Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have already set their courses for the next few months. Whether their fights serve as aperitifs for a bout with each other remains to be seen. Still, there are more boxing experts who believe the anticipated megabuck fight between the two will happen, and that there are just a few more tumblers that need to fall into place to unlock this event and make it happen.
Carlos Costa, managing director of China Purchase Company and correspondent for NotiFight.com <http://notifight.com/> has seen it all. The Panamanian businessman travels at his own expense to big fights around the world, including to regional and world title bouts in the Philippines, and files stories in both Spanish and English. He believes that Timothy Bradley bit off way more than he can chew against Pacquiao.
“I talked to Bradley during the presscon last November at the MGM. To me one to one he was friendly and seemed a nice guy,” Costa reveals. “But during the round table meeting with the press he was uneasy and uncomfortable. Bradley will not handle the pressure of the event and the pressure of Manny. Plus, Timothy is a super lightweight fighter while by now Manny is a full-blown strong and fast welterweight. The lightning speed and combat power of the Pacman will be too much for Bradley. I am so positive that Bradley has never been in a fight like this one coming. He’ll break and will not find himself even before the first bell chimes. Provided that Mayweather beats Cotto and Manny KO’s Bradley, I think that both superstars Money and Manny would try to make the fight.”
Costa also believes that the money machine will keep rolling for Floyd, and that he and Golden Boy Promotions already have a back-up plan as an alternative to a fight with the Pacman, and that is to fight Mexico’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, who is on the Mayweather-Miguel Cotto undercard. Meanwhile, Chito Katangkatang of philboxing.com <http://philboxing.com/> believes that there are bigger reasons than the money for Pacquiao-Mayweather to push through.
“Mayweather and Pacquiao are both men of pride. They would like to retire free from any what ifs in their illustrious careers,” says Katangkatang, who is based in Bacolod. “They are the best of their era and the question as to who the real deal is needs to be answered. The need for the answer may be overlooked now that they are still busy making money from other sources, but they will definitely decide to settle the issue before walking out of the ring for good.”
While that may be true and a fight seems inevitable, international boxing referee Danrex Tapdasan offers a third optimistic take, but with the caveat that the fight itself is past its optimum date.
“I am one of those who still believe that this fight will happen eventually. However, I am not sure if this happens within the time that both fighters are still at their prime,” says the lawyer and educator. “We have witnessed boxing matches between superstars which eventually happened but already a little bit too late. Examples are Tyson-Lewis, Holyfield-Tyson, Calzaghe-Jones Jr., Hopkins-Jones Jr. 2, to name a few.”
The ego of each boxer and the unresolved question of who is really the best will eat away at them forever. It’s almost worth the risk of losing to know the answer to that query once and for all.
“I personally find it crazy when people call Floyd or Manny a coward or a ducker. The truth is it’s all about business why this two haven’t faced each other in the ring yet,” Katangkatang adds. “If you do stock market, it’s still not the best time to trade your stocks. Floyd has pure talent in him. Pacquiao is just as equally gifted. They both think they can beat each other. And indeed they are made to fight each other. Both guys are not ducking each other. They are picking up more money along the road before settling for the biggest business venture.”
Costa, who knows both protagonists personally, throws in the monkey wrench of politics and high demand for both boxing superstars. If working out the fight takes too much time and effort, they will just fight others and pick up big paychecks, anyway.
“Timing is another interesting factor. Even both active fighters, both welterweight and both in the prime of their careers, both with huge followers all over the world (including me), finding a date for them to fight has proven really hard,” Costa admits. “Besides the money factor and the ego factor, there’s the promotion factor. Is Bob Arum really willing to make this fight? We’d like to think so, but some reports from very credible writers point at Mr. Arum as an element who has proven to be against that super mega fight to happen.”
“I think there are many reasons why this fight has not happened yet. But for me the biggest reason is the identical beliefs of both boxers that one is the bigger draw, hence, he should not yield to be the mere “opponent” and get the smaller share of the revenues,” Tapdasan adds. “Manny wants his promoter, Top Rank to promote the fight and they call the shots, so to speak. On the other hand, Mayweather wants Golden Boy Promotions to promote the fight. I am just concerned that the delay will arrive to a point that one of them will lose his other fight along the way, and that will be the trigger that he who loses will be the one who will yield to the other’s demands.”
Time is running out. Our boxing experts are unanimous in their belief that the fight will happen, if not this year, some time next year. Father Time will start to erode the spectacular talents of the two world champions – if it hasn’t already – and when the fight happens, it may not be worthy of the greatness of both.
“I think Manny and Money will eventually meet in the ring. It’s “inevitable”,” says Costa, “ this fall or sometime in the spring of 2013...”