. Right now, boxing seems to be okay without Floyd Mayweather in it.
But what happens when Manny retires in a few years? Who will be at the top of the sport then? Manny’s accomplishments have outshined so many people that he’s now as big , if not bigger than Muhammed Ali. Forget just the Philippines, he’s made waves around the world. 60 Minutes, late night talk shows, Congressman, Time Magazine Cover, Champion in 8 different weight classes. I once referred to Manny Pacquiao as the Filipino Martin Luther King. Manny has raised the bar so high that when he’s gone boxing will have taken a stab to the heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment