The latest fight of century has again proven that champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr., at age 38, knows how to win big fights. His credibility and integrity have long been tarnished by awful domestic abuse issues. However, his ability to rise to the occasion and deliver under great pressure against the best in the ring with the title on the line is second to none.
This fight, which may have been the most hyped, talked-about and promoted championship in 25 years, proved again that boxing is not what it used to be. This was no Thriller in Manila, Ali vs. Frazier, Ali vs. Foreman, Robinson vs. Duran, Louis vs. Schmeling, or even Tyson vs. Holyfield.
Mayweather vs. Pacquiao was the richest fight of all time. No fight will ever come close to generating this one’s pre-fight excitement, and what we got was a mega event in Las Vegas that did not come close to meeting the pre-fight expectations of millions.
We all had to know that Manny Pacquiao, boxing’s good guy and only eight-weight-class champion, is a shadow of himself. An injury to his shoulder before the fight apparently limited his ability to reach deep inside and go after trying to knock Mayweather out.
Mayweather is a strategic and calculated boxer in the true sense of the word. His defensive style is not popular, but it’s very effective, and he’s smart enough to stick with a successful game plan. That’s why he’s 48-0 and, despite the controversy that follows him, he’s the greatest winner of his era.
But is he better than Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Jack Johnson, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, Marvin Hagler, Roy Jones Jr, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Jack Dempsey, or Rocky Marciano at 49-0?
Thanks to Mayweather, boxing is not dead, though it may be devoid of leadership. And yes, corrupt with a racist past. Mayweather, however, has boxing in his hands. He’s a skilled technician and defensively a magician.
He has calculated every fight and guarded his position. Even with most of boxing’s establishment openly rooting against him, he is definitely the bad guy who always wins. At 48-0, history says he’s the best after beating Pacquiao.
The public did not get the fight when they wanted, but they did get it. And Mayweather walks away with $120 million, having left the boxing world speechless. It’s time to recognize that he shouldn’t be measured on human dignity — he’s the best capitalist of his era by a long shot. He knows how to make money and generate thousands of people with money to passionately bet and root against his success.
He’s a prize fighter at 48-0 who has settled all scores. It’s no secret. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. might or might not be the greatest of all-time, but he’s without question the best of his era today.
Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, on WDGY-AM 740 Monday-Friday at 12:17 pm and 4:17 pm, and at www.Game daygold.com. He also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Follow him on Twitter at FitzBeatSr. Larry welcomes reader responses to info@larry-fitzgerald.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.
