Caught on cam after the Pacman tossed a challenge, Floyd Mayweather looked the other way, pretending not having heard it over the loudspeaker.
No need to translate his demeanor because Mayweather just did not warm up to Pacquiao’s oft-repeated grudge rematch idea.
The Sarangani senator displayed a two-fisted attack, bringing to Adrien Broner the fight from Round One up to Round Twelve in literal fashion.
I believe all boxing observers expected Manny to deliver a KO as the Filipino superstar entertained the millions watching on boob tube and the thousands in physical attendance (more than 16,000, it was reported) with his matador-like stance, boring through with hard body shots and left and right straights, crosses and hooks to the head.
Do you think Floyd was impressed?
Nah. Floyd wasn’t impressed because Broner elected to dance the tango.
Had the talkative challenger opted to slug it out in the first four rounds, he probably could have altered the Pacquiao fight plan.
Instead, Broner’s camp allowed the Filipino champ to take over the wheel and dictate the pace.
So, Pacquiao did just that to the eternal disappointment of Mayweather who thought Broner could give the former one hell of a battle had he decided to fight toe to toe in the initial rounds.
Floyd was doubly disappointed too that Pacquiao failed to put Broner to sleep. A KO victory by the Pacman would have surely raised the ante for a Mayweather-Pacquiao 2 as boxing fans would holler to support a second encounter.
There will be no Floyd vs Manny fight date this year, this I can assure you.
Mayweather will only risk to fight Pacquiao for the right price.
At this point, the sports media is not convinced that Manny can beat Mayweather because he did not dispose Broner as appropriately as he should to deserve a second meeting with the now retired undefeated world champion.
So, what’s left for the Pacman to do?
He cannot hang up his gloves yet. Meaning if he is serious in pursuing a rematch, Manny should return to the ring in July and in December this year.
There are some deserving titleholders from the other boxing groups who will want to test Pacquiao’s mettle. Mikey Garcia, Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, Terence Crawford et al are in search of big paychecks and they could earn this bounty by facing Pacquiao.
Now, assuming the former Fighter of the Decade humbles both assignments against anyone of these touted ring gladiators as I outlined the sked, rich and established promoters might just be emboldened to gather huge sponsorships that may approximate the guaranteed earnings of the two combatants in their 2015 confrontation and lure Floyd out of bedtime.
For now, the forty-year old 8-division champ needs to strategize with creative thinking. Boxing sportswriters, I would volunteer, are more convinced that Pacquiao has lost some of his knockout power. Despite unleashing a barrage of shots and hitting his targets, the Filipino southpaw failed to send Broner to the canvas and subsequently to dreamland.
My unsolicited advice: forget Floyd. Create the ideal atmosphere and he will come to you. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
