{"id":420506,"date":"2011-05-09T16:33:00","date_gmt":"2011-05-09T16:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/05\/09\/brilliant-pacquiaos-prime-is-being-squandered-yahoo-sports\/"},"modified":"2011-05-09T16:33:00","modified_gmt":"2011-05-09T16:33:00","slug":"brilliant-pacquiaos-prime-is-being-squandered-yahoo-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/05\/09\/brilliant-pacquiaos-prime-is-being-squandered-yahoo-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"Brilliant Pacquiao’s prime is being squandered (Yahoo! Sports)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas poured boos down on the ring, expressing a sentiment shared by many pay-per-view customers. Sugar Shane Mosley was running from Manny Pacquiao, making consumer disappointment and anger understandable.<\/p>\n

So too was this emotion: sadness.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

With no viable foe on the horizon, Manny Pacquiao will continue to celebrate.
(Associated Press)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Saturday was another wasted night of Pacquiao\u2019s prime<\/a>, the competitive circumstances and raw politics of boxing robbing what could\u2019ve been a night of greatness tested.<\/p>\n

Instead, we got another lopsided decision, Pacquiao winning as an overwhelming favorite against a 39-year-old opponent who had no intention of actually fighting.<\/p>\n

Mosley was once a great champion and remains a likeable ambassador for the sport. He never stood a chance against Manny, though. That was something promoter Bob Arum acknowledged at the outset, only to realize he was so out of opponents for the Filipino that he had to make the fight anyway.<\/p>\n

Mosley was the second of Pacquiao\u2019s last three opponents to enter the ring and not even attempt to win. Fourteen months ago Joshua Clottey covered up for 12 rounds. Even after he was shut out on the scorecard, Clottey lifted his arms in triumph and posed for pictures with his team. The goal was to survive, not actually box.<\/p>\n

Before you blame Clottey and Mosley, consider what happened to the last several guys who decided to stand and trade with Manny:<\/p>\n

Antonio Margarito, pummeled repeatedly, broken orbital bone, sent to hospital, career in jeopardy. Miguel Cotto, pummeled repeatedly, TKO\u2019d, sent to hospital. Ricky Hatton, knocked out cold, sent to hospital, hasn\u2019t fought since. Oscar De La Hoya, pummeled repeatedly, TKO\u2019d, sent to hospital, hasn\u2019t fought since. David Diaz, pummeled repeatedly, TKO\u2019d, sent to hospital.<\/p>\n

We could go on. Manny Pacquiao hasn\u2019t lost a fight in six years.<\/p>\n

And he probably isn\u2019t losing one anytime soon, leaving fans stuck watching an iconic fighter dominate inferior opponents just for the sake of watching said icon.<\/p>\n

Sadness isn\u2019t a new feeling in boxing. It\u2019s just usually reserved for those horrific nights when an aging champion is getting battered by the sport\u2019s inevitable, and swift, circle of life. It\u2019s sad to watch greatness gone. It\u2019s sad to fear the damage done.<\/p>\n

This is completely different \u2013 sadness born from frustration. It\u2019s like watching Michael Jordan playing minor league basketball, cheating everyone from years of thrilling moments and memories on the basketball court.<\/p>\n

Critics of boxing are always saying it needs charismatic headliners. Well, what then is Manny Pacquaio? He\u2019s willing to fight exciting fights, test himself against bigger, stronger men. He smiles. He laughs. He\u2019s smart. He has a real life as an elected politician. He sings on late-night talk shows and performs fan concerts after fights. There\u2019s almost nothing like him in sports. And Saturday, Top Rank put on a great show around him, complete with a rare entertaining undercard featuring the return of ex-champ Kelly Pavlik and a dramatic 12th round, come-from-behind-TKO by Jorge Arce of Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr.<\/p>\n

Then the main event bombed, the cold reality of the era ruining everything.<\/p>\n

Arum talked about a potential November fight between Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, who earned a draw with Pacman in 2004 and lost a close decision in 2008. Those bouts took place in the featherweight or super featherweight divisions, however. That\u2019s 20 pounds ago for Pacquiao, who fought at 147 on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Marquez is a warrior, but he struggled to get to 142 pounds when he was outclassed by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2009. It was Mayweather\u2019s un-retirement fight and considered a somewhat safe one because Marquez was so small. If he\u2019s too small for Floyd, then he\u2019s of little threat to the 2011 version of Manny.<\/p>\n

Marquez would also become the fourth recent Pacquiao opponent first \u201csoftened up\u201d by Mayweather, joining De La Hoya, Hatton and Mosley.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

While Manny Pacquiao was training to fight Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was sitting courtside at a Bulls-Knicks game.
(Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The obvious solution is to get Pacquiao and Mayweather in the ring together and stage the richest fight in history. Then do it again in a rematch. That seems less likely now than ever, though. Mayweather hasn\u2019t fought anyone in over 13 months and spent Saturday night, he claims, watching a Lady Gaga concert on cable.<\/a><\/p>\n

We should be in the middle of an epic trilogy between these two \u2013 their styles seemingly perfectly suited to challenge each other. It\u2019s rare when the two best pound-for-pound fighters of a decade are essentially the same weight. Yet money, pride, politics, bad blood, allegations of doped blood, slander suits, domestic violence charges and all sorts of other nonsense stand in the way.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been through the Mayweather-Manny debate before. Right now, it isn\u2019t getting solved. It may never.<\/p>\n

So we get what we get and the crowd gets upset.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat could I do if my opponent doesn\u2019t want to fight toe-to-toe? It\u2019s not my fault,\u201d Pacquiao argued, and really no one was blaming him. \u201cI\u2019m happy, because I know I won the fight. But I said my first concern is the satisfaction of the people. I want the people to be satisfied with my performance and to leave happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mosley fight should never have been made. Same with Clottey. And it\u2019ll be the same with Marquez.<\/p>\n

There is virtually no one left for Pacquiao to fight. He\u2019ll still get big numbers at the gate and on pay per view because he\u2019s such an attraction, such a talent, but it increasingly feels like a waste of time. He\u2019s stuck in B-grade bouts. You can\u2019t shine a sneaker.<\/p>\n

Zab Judah is another option, but he\u2019s lost to Clottey, Cotto and<\/em> Mayweather.<\/p>\n

Timothy Bradley, the dynamic, unbeaten, 27-year-old Californian, is a potential long-term challenger to Pacquiao. Is he ready to step up as soon as November? He may have to be. For my money, it\u2019s the most intriguing fight.<\/p>\n

At least Bradley is a fresh face. At least he has a future. At least, we presume, he\u2019ll stand up and actually try to win.<\/p>\n

These days with Pacquiao that\u2019s all we can hope for; a sad indictment on a sport that is stalling when it should be soaring.<\/p>\n

Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:<\/strong>
\u2022 Lakers\u2019 reign ends in embarrassment<\/a>
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\u2022 Tony Romo fails in U.S. Open bid<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Read this article:
\nBrilliant Pacquiao’s prime is being squandered (Yahoo! Sports)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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