Barry T. (Brooklyn, NYC): There was a recent article on Yahoo! Sports blaming Manny Pacquiao for Margarito’s past problems. I understand some of your position on the testing demands, but why do you writers feel a need to blame him for Margarito’s mess?
Vivek W. (ESB): After receiving your question I took the time to actually read Kevin Iole’s article. Although I can’t give unequivocal support to his position, I can completely agree with the thought process he used in making certain points. I walked away from the article feeling that he could have chosen a better selection of words in some spots, but in his defense, me using a more ‘polite’ verbiage to convey similar points in the past resulted in the same type of backlash he now encounters, so can I say he was wrong? I’m afraid not.. My angle in the past regarding Pacquiao’s position on the testing debate, among other things, all centered around the fact that I don’t believe in giving critics room to question ones hard earned success. EVER! And that’s where the disconnect comes with me and Team Pacquiao, as I feel those who make decisions with him continue to do just that, as several decisions made in the past leave a lot to be desired.
Some would point the finger at Iole, but honestly, Iole isn’t the problem, and it’s a little hypocritical to say that he is. A little while back, the same finger pointers who now openly bash him, raved over him as one of the writers who”actually gets it” when he decided to place Pacquiao ahead of Mayweather on his P4P list. But now, his decision to dare say anything that counters the Team Pacquiao angle makes him a “fraud” in their eyes??? To me, that’s nothing short of hypocrisy. Many Pacquiao fans can intelligently debate and make sense of a given situation, but the radical type seem more likely inclined to resort to ignorant tactics such as name-calling and racial slurs as a result of no logical educated point to raise, otherwise. What I find more intriguing is that these same ‘radicals’ will say Mayweather has no respect for the state commissions for trying to over-step them, yet they won’t admit that Team Pacquiao is showing the same commission disrespect, (as well as the sport), by facing a man a U.S. based commission refuses to license.
Bottom line, Margarito is a man I once actually pulled for, but he’s currently banned by the commission in the last U.S. state he fought in, his recent jr. middleweight resume contains a whopping 2 fights in the last 6 years, (which include a lost to Santos (’04) and a victory over the unestablished Roberto Garcia), and this decision to face him came at a time when notable fighters like Berto, Bradley, and Marquez are all available for the same date. The fact that Margarito was chosen first, above all of these true contenders, or Cotto (who’s also a champion in the division) has to be pondered. Yes, the decision to face Margarito rather than other notable opponents raises major questions, and yes, Iole, has a right to voice HIS OPINION. Add to that another key point:
This is a jr. middleweight fight. Think about what I just said, now….JUNIOR Middleweight. Years ago, there was no such division, but the powers-that-be decided to create this division to bridge the gap between welterweights and natural middleweights, so it’s basically a division created specifically for the in-betweener’s”. As if the circumstances surrounding this fight weren’t bad enough, now Team Pacquiao basically says “we don’t want to come in at the JUNIOR middleweight limit, so you can’t either…..the fight will be at 151lbs for both of us or there will be no fight”! So, not only is Pacquiao facing a partially banned fighter, but he’ll effectively create a catch-weight to win a title in an already established catch-weight division! Nothing about this matchup makes sense, and if Iole is to be torn down, where do the other logical fans and media stand in line? Because although I don’t agree with some of his verbiage, I totally support his cause. It’s logical to anyone not under the radical influence and has NOTHING to do with hating Pacquiao. Case closed!
Shannon E. (Orlando, FL): I think your article last week about the money issues between Bradley/Alexander fight was completely on point. I understand now that Khan/Maidana are having a few financial issues in making their fight as well. Do you think any of these young and unproven jr. welterweights really have a good argument for a larger purse than an opponent?
Vivek W. (ESB): The only one in my view who MAY own the rights to this particular “I deserve more money” argument is Amir Khan. Not necessarily based on merits, as Timothy Bradley is the most accomplished; but based on the fact that he brings both an entire country, and to a lesser degree, perhaps even a religion as continued support. His background support is certified international. Bradley can potentially leverage his resume against Khan’s international exposure to get a 50/50 split, perhaps, but I do think the fact that Khan has an established base and can sell out a venue in his country (which none of the other guys have done – not even in their smaller venues) gives him a SLIGHT edge at the negotiating table.
Christian R. (Covina, CA): I can’t believe everyone really thought that James Toney would have a chance against Randy Couture. Do you think this fight finally put a stop to the boxing vs MMA argument?
Vivek W. (ESB): No. This fight didn’t settle anything about a debate, because in reality there is no true debate to settle. Both platforms involve fighting
and that compels many of us to compare, but these sports are no more similar than checkers and chess. Just because they’re both played on a board with moving parts doesn’t mean they’re one in the same. When you break the two sports down, MMA has to be viewed as more comprehensive, because it’s a game of multiples. One has the right to use hands, feet, knees, elbows, you name it. Aside from that, they have the flexibility of using various fighting forms that all require highly skilled technique, including grappling, kicking, maneuvering, etc. MMA/UFC is a very diverse path and I think you have to respect the competitors of the sport for the skill level they bring to the table.
That being said, boxing is a ‘sweet science’. Far less elaborate, yet equally intricate by design. Some MMA/UFC supporters may say, “boxing is easy because all the men do is stand and punch”, but when you look back at the greats throughout history, the separate styles they employed shows how diverse this ‘simple science’ can truly be. Yes, hands are the only true tools for battle in this craft, but foot work is a premium, and considering that you have less tools at your disposal, critical thinking is more important because you have fewer ways to win – in comparison. Calzaghe was dominant, Lewis was dominant, Pacquiao is dominant, Mayweather is dominant. Of the four fighters, two stay very busy (punch output), one used length and power to create space and control fights, and one is a bit adaptable, combining both offense and a very uncanny defense.
Four different styles, all highly effective, and all tailored specifically to their God-given attributes (southpaw, short, tall, rangy, etc). I can personally appreciate both sports, but in reality, just as no boxer can go to UFC/MMA and find transcendent success, no UFC/MMA fighter will step in the ring and make short work of a highly skilled boxer either. All of this chatter is great for what we’re doing now, (yappin’), at the end of the day, there’s nothing to ‘yap’ about. These are all men, highly skilled in different areas. Jazz musicians play notes, they don’t spit bars in ciphers. Translation……everyone comparing these two different sports needs to stop trying to turn jazz musicians into rappers. One craft requires the highly sophisticated art of ‘reading’ music, the other craft allows you to take your God-given attributes, designed by nature, and actually ‘write’ your own. How they present their ‘music’ to us isn’t a talking point, the fact that they can both make us sing along is!
(Check out Wednesday’s ‘OPEN MIC FAN MAIL’ segment, where a random letter directly from a fight fan like you is published and openly discussed live via chat forum – Send all ‘Open Letters’ to wallace@boxing247.com)
(Vivek Wallace can be reached at 954-292-7346, vivexemail@yahoo.com, Youtube (VIVEK1251), Twitter (VIVEK747), Facebook, and Myspace).