There is one reason this article is being written right now. I am going to try to express in words how upset I am that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather forced me to cancel my MGM Executive Suite room with the Hot Tub.
Not like I have never been in a hot tub before, but it is the principality rules of the situation.
This had “Hangover” weekend written all over it, but alas I can’t stomach spending my hard earn money (I am a dollarnaire you know) on going to Texas to see Manny face Joshua Clottey or going to Vegas to see Floyd fight Nate Campbell or someone who has not shot to beat him.
Instead I will just watch this Eddie Murphy SNL skit of “Hot Tub” while telling you who are to blame for this debacle in no particular order.
1- Floyd Mayweather (10% fight didn’t happen)
I don’t have a lot of issues with Floyd as to why this fight didn’t happen, but it would be irresponsible of me to not mention that Floyd was asking for something that has never been done before in the sport of boxing.
Nevada has drug testing system in place and Manny has passed every test ever given to him.
While there are strong suspicions that Manny is juicing, there is not one shred of proof. In the end the fight collapsed because Manny did not want to take a test he technically did not have to take.
With that being said only die hard Manny fans thought what Floyd was asking was unreasonable. In 2010 the perception of someone juicing is almost as bad as finding the needle in their ass, so most people approved of more drug testing.
Plus Floyd would have to take the same tests, so it wasn’t unfair in that regard.
Floyd also caved on every demand of Manny’s camp, so I don’t feel like Floyd didn’t want the fight.
Floyd could have just dropped the “blood test” demand completely and taken the fight, but he chose to stick to his guns.
2- Manny Pacquiao (40% fight didn’t happen)
As stated above Manny has never tested positive for anything, but neither did Mark McGwire or Roger Clemens.
It isn’t like this is the first time someone has suggested Manny might be juicing, this was his chance to quiet all his critics and in the process become an icon in boxing forever.
If Manny takes the test and then beats Floyd Mayweather his legend would be so big I can’t even describe it.
Unfortunately now his reputation has been damaged to the point everyone looks at him now with the “side eye”.
When someone accuses you of something and you immediately file a lawsuit as oppose to just taking a test that would clear everything up, it makes you look guilty.
Plus the excuses about being scared of needles and how it weakens him are just foolish.
Not to mention Teddy Atlas going on record saying he knows someone who seen emails from Manny’s camp asking the Mayweather camp to keep quiet if a dirty test is found.
Anytime someone says they need to know exactly when a drug test is going to happen that is suspect.
Manny didn’t want to take a test 30 days before fight. The Mayweather camp countered with 14 days which I thought was fair, but it was turned down.
The only reason Manny doesn’t have a higher percentage of burden of this fight falling apart is because I think he was getting some very bad advice and in turn swayed his judgment . But now his legacy is forever tainted.
3- Bob Arum (50% fight didn’t happen)
How can I say this nicely?
Bob Arum is a buffoon.
He is your old drunk grandfather trying to give advice at the family barbeque.
Arum called off the fight not one, not two, but eight times.
Never once did the Mayweather camp say they didn’t want the fight or they were searching for new opponents, but Arum made sure every day to say Manny would fight X, Y & Z.
Arum is everything that is wrong with boxing. A promoter who only cares about himself and not the betterment of the sport.
He could have convinced Pacquiao to test the drug tests, but instead he just made it worse with his blustering. In the end he is the person most responsible for this fight not happening.
He is the person who couldn’t keep his mouth shut long enough for the “professionals” to get a deal done. He is the person with a vendetta against Floyd Mayweather. He is the person who is “protecting” Manny. He is the person that killed the biggest money making event in the history of boxing.
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In the end boxing has been dealt a crippling blow. I have talk to many people who said they will not support either Manny or Floyd in their Pay Per View events.
Boxing might not be dead; it is just no one cares.
