I found it a bit humorous that on the night of May 2nd, 2015 millions of Americans huddled around their televisions, each paying a hundred dollars a piece to basically watch an episode of Dancing With the Stars. No not really, but if its any indication about the nature of the fight, then boxing is in trouble.
There is certainly no question about the expertise of the fighters, considering Mayweather’s now spotless 48-0 record, along with Pacquiao’s impressive 57-6 record.
However, considering the talent both these fighters have continued to perennially push in our faces, the fight showed no signs of heating up at any moment. Mayweather from the first round to the last, seemed to use his lightning footwork to juke and duck punches, remaining moderately defensive for a majority of the fight. Pacquiao, while adopting the role of the aggressor, failed to hit or make contact on a great deal of his attempted punches.
Keeping in mind the age of the two fighters, Mayweather thirty eight (38 years old), and Pacquiao aged thirty six (36 years old), the two fighters were far from their prime, with Mayweather stating in an interview during his brief retirement from the sport before the fight, “I continuously struggle to find the love and the inspiration for this sport, I once had.” Negotiations for the fight dubbed “The Fight of the Century” had failed twice previously, with Mayweather failing to agree to any terms of a fight with Pacquiao stating, “He’s not on my level.” Eventually Mayweather gave in, but on his terms. The proceeds of the fight were split 55-45, with Mayweather receiving the larger portion of the total generated revenue, the fight’s home (The MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada) was chosen by Mayweather, and last but not least, the very officials and referees that assisted in scoring the match were chosen by, you guessed it, Mayweather. So to say that this was a fair fight, you’d have to be sitting in a padded room with a blindfold on during the week of the fight.
Ultimately, the sport of boxing lost a little something the night Mayweather prematurely raised his hands with still a couple seconds to go in the last round, cockily murmuring sweet nothings into Pacquiao’s ear whenever in proximity. Boxing doesn’t seem to have that draw it used to. People watch boxing to see a fight, and that’s what one should get, especially for the price of a hundred dollars pay per view. But what did we get the night of May 2nd? Two pre- madonna’s putting on a show, scraping in over two hundred and fifty million dollars in revenue. I could’ve just gone to see a Broadway show for cheaper.
Now evidence of Pacquiao concealing a hurt shoulder just days before the fight has manifested itself, only further proving the negligence of “The Fight of the Century.” To say the fight was fair and entertaining is to just flat out lie, and I think a rematch is not only destined, but required if these two fighters and the sport of boxing are to make a comeback as a whole.
Boxing itself has begun to deteriorate, as viewers are beginning to resort to UFC and other mixed martial arts, raising the popularity of both alike. The anti-climactic fight Saturday seemed to confirm this shift in ‘fighting demographic’ and will continue to if more importance is placed on the revenue and publicity of the fighters instead of the actual fight.
In a way, boxing fans were all betrayed Saturday May 2nd, 2015. A record 4.4 million households watched the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight. They each paid about $100 for the HD broadcast and $80 for the standard definition, for a total of about $400 million, according to CNN Money. They paid to see the two most beloved and revered fighters go head to head, and they were instead duped for their money.
We demand for our time and money back.
