Hype is a beautiful thing for the one creating it and receiving it. Most of the time, hype is deception for those who believe in it. Saturday's "Fight of the Century" between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao delivered in monetary value, but fans, live and at home, left with a bad taste in their mouth. Feeling the only word that deserved "of the Century" to follow it was robbery. As in paying $100 for a PPV. I'll stop there and not mention ticket and Las Vegas hotel prices. But why such wrath? Most fans continue to support Manny Pacquiao, yet of all the players involved, Manny was the only one not to play his role.
Promoters (yes Mayweather is one of them) did their part and sold boxing fans the fight. Hyped it. Told us it was Ali v Frazier and Hagler v Leonard rolled into one. Never had we seen two fighters of this caliber face each other in their prime. The use of the word 'prime' was loose of course. We, the fans, continued the hype. We bought the PPV and told anyone who would listen this, this, was the fight not to miss. Mayweather would get his due. We went to bars and paid $20, $30 and $50 covers at bars that never charged a cover. Mayweather for his part not only sold the fight, but fought exactly as we expected. Probably better. You could superimpose any fighter into the footage of any of his fight's in the last decade and it would look exactly the same. Mayweather didn't surprise anyone with his performance.He played his part to perfection. It was Manny. The hope for the last six years that this match was talked about and examined the selling point was Manny Pacquiao was an offensive unstoppable juggernaut with hand speed to rival Floyd's. Manny attacked at angles never seen before. He possessed excellent footwork. An iron chin. He was a lefty! The kryptonite Mayweather feared since birth! Manny was the one. Born to dethrone the loudmouth.
Yet, on Saturday night Manny Pacquiao boxed the same way almost every opponent Floyd has seen in his career. Mesmerized by superior skill only to complain in the end Mayweather did nothing to win. Manny, if Floyd did nothing you did less. A boxer that averages landing 29 punches a round reduced to only 7? More telling is being reduced to 35 punches thrown per round against Manny's usual 68 punches per round. I only mention these statistics because casual fans love to accuse Mayweather of running. He threw and landed more punches than Pacquiao. Manny was supposed to have the footwork and stamina to cut off the ring against Mayweather and 'make him fight' Sadly and ridiculously that was proven false early on. The feared left hand landed early then disappeared. The unseen angles that Manny attacks from? Never erupted. Manny found himself missing wildly at the second or third punch of a combination. The hand speed seemed to be there for Manny but the defensive flaws he has always possessed shone even brighter. It's nearly impossible to land punches when being jabbed in the face just as you get ready to throw. Such was Floyd's timing.
Mayweather fought his fight. It was up to Pacquaio to push and make the bout exciting. To deliver. Everyone knew that. He didn't. He showed up, looked lost against a superior boxer and complained afterward. But what true boxing fan believed something different? This is a Manny Pacquiao who was outboxed by Erik Morales. Outboxed in four fights by Juan Manuel Marquez. It was always his volume and power that won him fights, not his ring IQ. Who among you truly expected Manny Pacquiao to solve the defensive puzzle of the greatest defensive fighter of our era? Stop kidding yourselves. You hoped he could do it because we all love to see David slay Goliath.
Whether it was pressure or the hurt shoulder, the Manny Pacquiao that fans love, did not show up on Saturday night. He did not deliver to his fans. But he did receive his fortune for showing up while the public is left unquenched wondering what else they could have done with those $100.
Also read:
Mayweather v Pacquiao: Who Wins and How
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