Let me admit up front that I am a Manny Pacquiao fan. I have always admired the fighter and held his best interests close to my chest. In sports, it’s easy to pick favorites and attach some emotion to their ups and downs. It’s part of the addiction. So when I say Manny needs to accept Floyd Mayweather’s terms for a May 2nd fight in 2015, I mean it. There is no way out for Pacquiao here. Say yes or forever be a coward.

This fight is the only fight casual boxing fans want to see. Hardcore fight fans also want to see it. It would launch 200-300 million dollars in revenue. Las Vegas would light up. Showtime and HBO would come together and promote it across billboards, buildings, and outer space satellite stations. If this were 1975, the fight would have happened. Back then, when two fighters wanted to beat the shit out of each other, it happened quick because the suits didn’t come into play until after the fight when the money was being collected. These days, it’s political, slow moving and horribly impersonal. Boxing as a sport is one big hesitation.

I won’t place blame on one side here. Each garners a decent amount. Floyd started out with requesting Olympic style drug testing, which only stands for a mind control tactic of his. Boxing has done a good job of weeding out cheaters so why ask for advanced testing for one bout. Come on. Manny balked and it broke down. Next time, Floyd went to jail because he is a moron and the fight didn’t happen. The next time, Floyd wanted a huge portion of the cash up front and Manny balked. Then, Manny lost twice and the hopes seriously depleted. Throughout it all, I place the most blame on Top Rank/Pacquaio promoter Bob Arum. He used to represent Floyd and they don’t like each other anymore. Arum also has a tricky way of setting up boring and lopsided fights between his own fighters. Arum isn’t a cancer in the sport but he’s a pain in the ass here. He is making it hard for this fight to get made.

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