Pacquiao-Mayweather: Let's RUMBLE!

Manny and Money: "Really?" or "Really!"?

  In the spirit of the late Jimi Jamison and his musician comrades: “Survivor”; boxing fans might just be able to bellow out the words “It’s the Moment of Truth.”. But this proclamation is not about the L.A.-based dashing Johnny Lawrence versus the Newark-originated scrawny Daniel Larusso facing each other in a martial arts tournament. Rather, it refers to the potential and long-awaited boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

    The two “pound-for-pound” rivals had been going at each other via the media and other means of publicity, but not a boxing ring. Yet there has been a previously released announcement that the undefeated Mayweather had offered his Filipino adversary to face him in 2015. Manny Pacquiao had given statements of all the things he looks forward to doing to the American fighter. One of which gives a suggestive impression of the well-known past time of cockfighting. ‘Pacman’ vows to give the audience a “thrilling and entertaining fight” but he aired his doubts that ‘Money’ would not engage him in a slugfest. In addition, the Filipino says he will “chase (Mayweather) wherever he goes.” A lot of people who have witnessed legal, or illegal, cockfighting events may have come across one poultry running away from another in pursuit. Will Floyd Mayweather set aside his “dance steps” and face his Filipino counterpart like a tough contender; or will he shame himself as he shows the world how good he is at running away from his opponent?

    There is another possible issue, which may just seem idiotic to very serious boxing fanatics but which may be accepted by many Filipinos. That is: maybe Mayweather is not really scared of facing The Pacman; but is more worried about the enchanted power which may strike him from OUTSIDE the ring. It was not so long ago when Timothy Bradley was using his agility to ridicule Manny Pacquiao in their recent fight; when the media caught images of Dionisia Pacquiao (Mommy D) pointing two fingers at her son’s rival and muttering what seemed like curses or magical condemnations; (giving a different meaning to the Microsoft application “POWER-POINT”).It worked against Bradley; so could this be what is causing a lump in Mayweather’s throat?

    Of course; each time a potential battle between Mayweather and Pacquiao was announced; there was always some reason or alibi the American would put up in order to make its realization difficult, i.e. he demands a larger payment and wants the money from the pay-per-view sales; or that the Filipino fighter would not allow blood tests to be done on him. These actions will have multitudes of Filipinos and other boxing fanatics worldwide rolling their eyes and sighing “OH, BROTHER!”  (Would he like a stool sample, instead?)

    If any of the readers of this article can recall the movie “Wild, Wild West”; there was a scene where the evil Dr. Arliss Loveless mocked the heroic Jim West as they were dangling from a chain. Without any suggestion of racial discriminations to African-Americans; those words might just be appropriate for Pacquiao supporters and the frustrated boxing enthusiasts to utter to Floyd Mayweather: “You may be black as night on the outside; but inside you are yellow.”

*related material: www.gmanews.tv- “Pacquiao: Mayweather has nowhere to run”