An analysis of the corruption, sabotage and glory of professional boxing
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Shane Mosley vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
My pugilistic preview piece got picked up by the folks over at No BS Boxing, a boxing news site and on-line forum. For fight fans, this is a huge showdown between two of the biggest stars in the sport.
From my article...
The current age of boxing sells the paying public on the concept of super fights. Titles don’t matter and weight classes don’t matter. Even a fighter’s recent poor performance or lack of activity can be overlooked, so long as he can be properly packaged into something that fans are willing to pay for. A case in point would be 2007’s version of “The Fight to Save Boxing,” featuring Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather. Coming into the fight, De La Hoya had been in the ring a mere 6 times in the last 5 years, going 4-2 during that span. The fight was held at 154 pounds, a weight that Mayweather had never fought at before, and has not since. Despite the fact that many more “relevant” fights could have been made, none could have been as profitable, and the Cinco De Mayo showdown set records for revenue and PPV buys. Other examples include the Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins farce, Manny Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya, and many others.
In a break from the norm, this Saturday features a true super-fight. Floyd Mayweather (40-0) and “Sugar” Shane Mosley (46-5) have been engaged in a cold war for over a decade. Despite call-outs from each camp over the years, the fight never materialized. Until now.
I'm betting a dollar on Mayweather, which you will repay if he loses. Besos!
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