Why Now is the Right Time To Sacrifice Mayweather to Pacquiao

By Scoop Malinowski

The time comes when even the greatest of champions are sacrificed to the young lions. It happened with Joe Louis when he fought Rocky Marciano – Sugar Ray Leonard with Terry Norris – Muhammad Ali with Larry Holmes…you should understand this realistic aspect of the evolutionary process of boxing.

Now is precisely and exactly the right time to sacrifice Floyd Mayweather to Manny Pacquiao.

The Mayweather show is just about on it’s last legs. Floyd is 34 and in the homestretch of a probable Hall of Fame quality career. He’s reluctantly unwilling to fight the most dangerous, most skilled, top-echelon welterweights. Floyd no longer is a superstar attraction on his own, as far as live gate and pay-per-view numbers, as evidenced by the disappointing revenues generated by his last fight against Victor Ortiz (HBO still has not officially announced the exact PPV number which without question means the fight under-performed, or perhaps, bombed.).

There’s not much the powers-that-be can do with “Money” Mayweather now. The public will not buy Mayweather against the likes of Paul Spadafora, Matt Hatton, Zab Judah, Paulie Malignaggi or a rematch with Ortiz. Mayweather is absolutely not going to fight Sergio Martinez, the winner of Cotto-Margarito, Amir Khan, or Paul Williams. The one possible jackpot option of a rematch with Oscar De La Hoya was shot down yesterday by the Golden Man himself who insisted he will not give up his day job as a promoter to return to action as a fighter.

Clearly, Mayweather’s options are severely limited. There are only two routes to take at this time. Retire from the sport for good. Or sit back, wait and hope Juan Manuel Marquez can upset Manny Pacquiao next month. But we all know that’s not going to happen.

So Mayweather is absolutely cornered and in the checkmate position right now. There’s nothing his manager Al Haymon or promoter Richard Schaefer can do to save Mayweather – the only logical, reasonable business decision to make now is tell Mayweather, “Floyd, it’s Manny Pacquiao or nothing.”

Pacquaio has agreed to take the random tests, so that smokescreen bluff has been called.

Haymon, Schaefer and the shot-callers at HBO have got to tell Floyd, “It’s Manny Pacquiao or nothing.”

If Floyd can’t find the courage to accept the Pacquaio option, then Haymon, Schaefer and HBO need to tell Floyd, “Well, you can get back to us later if you change your mind, otherwise it’s time for us to part ways, for you to retire. The sport of boxing needs to move on without you.”

Floyd Mayweather drawing by artist John Paul Raloto.