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A five-year wait for that?! Five years in eager anticipation of the “fight of the century” only to be treated to a defending champion happy to duck and spin away towards safety while scoring weak points, from a safe distance, on a spritely contender.
But enough about Kamla versus Keithos; anyone caught the Floyd “Money” Mayweather versus Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao fight last night?
Manny “Pacman” Pacquaio (right) tries to keep up with welterweight boxing champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather.
(Copyright John Gurzinski/AFP 2015)
Mr Live Wire hasn’t seen Money move so fast and elusively since Anil Roberts was in charge of the Life Sport programme—or, as the criminal element referred to it: “Who wants to be a Millionaire.”
In Las Vegas last night, Pacquiao had a better chance of stumbling across Jimmy Hoffa’s hiding spot than collaring Mayweather. It was like trying to corner smoke. Or get a straight answer from Finance Minister Larry Howai.
With 48 wins and 0 losses, Mayweather vowed to hang up his gloves after one last fight this September. His statistics suggest greatness. But those with long memories might recall his reluctance to fight his greatest challenger for five years; and then for most of the 12 rounds when they did meet in a ring.
Money used his height and jab to good effect to keep Pacquiao at bay. He is as quick as lightening and a tremendously efficient defensive boxer. His pirouette to Pacman’s right to escape trouble was almost balletic. And he hugged the Philippine so much that spectators might have wondered if it was their anniversary.
But Mayweather rarely tried to dominate the fight and go for blood in the way of the memorable champions of yesteryear.
For Muhammad Ali, his “rope-a-dope” tactic was foreplay before the screaming combinations that left a giant of a man, George Foreman, dazed on his back. Fight fans might not have remembered the “Thriller in Manilla” with as much awe if Ali was still playing an impotent game of “peek-a-boo” at the final bell.
Mayweather was all foreplay last night. And in the end, Pacquiao, like much of the world, was left to ask: what the hell was that all about?
Money, in short, was Jose Mourinho with gloves. No matter. He is still the undisputed champion since, for all Manny’s spunk, the contender could not floor him.
Live Wire cannot confirm that Kamla Persad-Bissessar has distributed copies of the fight to her campaign team.
Editor’s Note: Former Real Madrid player and coach and Argentina World Cup winner, Jorge Valdano on a dull Liverpool versus Chelsea football match: “Put a stick with shit hanging from it in the middle of this passionate, crazy stadium and there are people who will tell you it’s a work of art. It’s not: it’s shit hanging from a stick.”
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And with that statement Debbie Espinal – Talk done.
That fight not even worth the length of this thread. Lol.
Oh lawd I should have read the comments before eh but fuss ah like to start the bacchanal thing nah. hahahaha
Vernal Damion Cadogan, that fight was barely as good as Rachel Price v Iwer George and Destra v Denise Belfon!
(Calm down people… I was kidding there. Lol)
Lol. I mentioned the Brazil 1970 team and their last goal against Italy higher up Earl Mango Pierre
I was sober and saw many great fights in the past. For all the hype this one will go down in my books as the most boring fight ever if you could call that one. And i watched every round. As for the stats, utter crap. Was in a packed Oval Pavilion and i never hear Man steups and boo like that when the winner was announced. Like i say the Mafia won.
Alyuh see how bias Mr Live Wire is eh he didn’t even mentioned any of my greatest team in the universe Brazil players names. Mr. Live wire really good yes.
If you ask me both fighters diminished their brands.
Brian Lara v Australia at the Oval for his first Test century in Trinidad with Brett Lee trying to cut him in half… Now that was a fight you’d want to watch over!
Right. And that is all I’m saying. Personally, I will always sympathize with the team that tries to win on the front foot. But that is irrelevant to this chat.
Iconic sport moments are Ali v Fraizer, Bolt v anyone, Michael Johnson in Seoul, Zidane in the Champions League final, Messi against Man U in another final, Michael Jordan in the Playoffs…
If anyone compares last night’s fight to any of those moments, then we just have a different view on greatness in sport.
This was not exactly Hearns/Haggler, Hearns/Leonard, Leonard/Haggler or Leonard/Duran, let alone Ali/Frazier.
Just to be clear – I didn’t care who won hence the reason why I didn’t watch it. I was just remarking that it brought to mind the Leonard Hagler match from the comments.
It is clear that some people are upset that Manny did not win the fight. Floyd won the fight fair and square. I can’t understand how people could expect a slugfest. It was probably because of the hype but Floyd is an extremely smart fighter and he did what he had to win. I see nothing wrong with that. He was not lured into Manny’s fight and left him frustrated. I will admit however that he is not the greatest.
And sorry but Mayweather is not fit to tie Ali’s shoes. Great stats alone do not make you the greatest. Ali showed he could brawl as well as box and his ring intelligence was second to none. His fights against Frazier, Foreman and Norton are the stuff of legend.
Didn’t say that you did Lasana. Was just saying that the goal is to do damage without incurring any and that you are supposed to be rewarded for taking the fight to your opponent. In the past, that used to be said repeatedly but somewhere along the line, the marketing won out and the rules changed.
I think both fighters were so concerned with their legacies that it prevented them putting it all on the line.
They phoned in last night’s fight!
And every great fighter used defense to tire their opponent and then move in for the kill.
Ali, both Sugars were great exponents of that art. Tyson and Hagler focused on the damage part and it worked for them.
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns remains one of the greatest bouts precisely because Sugar stood up to Hearns, took everything he dished out and then took him down. He proved that night he was more than fancy footwork and fast hands. Sounds to me Mayweather took the other road last night.
Smart? Yes.
Legend making?No.
Maybe in Trinidad Lasana Liburd
First time I watched a boxing match in ages. I enjoyed it though.
Mixed Martial Arts/ UFC is more the thing now. That is real fighting. Them fellas super fit too.
Bear in mind Kendall Tull that I’m not saying Manny deserved to win or that Money deserved to lose.
All I’m saying is that it was not a great fight or the stuff of legends. Akido Forde, I think by Wednesday no one will be speaking about this fight.
This argument brings to mind the Sugar Ray vs. Hagler match. Same issue – Ray danced his way around the ring and did zero damage to Hagler but won on points. I am a big Sugar fan and thought his fight with Hearns was epic. But there is no way in hell he beat Hagler by running and counter punching.
To win a fight, you have to damage your opponent and you are supposed to be rewarded for being the aggressor. If you did neither, then what is the basis for saying that you were better?
I freely admit that I no longer watch boxing as I used to but from the comments here, I am not missing anything.
I think Mayweather ensured that many will speak of this matched for a while. I don’t know if that was his game plan, but he sure made it memorable. Considering, everyone is talking more about him than the other guy. Win, lose, run or dance, Mayweather made his name once more.
We have been there before CB. You’re not getting it. No one needed stats and a graph after Zidane’s volley in the champions league final to know they just saw something special.
You’re only proving my case in my opinion. But I’m not trying to convert you.
Tell me again how boxing qualifies as sport. Entertainment, perhaps but sport? No way!
Stats is a helluva ting eh?
psssst…….And once again. Soak it in….
There’s a sucker born every minute- David Hannum,not P.T Barnum.,
Ok. And if that a great fight then what was Ali v Fraizer? Or Sugar Ray v Hearns?
But you’re entitled to your opinion. I don’t use superlatives lightly.
First time saw either of them fight so I had no prejudices.
It was a great fight to me. I was impressed with the both of them.
CB, I don’t know how else to say it. What we are saying is we hoped for a great fight and it wasn’t. Even Mayweather acknowledges that.
Was a good fight. Donne hate. Appreciate.
Sticking out your face at a safe distance and not getting hit is immaterial.
As for the headline, satire usually involves exaggerated emphasis. I’ve been doing a satirical column for two years. I thought everyone understood it by now.
Floyd Mayweather totally threw Pacman off his game with his jabs and movement.There were times when mayweather stuck out his face and Pacman just couldn’t hit him.I suggest some of us naysayers sit and look at the fight again without the drinks.
Lasana,the nonsense is, headlines such as ”flight of the century”.
Ok ok not necessarily blood and bones, but some more boxing than the stats would lead us to believe occured. We’ve seen opponents engage each other and it went all the way.
I think Mayweather’s strategy was to move more that he usually do because he can’t compete fist to fist with Pacquio
With regard to your LifeSport jab and with apologies to Courts Ltd. for massacring their old jingle …
Who wants to be a LifeSport millionaire?
I do!
Who wants to help suck the treasury bare?
I do!
Who wants a life of undeserved luxury?
With jewelry? ooh! And Range Rovers for me!
Who wants to drag their reputations further down?
Who wants to be part of a big scandal all over town?
Who wants to make the tax-paying public from?
At LifeSport, we make your dreams come true!!!
Lance you said: this was not a great fight. And that’s the key.
Don’t assume no one here has watched boxing before.
We just know it wasn’t a great fight and obviously we hoped for one. Nothing to do with broken spines and all that nonsense.
If we want to see two men breaking each other’s bones and spilling each other’s blood in order for a fight to be good,then wrestling is the sport we should be watching.
Well according to the stats and official reports he did. Admittedly, he did move more than he normally does. But, I supposed it was his strategy to keep on the move and he did engage his opponent
Well said Akido Forde.I suspect a lot of us were partying while waiting for a knockout.Boxing is not only about brute force and knockouts,like most sports strategy is involved.While this was not a great fight,Mayweather showed his excellent ringcraft by confusing his opponent.It was not about running from Pacman as some of us are saying,but using his jab and moving,counterpunching etc.Good fight.
I agree with your assessment of the fight Akido. It was foreplay without a climax. For me, this had nothing to do with wanting Money to lose.
From what I’ve read, seems like mayweather was a drunken driver in tnt; hit and run. Aren boxers suppose to be engaging their opponent?
I believe most persons wanted him loose, so all this scepticism is expected.
Personally I think it was a good fight, not his best and worth the hype but a good fight nonetheless. He did moved more than in the previous fights I’ve seen. But I supposed, he was entitled to, so long as he did not exit the ring. I don’t think I saw all them punches and jabs, then again I was among persons who was drinking and talking. So I might of probably missed a few….. I enjoys the match, both did their best and walked away handsomely rich.
Ok, Akido with the stats you’ve shown and from watching the fight, if u did or anyone else, would you say that it was a good fight? Did mayweather really boxed his way to that 48-0?
Nope, I didn’t with the fight; the fight itself didn’t interest me. Boxing like UFC has lost its appeal
Lol. I know that last statement was a piece of satire Lasana. So I will take it and leave allyuh to continue discussing the finer points of the match. 🙂
I’m trying to figure out whether some of us really LOOKED at that fight last night.
Fayola Bostic, I can only hope he is a rehabilitated man after serving his time for domestic violence. *backs away slowly*