Wishful Thinking

How Sweet it Would Be!

"Most Hated!"

I wrote about "Pretty Boy" Floyd "Money" Mayweather" in the Silent Science Part I, and I also covered the "Vicious" Victor Ortiz vs. Andre Berto fight. Mayweather attended the Ortiz vs. Berto fight and I made the comment that I bet Mayweather is jealous because he could never deliver a fight as exciting as that one. Well, Mayweather must have been thinking along the same lines, because now he is fighting Ortiz. Mayweather even admitted watching that fight is what got him so excited, it made him want to come out of retirement and fight again.

So, to make an exciting welterweight championship fight Mayweather had to find an exciting opponent, Ortiz. The fight will take place on Pay-per-view on September 17th Saturday night. Most average sports' fans will not even get to see the fight, no matter how good it is(which is another problem with boxing I have wrote about in the past).

I wish Ortiz could beat Mayweather I think that would make this fight legendary and help the sport, but I do not see it happening. Mayweather is 41-0 and is just too good. That is why Mayweather is bad for the sport of boxing. Floyd Mayweather is loud mouth, fast talking jerk who acts like spoiled brat most of the time. The problem is Mayweather can back it up. In most experts' opinions Mayweather is the most talented fighter in the sport with a work ethic to match.

Some would say, what is the problem, fast talking, talented, hard working fighter sounds like Muhammad Ali. Ali is considered the greatest sport figure in history by some, but the comparisons end there with Ali and Mayweather. When Ali was fighting he was filling up arenas with fans to see him fight. Mayweather is lucky to put few thousand butts in the seats at an Indian Casino unless he fights a big name. Boxing is just not what it was at one time and Mayweather is just plain boring. Great fighters who are good and boring are one of boxing's' biggest problems.

I would love to see Ortiz holding all the belts at the end of the fight. I just don't think it will happen. It is wishful thinking for me to think Ortiz can beat the older but quicker Mayweather. Ortiz, who is 24 years old, is the younger, stronger, and a southpaw. Mayweather who is now 34 years old has had trouble with stronger fighters in the past, as well as southpaws. Still, the cliche is speed kills and it true most of the time. Plus, Mayweather is very ring smart and has always been able to figure out his opponents before the fight is over.

I think Mayweather will land some quick punches and then run and hide the entire fight. Ortiz will never be able to hit him and if Ortiz takes some chances and tries to land some good shots he may end up on the canvas. Ortiz is easy to hit and has been known to good down in past fights. Even in the Berto fight Ortiz went down and that was his defining victory. My guess is that Mayweather will take few chances himself. It will be up to Ortiz to make it a good fight, but that may result Ortiz opening himself up to Mayweather's hand speed. So, anyway you slice it seems to spell bad news for Ortiz and most likely boxing fans as well.

Victor Ortiz is great underdog story. Ortiz is likeable and has some star qualities He is what boxing is all about. Ortiz came from nothing, he was an orphan for most of this childhood, after his parents abandoned him. Ortiz punishes his opponents and absorbs punishment in the process. Ortiz is a fight fans dream come true. Most sport's fans would likely respond favorably to a champion like Ortiz. Ortiz would be great for boxing, but I just don't see him winning. Well, at least as a boxing fan I can hope that Ortiz can land that one big shot and shock the world(Mayweather has never been down). Mayweather will most likely win and that is good for him and bad for boxing.

The Silent Science Part II

What we Love about Sports?

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 7, 2011 Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao fights "Sugar" Shane Mosley. This should be a very entertaining fight, but the average sports fan will never see it. Two great fighters enter the ring tomorrow night, one will impose his will on the other and emerge victorious. I put my money on Pac Man, no big surprise, he is pound for pound the best in the world, and Mosley is over the hill and with few exceptions, boxers are like milk. Once they go bad, there is no going back.

These days boxing is almost completely the silent sport. Yes, they still box on TV, but no one knows or cares (other than a few celebs and die hard fans). Sad thing is that like this fight there are some great bouts and some great sports moments that will never be viewed that way. Recently, many sports' analysts celebrated and remembered the Ali vs. Frazier fight. I wonder if any of the current fights happening this year will ever be remembered that way. Boxing is, however, a hidden jewel that can be unearthed by the true sports fan. This is true, especially with the summer producing so few sporting events to watch, I really look forward to Saturday fight night.

Boxing has such a great product that has been really untapped for at least the last two decades. Boxing must take some steps in another direction to bring itself into the mainstream again. Step one, it has to get the best fighter into the mainstream public eye. They can start having fights on the network channels, and most importantly back on ESPN. Friday night fight on ESPN only showcases C and D level fighters. If this happens then the next step will follow, ESPN will start having shows like Boxing Live, and then the experts can began to explain the sport to the common man. To the average Joe, boxing can look like dancing or sweating guys hugging.

I don't know how, but boxing needs to stop allowing fighters like Floyd Mayweather Jr. to hold boxing hostage, he is a cancer. As, I said in my last boxing entry, a Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is the only fight that would peak the average sport fans' interest. Yet, Mayweather refuses to fight Pac Man even though there will be $40 million paydays for them both. To turn down 40 million, he must be really scared!

I spotlighted the Berto vs. Ortiz fight and wrote about all the amazing sports moments and qualities it had to offer. The ironic thing was that what's wrong with boxing was present at this fight as well. Floyd Mayweather, Jr sat ring side with rapper, 50 Cent at his side. Mayweather watched the fight and every time the camera found him he was showing his perfect, bleached white smile. People might like him better if he had a war with Manny, and if we are lucky maybe Manny knocks out one of those ultra white teeth. But, I laughed when I saw Mayweather there enjoying the battle, because no matter how rich or famous he gets, he will never put on a show like Berto and Ortiz did!