Pacman & Money – Two Too Good to Retire

By Paul Strauss - 04/10/2016 - Comments

For purely selfish reasons, boxing fans lament, “say it ain’t so” to Manny “Pac man” Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38KO) and Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr. (49-0-0, 26KO). They are two fighters, who should remain at the top of the P4P lists. There is a problem, though. Money wisely continues with his desire to be in control. In other words, as he explains, he wants it to be his decision to retire, rather than have adverse effects of the brutal game dictate when it’s time to retire.

Manny’s dilemma is a bit different. His is one of time, or more specifically the demands made on his limited amount of that precious commodity. Currently, Manny is a congressman, with a possible desire for election to the senate and maybe even the presidency.

Still, human beings somehow make time for what they love. Usually we take pleasure with things like golf, skiing, movies, book clubs, and so forth. Manny’s love is a lust for combat. He not only enjoys displaying his talents, he feeds on opponents who elect to exchange with him. Risky business, because he gets infused with a “hysterical strength” (adrenaline). Saturday night at the MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV, Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley Jr. (32-2-1,13KO) described Manny’s gift as “reflexes”, incredible reflexes that are paired with unusual power. Hard to beat.

Even though Manny and Floyd have very different styles, they still share one important gift, and that is untaught abilities. Money is one of those rare birds who can sense, before even his opponent knows, what punch he will be throwing. That intuitiveness is “like gold dust” and “scarce as hen’s teeth”. The gift is coveted, but in Mayweather’s case it isn’t accompanied with an eagerness to mix it up. Excitement might wane a bit, but there is still that fascination and appreciation for his rare talent.
There’s one more thing……..a whole boat load of money.

Most fighters who continue to fight past their prime often turn into opponents. They become someone who has moved from the A side to the B side, or off the recording altogether. They continue fighting because they don’t know what else to do. But, that certainly is not the case with Manny and Floyd. Their boat is still spilling over with ample wherewithal, which is accompanied with temptation.

Who knows what Top Rank and Bob Arum might come up with? Maybe the wizard Al Haymon might come up with the right combination of pieces necessary to tempt the two once more. It might be a rematch, sold to the public with justification due to Manny’s shoulder surgery. Or, maybe they will produce a matchup between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Manny. Or, if Amir “King” Khan is victorious over Canelo, then he might be the challenger bold enough to throw down the gauntlet for either man.

The point is there are several options out there. The real challenge isn’t recognizing them; rather, it’s knowing which “buttons to push” to cause them to come about. There are different ones for each man. Manny might want to remedy what he might feel was a wrong……his loss to Floyd? Floyd might be goaded with the chance to once again be the highest paid athlete in the world, and at the same time becoming 50-0.

Fans don’t really care how it’s done. No, these grateful and appreciative aficionados simply want the duo to keep fighting and provide them with the highest level of pugilistic skill and excitement possible. Fans are a nagging sort, unrelenting in their desires, always wanting to be the ones in control. Manny and Floyd would be wise not to listen.