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Boxing scribes (including yours truly) have been writing and writing about Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather for quite awhile now. Floyd has taken quite a beating by the majority of the press over the past few years, and a lot of it he brought on himself. Manny's fans have piled on, and have called Mayweather every name in the book. Again, a lot of this was brought on himself so it's not a big surprise.
Recently I cruised into Jackson, MS and hit up a few of the sports bars in town. I purposely sought out Floyd Mayweather fans just to get their take on Floyd, and the abuse that he's been taking by the media, and by Pacquiao fans. I ran into Gerrard Jasper, a huge Mayweather fan who has had it with the Pacquiao fans and he's had it with Freddie Roach. Gerrard spoke up about the topic of steroids, and trainers, " Look, why is Pacquiao so scared to take some blood tests? I give blood every year. They stick me in the arm and take vile after vile of blood. I get a little dizzy for like 10 minutes, then I am fine." Gerrard went on to say, " Do you honestly believe Pacquiao when he says that giving blood makes him weak? Get real he's full of crap."
Mayweather has demanded that Manny Pacquiao adhere to Olympic style blood testing. Pacquiao claims that by giving blood, it will make him weak. Mr Jasper of Clinton, Mississippi begs to differ, " This whole claim that giving blood makes you too weak to fight is just a ploy by Pacquiao because HE is the one that's scared, not Floyd. Did you see what Floyd just did to Shane Mosley? Mayweather makes legends look average."
I found another Mayweather fan at The Last Call Sports Bar in Jackson. Kim Price of Ridgeland, Mississippi loved the opportunity to speak on Floyd's behalf, " Floyd's pound for pound king title was taken from him ONLY because he retired. Manny didn't fight him and win it, he got it by default. Pacquiao is a great fighter, but he's not the best. Floyd Mayweather is the best and if he ever fights Pacquiao, he will demonstrate why he's the best."
Kim also spoke on the racial comments left by fans directed at Mayweather, " As an African American woman, I am sickened by what I read in some of the boxing forums. I have read a lot of Pacquiao's fan comments, many of them racial. I have seen them write things like "Gorilla" about Floyd Sr. I have seen them write "Gayweather" a clear insult to every Gay or Lesbian human on the planet. I have seen them use the N word, and even worse."
Price at this point of our conversation became angry, " It's one thing to criticize someone for their behavior, but it's quite another to insult an entire race just because you dislike Floyd Mayweather."
There is obviously a lot of tension on both sides of the fence. I will say this much, 95 percent of Manny's fans are not racist. It's normally the case that the small minority of the group are the most heard. Filipinos are not by nature racist people. With that said, Kim is correct that there has been a lot of very hateful, ugly, and racist comments left in a lot of the boxing forums directed at Floyd Mayweather. Hopefully that will subside.
Hopefully this fight will happen and the two men can settle their differences like men There will be no trash talking once the bell rings and the fists start to fly.
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