Arum and Pacquiao Blunder With Mayweather Showdown
Published: Jan 16 2012 by: Rich Thomas
Manny Pacquiao's place as the world's #1 welterweight, boxing's pound-for-pound king and even his moral authority over Floyd Mayweather have all taken quite a beating during the last few months, with the end result that Pacman has slipped in the minds of fight fans (at least non-Filipino fight fans) to second place on all counts. Reasonable people have gone from thinking Mayweather was ducking Pacquiao to thinking the reverse, and the outrage over Mayweather's insistence that Pacquiao submit to steroid testing has all but disappeared. This sea change in boxing came about for no other reason than Bob Arum's flawed matchmaking strategy, and by extension, Manny Pacquiao's acceptance of it.
The Downward Slide for Pacquiao - The Timeline
Credit: Chris Farina - Top Rank
A quick review of the chain of events that undermined Pacquiao's stature is in order. The first link was Pacquiao's close and controversial Majority Decision win over Juan Manuel Marquez. Many experts though "Dinamita" was robbed in both the 2011 rubber match and the 2008 rematch. Even those who do not, however (once again excepting the rabid Filipino crowd), admit that the fight essentially picked up where Pacman vs. JMM I and II left off, and therefore revealed no major growth in Pacquaio's boxing style.
Compounding this result was the response to it by Top Rank and Pacquiao's camp. Freddie Roach started backpedaling from a showdown with Mayweather immediately after the fight, with Arum following suit and eventually scheduled away any possibility of such a fight taking place in the first half of this year.
Floyd Mayweather, on the other hand, trounced Victor Ortiz back in September. In comparing recent victories, Mayweather looks a lot better than Pacquiao. Also, Mayweather sensed the blood in the water after the outcome of Pacquiao vs. Marquez III, and he promptly pounced, calling out Pacquiao again for a May 5th bout that Pacquiao could have easily have made.
Most of the boxing world had accused Floyd Mayweather of being the main stumbling block in making a showdown with Manny Pacquiao happen. Now the shoe is on the other foot, and it's Pacquiao who is perceived as dodging the issue.
Arum's Flawed Strategy
In both matchmaking and promotional terms, this role reversal is entirely due to blowback in Bob Arum's basic strategy. Manny Pacquiao's fame exploded in December 2008 with his shocking upset victory over an aged, drained, rusty Oscar de la Hoya. That fight took place roughly nine months after the controversial outcome Pacquaio vs. Marquez II. The only fight date most boxing fans wanted to see Pacquiao undertake more than Mayweather was with Juan Manuel Marquez, yet the Pacquiao camp put off a rubber match with Marquez for more than three years. In doing so, a considerable amount of hype and expectation was built up around Pacquiao, and that bubble has burst. Also, Pacquiao has lost valuable time in tuning up for an engagement with Pretty Boy Floyd.
Bob Arum pursued a string of fights where he served as promoter for both Pacquiao and the opponent. In retrospect, it is now clear than the only man well-served by this strategy was Arum himself, who made fistfuls of extra cash in playing both ends of the equation. Planning for a potential mega-fight against the likes of the Pretty Boy, a more intelligent matchmaking strategy would have put Pacquiao in with a reasonable facsimile of Floyd Mayweather back in 2009 and/or 2010. That would have meant either the rubber match with Juan Manuel Marquez (skilled counter-puncher) or with Andre Berto (speedy slickster). Neither of these fighters is Mayweather, but both would have tested the same Pacquiao weaknesses as Mayweather.
The Pacfans in particular should take this criticism to heart. Imagine if Pacman had fought Marquez for a third time in 2009. Whatever the outcome, Roach's response would have been the same as now: "You need more work - back to the gym!" Then imagine that Pacquiao takes on Berto in 2010, and whatever the outcome, Roach sees more room for improvement. If Pacquiao could have been retooled for a showdown with Floyd Mayweather, that is the road that should have been followed. Instead, Arum chose to maximize his earnings, and Roach and Pacquiao acquiesced. Those choices have now boomeranged on the people who made them.
Tags: bob arum, floyd mayweather, freddie roach, manny pacquiao, pacquiao vs. mayweather, top rank
haha another hater, thomas hater is the name, educate urself man, why not you fight with unhealed cut lets see what happen,
Mr. writer,i don’t want to be bias with the situation, but if you are with mayweather’s part,who would you call first for initial negotiation? second, why would mayweather nailed a specific date without the knowledge or agreement with the opponent side?i mean,why not negotiate first and come out with final date?for sure he knew Pacquiao got cut on his forehead during the Marquez fight. Third, why on twitter he would call pacquiao?Isn’t it so kidding?
Typical pactarded BS comments – just because a guy states the obvious (Mayweather is now on top of the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao PR war), the Pactards come out of the woodwork.
If you idiots can read English and bothered to read the article, you’ll see that the guy doesn’t say Mayweather beats Pacquiao. He doesn’t say that Mayweather’s advantage will last. He merely says that Mayweather has a PUBLIC RELATIONS advantage, and why.
But you guys are too pactarded to understand that. Being a Pacquiao fan must be like being a Democrap – it makes you stupid.
This writer’s common sense is NADA. Whom would u believe? Floyd who said “pac ur next” then a few days later “i didnt say that, dont put words in my mouth”. Floyd who suddenly went on “vacation”. Floyd who put up all these unprecedented drug test demand to fight a “midget”. Floyd who issues a challenge via Tweeter or FB. Floyd a convicted woman beater, who abuses security guards, who insensitively burns dollars, who curses his father on 24/7, who enjoys racists rants on ustream. Floyd’s character & integrity – coming from an ex-convict father, drug-addict mother, etc – is full of holes.
What’s wrong with giving in a little – if he really wanted to fight Pac – and agree to end of May. That is still before his jail time of June 1st. For that he gets what he tweeted for and extra money from the bigger gate receipts. Bottom line is he is just hyping his next fight with really no intention of fighting Pac. Gullible fans and writers please wise up.
“Gandalf!” HA! “Orchead” is more like it.
It might be because of Mayweather’s jail term? TPTB already did him a favor in giving him time to fight in early May. It’s not like Floyd can CHOOSE when to schedule a bout before going to jail. He has to take what he’s given.
You … are… STOOPID.
Mayweather DID NOT Trounch Victor Ortiz, unless you consider punching and hitting an opponent who was not prepared…, notwithstanding that saying, which is NOT a RULE, to be prepared at all times. Still the fact remains that Ortiz was not prepared when he was hit by Mayweather.
Mayweather makes his challenges to Manny P. NOT LIVE on TV, but throu Twitter or some other written media…., and later denies those statements. IT IS Mayweather who is ALWAYS BACKING OUT.