Column: Mayweather-Pacquiao nothing more than an epic scam

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  • jjgold
    SBR Aristocracy
    • 07-20-05
    • 388179

    #1
    Column: Mayweather-Pacquiao nothing more than an epic scam
    We've been told this is one of the greatest sporting events of all time.

    Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao is a matchup of two fighters past their prime looking to make one last massive score, assuming 3 million or so takers come along for the ride at a hundred bucks a pop on pay-per-view.Maybe five to 10 years ago, but not now.

    Epic?
    Only in the sense that it might be the last hurrah for a once-great sport.
    Promoter Bob Arum and his minions will try to tell you otherwise.
    View gallery

    FILE - In this April 20, 2010 file photo, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao smiles during an unscheduled …

    "It's a credit to the sport of boxing that we've been able to put on such an event," Arum said with a straight face.
    Spoken like someone who'll be pulling off his own version of "Ocean's Eleven" Saturday night in Las Vegas, though this heist is completely legal and comes with an even bigger payoff — though not for boxing itself.
    If the fight had happened when it should have, then we'd have seen two of the greatest boxers of this generation in the prime of their careers. That sort of bout could've pushed the sport forward, helped to lift it back up from the abyss it has languished in since the self-destruction of Mike Tyson.
    Not this watered-down version, no matter how much they try to persuade us otherwise.
    "It's been a long road. But we're here now," Mayweather said. "Everything is about timing. We couldn't choose a better time."
    View gallery

    Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s father and trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. speaks during a media round …

    No better time for the fighters, because it's not a good time for me and you.
    With both fighters winding down their careers — Mayweather is 38, Pacquiao 36 — the two acrimonious sides finally came together to milk their cash cows totally dry.
    With that, we pause for a brief infomercial.
    "This is a fight that the world can't miss," Mayweather said. "This is an unbelievable matchup. An action-packed fight."
    Now, back to reality, which provides nary a clue of this fight coming anywhere close to living up to the hype.
    View gallery

    FILE - In this Sept. 13, 2014, file photo, Floyd Mayweather speaks to referee Kenny Bayless, left, a …

    Over the last eight years, Mayweather (47-0) has been thoroughly unimpressive while winning just two of his 10 fights via knockouts. One of his victories during that span was by split-decision, two others by majority decision. He's a defensive specialist whose game plan will be to slickly dodge most of Pacquiao's once-fearsome punches, while delivering just enough blows himself to claim another decision.
    Not that he should be overly concerned about Pacquiao's power. The Filipino fighter (57-5-2) has looked rather ordinary while losing two of his last five fights.
    Granted, one of those defeats was a joke of a decision in favor of Timothy Bradley. But the other was a brutal KO at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez, who delivered a right that left Pac Man sprawled face-first on the canvas, out cold. In fact, Pacquiao has gone more than five years without knocking anyone out, taking his last seven wins by decision.
    The Vegas odds makers fully expect this bout to go to the scorecards.
    R.J. Bell, a betting analyst who runs the Pregame.com website, set the over-under in the 12-round bout at 11.5 — in other words, will it last beyond the midway point of the final round. Bell reported Friday that bets were running nearly 3-to-1 in favor of the fighters making it to the final 90 seconds, with the odds of Mayweather scoring a knockout at a staggering 8-1. Pacquiao was the clear underdog in the fight but was given a slightly better chance of ending it early, his odds of scoring a knockout set at 5-1.
    View gallery

    Fans cheer before the weigh-in for Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao on Friday, May 1, 2015 in …

    Chances are, these guys will dance around the ring for 36 minutes, Mayweather piling up the points while an increasingly desperate Pacquiao goes for a Hail Mary of a punch. There figures to be more action on the "Food Network" — and it won't cost you $99.95.
    Still not convinced?
    Well, if you decide to play along with this charade, here's what you can expect when it's over: The fighters will come together for a hug, finally say some nice things about each other, then try to persuade us that it really was a great fight, maybe even one worthy of a rematch.
    One last PR push before everyone heads to the bank to cash their obscene paychecks.
    Then we can finish off the burial of a sport that gave us Johnson and Louis, Ali and Frazier, Leonard and Hagler.
    Not epic at all.
    Just a sad ending.
  • nanderson1134
    SBR Wise Guy
    • 08-07-11
    • 554

    #2
    Of course it is a scam. Fight 2 will probably be this year.
    Comment
    • Itsamazing777
      SBR Posting Legend
      • 11-14-12
      • 12602

      #3
      Lot of assumptions. Seems like bs to me. It's a big fight lol
      Comment
      • PorkChop
        SBR Hall of Famer
        • 09-18-08
        • 8193

        #4
        12 round yawner. Super hyped events never live up.
        Comment
        • agendaman
          SBR MVP
          • 12-01-11
          • 3732

          #5
          i know how to watch this fight for free and will spot on JJGOLD absol. truth you know p.t. barnum was almost correct when he said there is a sucker born every minute-actually every 30 seconds give $99.95 to a worthwhile charity
          Comment
          • DrunkHorseplayer
            SBR Hall of Famer
            • 05-15-10
            • 7719

            #6
            It is a scam, it will be a boring fight and there will be no rematch because no one will want to see another shit-fest.
            Comment
            • jjgold
              SBR Aristocracy
              • 07-20-05
              • 388179

              #7
              Drunks you could be right

              Lets see what happens tonight
              Comment
              • DrunkHorseplayer
                SBR Hall of Famer
                • 05-15-10
                • 7719

                #8
                When the fight is over, most people who paid $99.95 are going to realize they've been screwed and they'll be angry.
                Comment
                • jtoler
                  BARRELED IN @ SBR!
                  • 12-17-13
                  • 30967

                  #9
                  The public need only blame themselves, 95% who are only casual fans and know not much about boxing so its names to them, words like prime dont register, with that said both fighters are still elite so its not really a sham.
                  Comment
                  • trobin31
                    SBR Hall of Famer
                    • 01-09-14
                    • 9854

                    #10
                    I understand the cynicism and likelihood mayweather will be defensive and relying on counterpunches which doesn't make for excitement. I didn't hear ppl complain when Ali fought thus way thiugh. If you like boxing then you will always continue to appreciate the skill and patience or the thing in sports we no longer have tolerance for "strategy". Lets at least let the fight occur before passing absolute judgement until then if people want to be pumped up for the most anticipated fight in 20 years then so be it. The author himself is taking advantage of this fights popularity to promote his writing . Why not just ignore it if so unimportant. Criticizing two grown men for making a living doing what everyone derives pleasure from watching then saying it's a scam is beyond its hypocritical as they likely were paid to write this article and who would read it if it weren't for these guys and their promoters. Seems to me the only scammer is this author. Why don't we let him jump in the ring and take his beating too.
                    Comment
                    • GunShard
                      SBR Posting Legend
                      • 03-05-10
                      • 10031

                      #11
                      Sharps are on the free live streams.
                      Comment
                      • Harry N. Lloyd
                        SBR MVP
                        • 03-26-08
                        • 4810

                        #12
                        Originally posted by DrunkHorseplayer
                        When the fight is over, most people who paid $99.95 are going to realize they've been screwed and they'll be angry.
                        Guys, it's only a hundred bucks. If you buy it invite your friends and their hot girlfriends over to watch. It ain't that bad. Cripes tickets to go see an Arianna Grande concert will cost you more than that.......and you won't get to sit on your couch......and you'd have to listen to Arianna Grande.

                        I'm predicting a good fight.
                        Comment
                        • Snowball
                          BARRELED IN @ SBR!
                          • 11-15-09
                          • 30058

                          #13
                          Originally posted by jtoler
                          The public need only blame themselves, 95% who are only casual fans and know not much about boxing so its names to them, words like prime dont register, with that said both fighters are still elite so its not really a sham.
                          disagree.. because boxing and promoters did this to themselves.. there is no consensus, no unification..
                          we have 5 different ranking organizations.. it's a joke and has been for a long time. No reason for it.
                          What are the chances either winner tonight will fight the other two welterweight title holders ? probably none.
                          Comment
                          • brooks85
                            SBR Aristocracy
                            • 01-05-09
                            • 44709

                            #14
                            I'm too frugal. PPV isn't worth $100, it's that simple, doesn't matter how much money you have. I'm all for charging a premium and expected to pay more but double is just an insult(especially because we already know what is going to happen.) I'm a huge mma fan and I wouldn't even pay that for an mma event regardless who was fighting; to even entertain the idea there would have to 3 or 4 legit title fights plus some good undercard fights.
                            Comment
                            • pavyracer
                              SBR Aristocracy
                              • 04-12-07
                              • 82839

                              #15
                              $99.95 is a bargain. I would pay more to see a 12 round fight.
                              Comment
                              • jjgold
                                SBR Aristocracy
                                • 07-20-05
                                • 388179

                                #16
                                Comment
                                • Snowball
                                  BARRELED IN @ SBR!
                                  • 11-15-09
                                  • 30058

                                  #17
                                  the real best fights were 15 rounds not 12.
                                  everything sissy today.
                                  Comment
                                  • Kermit
                                    BARRELED IN @ SBR!
                                    • 09-27-10
                                    • 32555

                                    #18
                                    I knew this 3 years ago..
                                    Comment
                                    • jjgold
                                      SBR Aristocracy
                                      • 07-20-05
                                      • 388179

                                      #19
                                      here we go

                                      a few hrs a way

                                      time will tell
                                      Comment
                                      • LVHerbie
                                        SBR Hall of Famer
                                        • 09-15-05
                                        • 6344

                                        #20
                                        Coach called it...
                                        Comment
                                        • jjgold
                                          SBR Aristocracy
                                          • 07-20-05
                                          • 388179

                                          #21
                                          suckers bought fight
                                          Comment
                                          • BigDofBA
                                            SBR Posting Legend
                                            • 09-30-09
                                            • 19313

                                            #22
                                            Obviosly.

                                            The public got played. Two old fighters past their prime getting a huge payday BC everyone is buying the paper view.

                                            Way overhyped.
                                            Comment
                                            • jjgold
                                              SBR Aristocracy
                                              • 07-20-05
                                              • 388179

                                              #23
                                              Comment
                                              • bigtymer56
                                                SBR MVP
                                                • 07-31-12
                                                • 4742

                                                #24
                                                Dude pacman said hes going on vacation....lmao
                                                Comment
                                                • existential
                                                  SBR MVP
                                                  • 07-21-14
                                                  • 2963

                                                  #25
                                                  Originally posted by jjgold
                                                  Comment
                                                  • Kermit
                                                    BARRELED IN @ SBR!
                                                    • 09-27-10
                                                    • 32555

                                                    #26
                                                    This was nothing more than 2 buddies having a tickle fight and trolling the entire world while they steal your money.
                                                    Comment
                                                    • Mikail
                                                      SBR Posting Legend
                                                      • 07-19-09
                                                      • 21689

                                                      #27
                                                      Spot on.
                                                      Comment
                                                      • The Giant
                                                        SBR Posting Legend
                                                        • 01-21-12
                                                        • 21480

                                                        #28
                                                        Too much money at stake to care.

                                                        They're splitting more money than all of us will ever see. It's disgusting. They had no interest in fighting, they just wanted to get out of the ring with their faculties intact.
                                                        Comment
                                                        • packerd_00
                                                          SBR Posting Legend
                                                          • 05-22-13
                                                          • 17811

                                                          #29
                                                          Mayweather was so lucky to grow up in this generation.
                                                          Comment
                                                          • Kermit
                                                            BARRELED IN @ SBR!
                                                            • 09-27-10
                                                            • 32555

                                                            #30
                                                            Originally posted by packerd_00
                                                            Mayweather was so lucky to grow up in this generation.
                                                            You are so right.
                                                            Comment
                                                            • shabang
                                                              SBR MVP
                                                              • 02-23-13
                                                              • 1814

                                                              #31
                                                              what a shit fight..pacman looked like shit..the decision was def the right one..may dominated most of the fight
                                                              Comment
                                                              • thechaoz
                                                                SBR Posting Legend
                                                                • 10-23-09
                                                                • 12154

                                                                #32
                                                                Guy nailed it in article
                                                                Comment
                                                                • jjgold
                                                                  SBR Aristocracy
                                                                  • 07-20-05
                                                                  • 388179

                                                                  #33
                                                                  Yeah there's going to be no rematch either there's no market for
                                                                  Comment
                                                                  • BigDofBA
                                                                    SBR Posting Legend
                                                                    • 09-30-09
                                                                    • 19313

                                                                    #34
                                                                    Originally posted by The Giant
                                                                    Too much money at stake to care.

                                                                    They're splitting more money than all of us will ever see. It's disgusting. They had no interest in fighting, they just wanted to get out of the ring with their faculties intact.
                                                                    Exactly. I didn't buy his fight because I didn't want to contribute to the cause and I figured it would be like this.

                                                                    They werent fighting with their hearts. They were fighting for a pay day.

                                                                    Mayweather can can barely read and he gets 180 million to dance and jab for an hour.
                                                                    Comment
                                                                    • Mac4Lyfe
                                                                      SBR Aristocracy
                                                                      • 01-04-09
                                                                      • 48383

                                                                      #35
                                                                      I thoroughly enjoyed the fight. I love watching boxing clinics and Mayweather is the best tactician of the game. It is a craft, pure science, his hand and foot speed are phenomenal. If you're looking for knockouts, watch the heavyweights. I like watching mental matches and that's what Floyd brings. His work against the ropes is incredible, the way we can counter over the top of a southpaw is unreal.

                                                                      $100 is not a big deal to me. I was looking forward to this fight for weeks. Cranked up the grill, had drinks, bbq, friends and family over and we had a great time even though the fight was anticlimactic. I know coming in that Floyd's fights are going to look boring because he doesn't get hit but the suspense of maybe he might get hit is good enough.
                                                                      Comment
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