Elio Vetrini: In a time when athletes are considered selfish and no longer willing to compete for self-achievement and glory, the boxing fans have been cheated by the tarnishing of the sport by promoters’ influence and, with that, the huge paydays that dictate the fate of fights. There is no question that boxing has built a reputation as a corrupt enterprise solely motivated by money. The days of the greats like Hagler, Hearns, Gatti, and Ali – fighters who fought for more than money – are nonexistent.
Now comes an opportunity for two great fighters with a momentous velocity of fan interest to possibly rejuvenate the sport and restore the confidence of the fans, to “sacrifice” for a $40 million payday, to make the biggest fight in boxing history, and even for the blood-sucking promoters to achieve their only goal – the sport-tarnishing goal to make a lot of money. The opportunity has been thrown away, why?
So many reasons and theories why! But the bottom line is: who cares! There is no definitive answer why the fight crumbled. This is boxing, and this is why the sport has “failed” for many years. As stated above, there is no longer a willingness to fight for glory or self-achievement. Money, like in most situations, has ruined the sport. There is no turning back. The sport is too deep in the dumps to succeed. The very same people who have bought boxing to its current state want to put together fights together like Mayweather vs. Malignaggi – a fight where it would be nearly impossible to stay awake – or Pacquiao vs. Foreman – if Pacquiao wins another title versus a sub-par fighter, he can rub the victory (and the statistic of another title in a different weight class) in Mayweather’s face. Who cares! Once again, the wrong reason to fight; the wrong motivation that has deteriorated the sport.
After all of the hype, all the buildup, and getting so close to the signed line, it almost seems like a tease to the fans, city of Las Vegas, and all the businesses that have been suffering. Both sides are responsible for this collapse. They have once again cheated the fans and hurt the sport. What has dictated the sport for recent years was on the table, a rare opportunity to please the entire spectrum of boxing fans, saving the sport and, at the same time, make everyone involved a lot of money – and yet the fight has been called off. Of course, one can preach that just like a failed partnership or relationship, there is information sensitive and relevant to the situation that outsiders would never understand, but that cannot be accepted in this matter.
Strangely, the outcome contradicts the sport’s motivating factor. Why would both sides give up the opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime payday? The answer: this is boxing! All involved should be ashamed of themselves for not respecting the sport and the demands to make it successful. “They” have once again taken advantage of the heritage of boxing; the days where fighters fought for more than a pay check. They have taken for granted that the fans have paid the bills and that the fans have allowed them to succeed financially.
Shame on them all!