By Jake Donovan
For much of 2008, we were left to debate the prospects of a match made in the mind of Larry Merchant, one that had a 130 lb Manny Pacquiao moving up to his walk around weight to meet Oscar de la Hoya at a limit he hadn’t made in more than seven years. The absurdity became a reality when the risk on both sides was well worth the financial reward.
Many in the industry slammed the fight as a circus act, many believing de la Hoya sought a new way to screw the pooch, by “picking on” a much smaller fighter as means to prolong his career and pick up another eight-figure payday.
Most experts were proven wrong. Pacquiao delivered a time capsule performance to cap a Fighter of the Year campaign, replacing the old adage “a good big fighter always beats a good little fighter” with “a great fighter always beats a fighter that used to be great.”
It was one of those nights intended as a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Given his performance that evening, it was clear that the greatest – in fact, only – challenge was whether or not he could carry his speed and power to unchartered waters.
For a night, the question was yes, though it’s easier to look spectacular when your opponent proves to be one step closer to the proverbial grave. But even Pacquiao knew that welterweight was not in his future. The hot topic atop Rumor Central shortly after the event was the possibility of the Filipino superstar gunning for his fourth career lineal title, as well as four wins in as many weights classes in as many fights.
Such a fight would clearly indicate his indication to drop down to super lightweight – just two pounds shy of his official weight for the de la Hoya event – where he would take on incumbent kingpin Ricky Hatton in what would be boxing’s first true super fight of 2009. At present moment, all systems are go for such a fight to occur, with May 2 and Las Vegas penciled in as the date and eventual location.
So why hasn’t the rest of the industry received the message?
Two of boxing’s most formidable welterweights – Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto – wasted no time in attempting to have their names entered in what they believe to be the Manny Pacquiao sweepstakes.
Margarito never specifically called out Pacquiao, but declared that he would gladly welcome such a fight should the man regarded as boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighter call him out. The simple translation is, Margarito sees a potential eight-figure payday – at the very least, far and away the greatest payday of his career – and would be a fool to walk away from it if it were ever on the table.
Fortunately, Bob Arum has already nipped that prospect in the bud. The Hall of Fame promoter, who has paper on both fighters, is on record declaring that such a fight will never happen. Of course, a lot can happen in the future, but for the moment, the message is clear to the grizzled Mexican veteran: find other means to make money in 2009.
Now all he needs to do is tip off his other prominent welterweight.
The next time Miguel Cotto specifically drops names will be the first. The humble former two-division titlist has made a career out of letting his fists do the talking, with post-fight comments usually limited to “I fight who they put in front of me.”
His team is already talking about putting Pacquiao in front of him. Evangelista Cotto, Miguel’s uncle and trainer, was quoted by Mexican sports publication ESTO as cryptically expressing interest in a fight with Pacquiao sometime in the latter stages of 2009.
Cotto’s presently training for a February ’09 encounter with Michael Jennings, which marks his first ring appearance since suffering the lone loss of his career at the hands of Margarito this past July. A win against Jennings gives the Puerto Rican the chance to exact revenge against Margarito in a planned summer rematch – either that, or give him a second loss in as many fights against his Mexican adversary.
Before Margarito can look to a Cotto rematch, never mind a mythical Pacquiao showdown, he has a January meet with former three-division champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley. Between Mosley and a Cotto rematch, Margarito has enough in front of him to worry about the hypotheticals. Cotto’s a long way off from making demands of any other fighter, never mind one that can currently dictate to everyone else at the negotiating table.
Of course, it makes perfect business sense for both fighters to drop Pacquiao’s name (or in Cotto’s case, have his team do the talking for him). It allows both to live by the mantra of any fighter, a breed that’s always quick to claim, “He needs me more than I need him” no matter the suggested opponent.
What is also does, unfortunately, is cause every fighter at 147 and beyond to begin making irrational claims. If Pacquiao expresses even the slightest hint of entertaining the idea of a fight against either, the rest of the welterweight division will undoubtedly follow suit.
As it stands, its last lineal champion, Floyd Mayweather Jr, has already instructed his team to entertain the biggest offers made to him. With Pacquiao and Hatton on course to fight May 2, the only event that would lure the former pound-for-pound king out retirement would be a shot at the winner. Mayweather-Hatton II holds nowhere near the interest as Pacquiao-Mayweather, which would pit the sport’s current best fighter against the man he succeeded.
Fights against any of the aforementioned would be huge for the sport, not to mention go a long way in lining the fighters’ pockets. But what’s lost in the process is the progression of the welterweight division, which is beginning to lose its place after having spent years as arguably the deepest in the sport.
The only significant fight at the weight being discussed is a Margarito-Cotto rematch. Andre Berto is set for a long overdue step up in competition when he faces Luis Collazo next month, but it’s clear that the winner will need a Margarito, Cotto or Paul Williams in the other corner if he wants to do advance to the next level in terms of respect and notoriety. Joshua Clottey can’t even get arrested these days, though a much needed profile boost is on the way should an enticing enough offer come along to produce a fight with Kermit Cintron.
There are plenty of fights to be made at welterweight. But none come about the moment Manny Pacquiao entertains the idea of ever again fighting above 140 pounds. For the moment, he’s yet to hint at the idea becoming a reality, which means the rest of the boxing world should stop playing make believe.
Jake Donovan is a voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Comments/questions can be submitted to JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.
