By Vitali Shaposhnikov: With Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2) being the top figure in boxing, some questions regarding the future of the sport after Manny Pacquiao is retired arise. Pacquiao has achieved a very fascinating and rare goal in his so far extraordinary boxing career: he reached a point where he is the ultimate ‘measuring cup’ for all fighters and contenders.
Recently, I have caught a glimpse of Mike Tyson being compared to Pacquiao on a popular boxing forum. I have read through numerous “comparison” discussions on various forums, and have noticed that when any boxer is being compared with Pacquiao, most of the time the question is formed in the following fashion: Is fighter X as good as Pacquiao? Could fighter X beat Pacquiao?
The names that came up were those of legendary champions: Sugar Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong, Joe Walcott, Roberto Duran, etc. Essentially, Manny Pacquiao is already being grouped as one of the legends, and is being favored in a hypothetical fight against them.
On May 7, 2011, Pacquiao will step inside the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV to defend his title against an already recognized hall of fame name, Shane Mosley (46-6-1). Most fans as well as boxing journalists and analysts have already written Mosley off, suggesting this will be an easy fight for the Filipino champion. I find that hard to believe after looking at Mosley’s performance against Antonio Margarito, although the Sergio Mora fight showed a different, less energetic Shane Mosley. Only Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach thinks that this will not be a walk in the park for his pupil.
This piece is not about who will or should win, but instead, whose win would be more beneficial to the sport of boxing.
Manny Pacquiao has elevated his career to a point where he is simply expected to win. Some of his fans lose sight of opposition and circumstance, and start celebrating before the fight is over. That kind of boxing, where expectations are so high that it takes all the excitement out of the fight is damaging to the sport itself. Where are all those adrenaline inducing fights, where the odds are even and both fighters are in their biological prime?
If Manny Pacquiao wins this fight, we are not back to the same old, because we would have never left it. If he wins as expected, talks about Floyd Mayweather Jr. escalate again, and another over the hill opponent is signed to fight Pacquiao. Even Pacquiao vs. Marquez III is no longer as exciting as it would have been earlier. Pacquiao’s win over Mosley, be it by a U.D. or a K.O., leaves boxing fans in a state of uncertainty yet again.
But what if Shane Mosley pulls this one off and beats Pacquiao on May 7? What if Mosley’s power overwhelms ‘Pacman’ and sends him to the canvas? This scenario is not impossible or unlikely; instead I find it fairly plausible. In a scenarios as such, the whole boxing world would turn upside down, and that rush feeling, that adrenaline from anticipation would kick back in, creating a possibility for a whole new level of drama and propositions.
Mayweather’s name would instantly pop up in wide spectrum of discussions, Mosley would likely push for a rematch with Mayweather Jr., and Pacquiao would pressure Bob Arum to fix this by getting him another fight with Mosley. A lot of things would happen if Mosley won, that I feel the boxing world would benefit from.
If some people out there thought that Pacquiao gets a free ride from the media, that would instantly change, as boxing journalists would tear this thing into pieces, demoting the Filipino hope to a new low for Pacquiao.
So, whose win do you think will benefit the boxing community more?
LONDON CALLING FOR INTERNATIONAL HEAVYWEIGHT PRIZEFIGHTERS
For the first time in boxing history eight boxers from eight different countries come together on one night in a celebration of World Heavyweight boxing at the Prizefighter International Heavyweights this Saturday (May 7).
The fighters taking part at Alexandra Palace live on Sky Sports from 9pm have arrived in London as for the first time ever Matchroom Sport’s eight-man, one night tournament sees fighters from all four corners of the globe aiming to be crowned the first International Prizefighter King.
Germany’s Konstantin Airich, Canada-based American Tye Fields and Trinidadian Kerston ‘Warrior’ Manswell – who replaces Fres Oquendo in the line-up – were the first to arrive at their Tower Bridge base and the remaining fighters will join them on Tuesday, when Sky Sports will put them through their paces in the promotional shoot before they battle it out for the £32,000 winner’s cheque.
“I’m thrilled to be over here and fighting in Prizefighter – it’s a great concept and I wish we had something similar in Germany,” said Airich. “Everybody knows that the British sports fans in general and boxing fans in particular are the best fans in the world. They are so enthusiastic and supportive and they really know boxing.
“Some of them will surely remember my fight against Danny Williams in Spain in 2008. It was a great fight and I think I would have had a chance of winning had I not broken my hand in the early rounds when I knocked him down. The end was very controversial but I had nothing to do with that.”
Airich faces Lucian Bot – the unbeaten Romanian who has replaced Juan Carlos Gomez, forced to withdraw through visa issues – in the fourth quarter-final and the 32 year-old from Hamburg is hoping that victory in Prizefighter will raise his profile as he aims to rebuild his career.
“I have been struggling recently, losing fights I shouldn’t have lost and drawing with Alexey Mazykin twice,” said Airich. “This tournament is my big chance to start over. Of course, I know how many people are watching Prizefighter and that winning the tournament would help me to gain a lot of attention. I want to prove to myself, my critics and the whole boxing world that I am capable of winning important fights and achieving great things.
“Anything can happen in the tournament. I am an aggressive and explosive fighter so you could say that bouts with lesser rounds suit my style but in the end the better man will always win the fight regardless of whether it’s three, four, six, eight or ten rounds. I have had about 100 amateur fights with only a handful of losses. I was German amateur champion in 2006 and turned pro directly after that so I never had the chance to prove myself at international amateur tournaments.”
The rest of the line-up is made up of Kevin ‘Kingpin’ Johnson, the American who took Vitali Klitschko the distance in a World title fight in December 2009, his only defeat in 25 fights, Gregory Tony, the French Heavyweight champion who fought for the European title in August, UK Prizefighter champion Michael Sprott and Cuban Mike Perez, who has won all of his 13 pro fights – 10 by knockout.
Tickets for Prizefighter International Heavyweights at London’s Alexandra Palace on Saturday 7 May are available from Matchroom Sport priced £35 unreserved, £50 and £60 ringside and £120 VIP – to buy call Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.
Revised Prizefighter International Heavyweights Draw
Quarter-final one: Mike Perez v Kerston Manswell
Quarter-final two: Kevin Johnson v Gregory Tony
Quarter-final three: Michael Sprott v Tye Fields
Quarter-final four: Lucian Bot v Konstantin Airich