By: Paul Aguirre – It all starts with a simple question. Why am I a Boxing Fan? So many things ran through my head or should I say so many fighters ran through my head. It is almost as if I owe some sort of debt to the fighters that have set the foundation for what we call the sweet science of today. Yet I couldn’t help but feel a bit of remorse or frustration at what boxing has become today.
The latest frustration is will Manny “Pac-man” Pacquiao ever fight Floyd “Money” Mayweather.. This is of course assuming Pacquiao can pass the stern test of one Miguel Cotto. Better yet, why can’t we get the winners of Pacquiao vs. Cotto and Mayweather vs. Mosley to square off sometime in early 2010? In a dream world we’d have these two fights on the same card. Yes I know, readers are asking if ol’ Paulie took his morning psych meds but why can’t we ask for these two fights on the same card. Its better than having young prospect fight an auto mechanic with double-digit losses and don’t forget to mention he took the fight on two weeks notice. Oh and another thing, don’t forget to pay the extra sixty or so bucks on your cable bill at the end of the month.
The obvious answer is ego, money, and I’m just talking about the promoters. Can you imagine telling one of these superstars to split the purse amongst them four? Can you imagine Bob Arum’s reaction when he has to deal with “Money” Mayweather again? Who would be the main event? Sure to us fans we wouldn’t card. All we know is we’d be betting two great fights in one evening. Can you imagine telling any of these four superstars of boxing that they will be the supporting fight for the main event? You really believe none of these superstars would ask to be the main event of the card? Fighters claim to care about their legacy but I wonder sometimes. I’ve always wondered for example why Sugar Ray Leonard didn’t fight Aaron Pryor or why Oscar De La Hoya didn’t fight Ronald “Winky” Wright? I could go on and on but my heart breaks at the thought of fights that never happened.
I know the fight game revolves around money. I know everyone needs to make a living from promoters, venues, fighters, trainers, and managers to the janitor cleaning up after us boxing fans. Again the question comes up. Why am I a boxing fan? Truth is I can’t help but know that Sugar Ray Leonard wasn’t thinking about a payday when he was fighting Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns in the 13th and 14th rounds. I know Rocky Marciano wasn’t thinking about money when his nose was split in two. More recently I know Arturo Gatti, Mickey Ward, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales weren’t thinking about money when they were going to war with each other just to name a few. Every so often we get a look inside a fighter’s soul. We see them put in all on the line and we get hooked.
Pryor-Arguello is what hooked me. For that reason I pay sixty or so bucks every time one of these major pay per views come about. It’s an unfair marriage. I’m going to pay to watch Cotto and Pacquiao. After the fight I’m going to debate if the winner would beat a Mayweather. If a Cotto could beat a Mosley again after so many wars his past few fights. If a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown would be all we hoped. If a Mosley-Pacquiao fight would be a war as promised. If a Cotto-Mayweather fight would be a fight that would leave Bob Arum with tears of joy or tears of agony.
The thing is Boxing has us feeling lucky that we are getting Cotto vs. Pacquiao. Why would we ask for more? Why shouldn’t we ask for more?! Don’t we fans deserve it? I’d be the first to admit I’m out of my mind to want Cotto, Pacquiao, Mosley and Mayweather all on the same card. Boxing has me where they want me. Boxing has me wanting more. Before the end of 2010 I want to know who is the best of these four elite boxers. Anyone barely getting into this crazy sport we call boxing don’t step too close. You may get hooked. Trust me, you’ll always want more. You’ll always want more.