StylePoints

One of the best and worst things about boxing is that it’s one of the few sports where race and nationality really, really matter. It colors the way we view fighters. If I describe a boxer as “slick”, what do you picture? How about “warrior”. It’s only natural that something as primal as two men punching each other in the face is going to tap into other, more base parts of the human psyche.  We are tribal by nature, and while that part of our personality is easily sublimated by the open-minded and compassionate amongst us, it always lurks. I’m not ashamed to admit, that when watching two fighters with whom I have no previous knowledge, I’m likely to root for the one who looks most like me (read, ruggedly handsome).

No one knows this better than boxing promoters. Styles make fights, but they don’t always sell fights. Right now, Floyd Mayweather Jr is looking for an opponent to face in Las Vegas on May 5th.  The date is crucial. He’s already reserved the MGM grand for the date and he also happens to be going to jail in June. He has stated on numerous occasions that he hopes to fight Manny Pacquiao. And, why wouldn’t he? It’s the richest purse in the sport, the fight everyone wants to see and Pacquiao is coming off of a disappointing showing against Juan Manuel Marquez.

Unfortunately, Top Rank promoter, Bob Arum says that Manny can’t possibly fight until June, when a new outdoor arena can be built in Las Vegas. Anyone with even a passing interest in boxing knows that Pacquiao and Mayweather have been dancing around each other for the last two years. Both parties and their fans have accused the other of ducking the fight. This notion is absurd. Neither fighter is afraid of the other.  It’s far more complex than that.

Both fighters know that their drawing power will be diminish after their mega-fight, so it’s in their best interest to pad their pockets (and records) in the interim). Floyd Mayweather controls every financial aspect of his fights, something that Bob Arum is highly unlikely to allow. There’s the control issue, and the fact that Arum and Mayweather hate one another, and neither has any interest in making the other any wealthier. Since “negotiations” began for Pac/May,  Floyd Mayweather Jr has not faced a single fighter promoted by Top Rank. Many Pacquiao has faced only one fighter not promoted by Top Rank. Expect that trend to continue until they face each other.

What does any of this have to do with race or nationality? Right now, the only money fights that either fighter can make is lucrative, only because of nationality. Mayweather was quick to lock down the first Saturday in May. For gambling purposes, it’s second in importance to only Super Bowl Sunday.  Kentucky Derby in the Morning. Prize fight at night.  This year, it just happens to fall on Cinco De Mayo. Expect Floyd to face off against a popular but faded, unproven or undersized Mexican champion. My bet is on Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, whose popularity stems, in part, from the fact that he doesn’t look like a Mexican fighter. Mexicans and Mexican Americans remain one of the most rabid fan-bases in the sport, and Mayweather/Alvarez would be guaranteed to do numbers.

That leaves Pacquiao without an opponent. I’m going to go out on a limb and predict the exact date, opponent and venue for Pacquiao: June 9th, Miguel Cotto at Yankee Stadium. On the heels of his revenge-match with Antonio Margarito, the Top Rank promoted Cotto is once again a hot property in the boxing world. Serious fight fans realize that Cotto has zero chance of defeating Pacquiao, but that is of little import. Bob Arum knows that he can fill Yankee stadium with throngs of flag waving Nuyoricans is he puts Cotto in the ring with Manny on the weekend of the Puerto Rican Day parade.

I’m of the belief that we’ll get out Mayweather/Pacquiao fight, but only after the two parties have milked every other payday they can find out of the boxing public. Fortunately for them, as long as race and nationality matter they can make lucrative fights that have nothing to do with the competitive nature of the matches.