By Charlie Knoxville
The Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao super-fight didn’t happen for a reason. It wasn’t because Manny Pacquiao didn’t want to take blood tests for the fight or because there were no negotiations, all of that stuff was squashed. Ross Greenburg the head of HBO sports recently spoke to Lem Satterfield of AOL Fanhouse and revealed that the fight was close to getting done but Floyd Mayweather Jr. mysteriously pulled out without a reason.
“Both times, the fight was very close to being made. And, the second time around, you know, all that I can say is that you would have to ask Floyd Mayweather why the fight wasn’t made. To this day, I really don’t know why Floyd decided that he didn’t want the fight any more in the fall.
To this day, I don’t know why he wanted to take some more time off. Only Floyd has that answer. I certainly don’t have that answer. But, you know, it was very close,” Greenburg told AOL Fanhouse.
So the answer lies in Floyd Mayweather’s hands. This time around the blame can be put entirely on Floyd because he was the one who ultimately pulled out of the fight. That blood testing crap was all a smoke screen by Floyd, he never wanted the fight in the first place. I think Floyd probably went over the fight in his head and realized that fighting Manny Pacquiao in his prime is too dangerous for him and he could lose for the first time in his life.
Mayweather prides himself in being undefeated, and has carefully handpicked his opponents in recent years. No amount of money in the world would make Floyd step into the ring against a deadly and dangerous opponent. Floyd would rather retire undefeated passing up a 50 million dollar payday if it meant the guy he had to fight poses a huge threat to his unblemished record and could hurt him.
It’s funny how all of a sudden Floyd Mayweather came out of hiding and started talking tough about Manny Pacquiao on Ustream when Manny signed on to face Antonio Margarito on November 13. Margarito is a guy that Floyd Mayweather avoided when he moved to welterweight.
Manny Pacquiao when asked what he thought of Floyd Mayweather’s serious situation with the law over allegations that he hit his ex-fiance, all Manny had to say was that he hoped and prays that Floyd Mayweather and those involved are okay and he hopes nothing but the best for them.
Floyd on the other hand is probably wishing the opposite and hoping nothing but bad things for Manny Pacquiao. He is hoping that Manny Pacquiao either looks old in his fight with Margarito or loses. This is why I think Floyd pulled out of the fight with Pacquiao because he felt Pacquiao was too dangerous at this time and wants to wait for Manny Pacquiao to be softened up or look horrible before stepping up to face him.
If Pacquiao loses, Floyd will breathe a sigh of relief so he doesn’t have to fight him. Floyd will tell the media that nobody can beat him and how they hyped up Manny Pacquiao as this guy who can beat him but he got exposed by Margarito.
I think the showdown between the two boxing megastars could happen but only in a certain scenario.
If Manny Pacquiao looks impressive against the bigger Antonio Margarito, then, we won’t be seeing the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao fight anytime soon because Pacquiao would be too dangerous for Floyd. But if Manny looks horrible and either draws or barely wins a decision against Antonio Margarito on November 13, Floyd will come out of hiding again and call Manny Pacquiao out like crazy even dropping the Olympic style blood testing demands that he said would help clean up boxing.
At the end of the day, the ball is in Floyd Mayweather’s court and people cannot force him to fight someone he doesn’t want to fight.
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I am an avid fan of boxing and video games. My first fight of memory was watching Prince Naseem Hamed destroy Kevin Kelly. I enjoy all aspects of the sport. My favorite current boxer is Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. My favorite boxing match is Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo 1. I love watching boxing on Pay-Per-View more than being there live because you can really enjoy and watch the action from the best view.