BEST seller in the Manila streetside tabloid stands on Friday was the headline which cried: Mayweather due for a ban. (Abante Tonite: “Mayweather iba-ban”)
Nothing new there, of course.
The big question is: Who imposes the ban?
It could be done only if all major boxing bodies join (clean) hands, a distinct impossibility nowadays that boxing also continues to be regarded as the dirty district of sports.
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What’s truly odd was this call for unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. to sign the contract.
Crude because, as it would be made clear, the first line of that invisible contract has yet to be put on paper.
Yes, no formal contract has ever been drafted, claimed a top Showtime Sports executive.
There was also news from Los Angeles, California, yesterday that Mayweather had been heckled—“We want Pacquiao! We want Pacquiao!”—by Clippers’ fans during an NBA game against Brooklyn at the Staples Center.
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Anyway, Plan B for the Pacquiao camp came up clear following a photographed meeting between the Filipino boxing superhero and former world lightweight champion Amir Khan of Great Britain in London before the weekend.
Wrote Chris McKenna of (London) Daily Star quoting Pacquiao: “I’ll fight you (Khan) if Mayweather won’t face me.”
Mayweather has emptied his bag of cheap alibis trying to avoid a Pacquiao fight.
But what would surface through all his shallow escape tries was his total dread of the Filipino eight-division world title winner.
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Mayweather may not be caught dead admitting flatly how he abhors Pacquiao’s killer left punch, but there’s this official statement which all but stressed where that dream mega bout is headed.
Allow us to repeat what Mayweather had earlier stated: “My health is more important than anything else. I come first. Because what? When my career is over and I got hurt because of something that happened in a fight I can’t come to you and say ‘I have no money.’”
After this, Mayweather had allowed himself to be slurred, while admitting he didn’t mind being branded a big goof—because he also enjoyed being “a rich coward,” his own words.
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Regarding Amir Khan, it’s no secret that this aspirant of Pakistani descent is not exactly possessed of the toughness and durability required in boxing’s elite class. A low point in his career was an all-revealing KO loss to the strong and talented Danny Garcia in July 2012.
There’s also a record of him getting stopped in the first round in 2008.
Of course, it’s worth noting that Khan had scored back-to-back wins (on points) against Luis Calazo and Devon Alexander last year.
That should serve as main goad behind his insistence to fight Pacquiao.
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Now hold it, please. There are experts in the know, some armed with certified testimonies, who would swear there should at least be one final test and check-up before Khan is allowed to challenge for Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight crown.
We speak here of one afternoon training session years back in Baguio City when Khan, still under the watch of Freddie Roach, was reluctantly accommodated by Pacquiao for brief sparring.
One male broadcaster, formerly a part of Pacquiao’s inner circle, said he saw this all: Pacquiao was not too hot about sparring but, just the same, rode the ring with Khan who, more or less, was allowed to have his way in the opening round. Before the second round, Pacquiao supposedly whispered to the attentive broadcaster: “Patikim natin ng isa (Let me give him a big one).” Pacquiao then went to business, dug in and sent his left fist thudding onto Khan’s lower rib cage section. Result: Khan stalled and, feigning indifference, asked to be excused and get something from his bag. Allowed to leave, Khan headed straight out, without bothering to use the shower.
Khan Amir already take a big punch now?