NEXT TIME AROUND, CAN WE SEE A REAL RUMBLE?

The last MANNY PACQUIAO-SHANE MOSLEY bout triggered a lot of negative criticisms for both the latter and promoter BOB ARUM. Many said that while MOSLEY showed up on top of the ring, he stopped fighting after he got floored by the thunderous left hook from MANNY. He was not keen on winning anymore and instead became defensive minded. All that was in his mind was to finish the bout unscathed and what do you know- walk away with US$ 5 million.

Meanwhile, UNCLE BOB is getting the flak too for supposedly feeding the public with a worthless fight. It is understandable why the paying public felt this way, after all they could have simply waited for the delayed telecast of the fight (and bear with the tons of commercials) or the announcement that MANNY won, instead of spending precious money and see a supposed worthy opposition dance around the ring.

But wait. Lest that we forget, MOSLEY was an 8-1 underdog. What do you expect from someone whom the odds specialists had early on declared as having no chance of winning against the world’s pound-for-pound best? Didn’t the experts say from the start that MOSLEY does not deserve a fight with PACQUIAO what with his dismal showing in his last six fights? If MOSLEY didn’t fare well with SERGIO MORA and can only manage a draw with a B-Class fighter, what made you believe that he would do better with a phenom like PACQUIAO?

If this was the case, there really was no reason for us to expect much from MOSLEY. He was shot and the business of boxing only put him on the spot because he still sold tickets and pay-per-view, especially in the US. But all things being regular, he should have retired long time ago or at least fielded with ordinary fighters and not the caliber of PACQUIAO. If you actually believed the pre-fight declarations of UNCLE BOB or any person for that matter, claiming that MOSLEY would give PACQUIAO the fits, then you have been misinformed- a victim of pre-fight marketing strategy. You are not the avid boxing fan who follows the sport.

I have seen how this pre-fight marketing strategy was played to the hilt to attract the average fan to buy the fight. First, it concentrated much on the 2^nd round lucky punch which MOSLEY delivered on MAYWEATHER which almost stopped the latter. But it did not tell the average fan that for the entirety of the fight, MOSLEY could not even touch FLOYD, in fact he was schooled. The other strategy here was when they rarely mentioned the “draw” fight of MOSLEY with SERGIO MORA. Otherwise if this was mentioned, I am sure one is able to question the chances of SUGAR against VINEGAR (DATU PUTI). Nevermind that MOSLEY declared days leading to the fight that he will shock the world by knocking out PACQUIAO. He was a businessman, an actor playing his role and sticking to the script to sell a movie.

In the light of boxing’s dwindling popularity due to the public’s embracing MMA, it is the duty of UNCLE BOB, being among the industry’s luminaries to consider the real and logical factors that will bring back allure to the sport. There is no doubt that boxing is business, but then again we will routinely push away the fans if we continue to bring them worthless fights. I for one believe that PACQUIAO can draw back hordes to like the sport again- he is after all very exciting to watch. But for those who have yet to see him, the sport of boxing wouldn’t attract them if they hear about how patsy his opposition were- worse they would even think that the fights were arranged. They would ultimately suspect the adjectives we speak about PACQUIAO and maybe even his accomplishments. If UNCLE BOB really believes that PACQUIAO is pound-for-pound best, or the greatest of all time as he puts it, go line up young and hungry fighters who are willing to engage. These fights would cement his greatness and legacy even more- and for the businessman in UNCLE BOB, the dollars. After all, people pay to see blood.