Pacquiao fighting again is cast in stone

By Al S. Mendoza

 

THE comeback fight is on November 6 (PHL Time).

It’s all been set.

Manny Pacquiao is fighting again.

That’s according to Bob Arum.

Not even Senate President Koko Pimentel can stop Sen. Pacquiao from un-retiring.

Notice that when he announced the date of the fight, Arum did not first inform Pacquiao about it.

It wasn’t meant to surprise Pacquiao.

Bob Arum was simply Bob Arum:  He does things his way.

And when he does it, when he decides on something, Pacquiao can only take heed.

When did Pacquiao ever disobey Arum?

The truth is, when Arum talks, no one can dispute him.

Oh, wait a minute.  There’s one who opposed Arum—but, alas, he was only successful at the start.

I refer to Floyd Mayweather Jr., who stubbornly stood his ground in pursuing what he wanted—only to agree to fight Pacquiao after five years of playing catch-me-if-you-can.

That was surrender—sweet surrender really as Mayweather, when he fought Pacquiao, ran away with the highest boxing purse of all time: more than $200 million.

Well, Pacquiao also stashed away a windfall so that his 12-round loss to Mayweather never really hurt in the end.

In the perennial order of things in boxing, it’s the money that counts.

Titles are but gravy.

If you are a Pacquiao or a Mayweather, you will still sell—despite age fast catching up on them.

Pacquiao is still relatively saleable at age 37.

But Mayweather?  At almost 39 years of age, he has become old hat.

But still, you know how our boxing fans react each time a fight involving stars comes along: Suckers.

Suckers come in droves because they are forever lured by hype.

The likes of Pacquiao and Mayweather can still pack ‘em in, so to speak.

Dangle a rematch and people will come watch the fight.

It’s like parading a one-time beauty queen: people will still crane their necks out the window to see what age has done to their former flavor of the month.

And so, will Pacquiao fight Terence Crawford, the 28-0 champ?

Of course, yes.

Crawford needs to validate his grip of the 140-lb crown.

Fighting—and beating—Pacquiao would assure him that.

Pacquiao has yet to say yes, but no worries.

It will come.  His retirement is a non-issue.

He will un-retire, like many other former greats like him did: Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and, yes, Mayweather, also, to name a few.

Bob Arum is biding his time, first giving Crawford the luxury of a vacation following a victory over Viktor Poslov before making his move.

Crawford will even agree to fight Pacquiao in a catchweight.

Pacquiao fights at 147 pounds but will always bow down to 145 if only to accommodate Crawford.

What?  Crawford says he wants only a fight at 140 pounds?

Baloney. When Arum puts his foot down, cemetery silence reigns.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments