Floyd Mayweather Jr. is scheduled to fight Victor Ortiz for the WBC welterweight title on September 17th in Las Vegas. The fight will be an opportunity for Floyd to display his boxing dominance and add more hardware to his collection. The obvious question is why not fight Manny Pacquiao instead of this guy? Is there a method to his madness?
The plan is simple yet brilliant. By fighting an opponent no ones ever heard of boxing fans will become even more frustrated that the super fight hasn't taken place yet. Floyd will insist that he has been willing to fight Pacquiao for years, but Manny will not agree to random drug testing leading up to the showdown. The Pacquiao camp will be on the defensive and forced to come up with an answer that satisfies both his fans and his critics. The question is will Manny give in to Floyd's request?
The real victims in this whole charade are the boxing fans. They've been held hostage for almost two years waiting for a fight that may never take place. Without question this is the fight everyone wants to see, but politics and gamesmanship have stood in the way. In the minds of many Floyd is ducking the big fight because he's afraid he will lose. The reality is Floyd is an egomaniac who just wants the fight on his own terms. There is no fear factor.
The anticipation is growing for a super fight and my guess is it will happen next spring. Floyd can use the fight against Ortiz as a tune up for the main event. If Manny wants to solidify his legacy as one of the greatest champions of all time he will have to take the fight with Mayweather even if it means giving in to Floyd's demands. It's a small price to pay for immortality. Let's hope Manny does the right thing.
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