Flight of the century: Manny fails to catch Moneytrain

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?

Photo: Follow the Money! Manny "Pacman" Pacquaio (right) tries to keep up with welterweight boxing champion Floyd "Money" Mayweather. (Copyright John Gurzinski/AFP 2015)
Photo: Follow the Money!
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?

Photo: Done talk!
Photo: Done talk!

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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Mr. Live Wire is an avid news reader who translates media reports for persons who can handle the truth. And satire. Unlike Jack Nicholson, he rarely yells.

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140 comments

  1. Anyone who has witnessed Ali/Frazier battles,Hearns,Hagler.Tyson,Lewis,Sugar Ray Robinson,Holyfield in his prime and compare those guys to this must feel cheated.

  2. I just don’t like people making so much money and I, having an inside feeling that bookies are the ones that are gaining most on our heads. Even “Money” said that he doesn’t love the sport as before and is staying in the fray because he loves money. Why would he not give me a chance in the ring for 6 rounds and $1 M and if I last all 6 he gives me half the purse and if I beat the crap out of him, I get all (whatever that is). He ain’t want one meh full-fledged right on he cheekbone. Hey Lasana, set it up a 61-year old Trini raised in the streets versus a 38-year old who owns cars that he doesn’t drive. Please Lasana, set it up and you go get half and I go give 75% of my half to the great cause of the youth at home. Now Lasana, get it set and leh me start some kind of training. He, “Money” have to come up in weight – 170.

  3. Mayweather is Mourinho with boxing gloves.

  4. If there’s one voice I don’t miss in boxing it’s Larry Merchant’s!

  5. I wonder what would have been Larry Merchant’s thoughts on that run around the ring fight/tag

    Mayweather-Pacquiao And The Death Of Boxing
    http://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/2015/05/03/mayweather-pacquiao-and-the-death-of-boxing/

  6. I watched the fight and Manny only won 3 rounds in that whole fight..it surely wasn’t the greatest spectacle, but to say Manny won the fight is allowing one’s dislike of Floyd to cloud proper judgment(and yes it is easy to not like Floyd)

  7. just cause Manny’s a nicer person doesnt make him a better fighter

  8. pacman’s my fav fighter and i knew he was in for a hard fight, i bet on mayweather 🙂

  9. Manny was robbed??????then keep givin rematches til he wins. make y’all happy.

  10. Boxing is controlled by the ” Mr Bigs of the world ” to me boxing is a dead sport.

  11. Something to appreciate.. Ortiz was nasty and although I did not like the way the fight ended he was just another stat.. https://www.facebook.com/IsheSugarShay/videos/vb.236322839905080/368360436701319/?type=2&theater

  12. Once you are fighting a champion, the best way to win is to knock him out

  13. All the judges were wrong. Ent?

  14. You didn’t know? Oh!
    Yes there was a battle of the divas back in 2004 [if my memory serves me well]
    Angostura House …about 1 week, maybe 2, before Carnival

  15. Lol ok didn’t know they had a battle of the divas………Bad taste go hand in hand in T&T dese days 🙂

  16. Well..it was in bad taste but

  17. Hahaha. Only heard about it Mel!

  18. Lasana you saw the Destra v Denise fight?
    It was besss

  19. IMHO there aren’t many fighters willing to go toe-to-toe these days hence the reason for the drop off with support and this fight didn’t help the cause……………..

  20. you don’t win boxing matches by “superior performances” you win by points as well as KO’s or TKO’s. In this case math was used to calculate who landed the most punches. They also minus points for illegal punches, moves etc. Your footing has to be correct as well. Not about the performance or how wildly the crowd was screaming and cheering for the opponent!

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