by Chris Kelly: I’ve been following boxing since April 15, 1985 and in the 25years since I’ve never known animosity between two sets of fans like those Mayweather and Pacquiao.
Maybe this cyber world in which we live just makes it easier to hate but I thought I’d take the time to examine some of this foolishness.
The first great myth contributing to this boxing fan civil war is that Pacquiao is small – 5ft 6 ½ inches is not overly small for a welterweight. By contrast Miguel Cotto is 5ft 7; Ricky Hatton 5ft 6. In fact the amazing thing is that when Pac was campaigning in the lower weight classes more wasn’t made of how big he was.
Granted, Pac’s punch resistance has improved, but other than being occasionally rocked by the likes of JMM, Manny’s chin was never suspect. And he was always powerful but his seemingly new found ability to hurt opponents with one punch says more about his improved boxing skills than act as indicator of drug cheating. Manny always had the left – Coach Roach has given him the right.
This of course leads us to Floyd Snr.
The first time I heard any talk of Manny and PED’s was from Floyd Snr’s mouth. We should be used to the sort of sinister piffle that comes from Floyd Senior but in this instance too many people were too quick to jump on his bandwagon. I don’t care how good a coach or match maker he may be, to listen to the guy is to listen to a fool and shame on any of us that did.
That said, once random blood testing was an issue, Pacquiao owed it to us to put it to rest by taking the test (how’s that rhyme Senior?).
As Vivek Wallace has succinctly put in numerous pieces – it doesn’t matter who started it, who demanded it, the sport should be cleaned up. And Pacquiao, as a super star of the sport should be leading the way – regardless of whether it’s a Mayweather mind game or not. And don’t give me the scared of needles, energy drained by giving blood, Floyd doesn’t make the rules, or Pac agreed to 7 days arguments either. Random testing; blood and urine; any time/any day is the only way the sport of boxing can become beyond reproach.
I admire the writings of Vivek Wallace and consider his pieces on the PED controversy some of the most illuminating and straight forward, but his points seem to be lost as he is attack by Pactards and Vivek haters alike. Perhaps it would be easier if he just dropped the whole “I don’t care who wins, I want a good fight” rhetoric – it’s obvious he favours Mayweather. As do I.
Floyd’s persona is obnoxious and entirely unlikeable but that is irrelevant when admiring his skills in the ring and if this fight is ever made I will be cheering him on. I’m a huge Pacquiao fan, I truly am; but I want to believe that Floyd is that good. I want to live in an era that has one of the great ones.
I can hear Pinoy-Americans throughout Southern California having conniptions as they read this but please
Pactards spare me the cherry picking/duck stuff – Mayweather is in good company in this regard as all top level fighters today (save perhaps Miguel Cotto) do it. What do you call Manny’s catch weights? I know what I call it, and it isn’t the Diamond Championship! And let’s leave the Baldomir thing out too – Pac fighting David Diaz is no different.
Without doubt this civil war will rage on, up until the fight is made and then probably long after. The only thing more certain is that Pactards everywhere will see this article as an attack on their hero and rip me a new one.