WHERE I come from, we have an adage: “mwana wa kaya sakula.” People say this in relation to a sick child whose chances of surviving an illness are next to nil and cannot be expected to grow.
The parallel can be drawn in the much clamoured, much awaited mega fight between two of the world’s best welterweights Floyd Mayweather Jr 37,(47-0 with 26 KOs) and Manny Pacquiao 36, ( 57-5-2 with 38 knockouts).
Much has been talked and written about this seemingly hypothetical fight because of its significance to the fight game. The trouble is a step forward towards making it happen is immediately cancelled out by another step backward.
Mayweather proposed May 2, 2015 as the date for this fight and by now we should all be talking about fast-forwarding the date so we can find out who is better between the two, but we might as well resign ourselves to the suspense.
The fight has stalled for years partly because the Mayweather camp insist on strict Olympic style pre-fight drug testing which Pacquiao was initially reluctant to accept, but eventually gave in.
Then, Mayweather demanded a 60-40 split of the purse in his favour and at one time flaunted $40 million cash to Pacquiao, but the Filipino rejected it saying it was an insult.
As things stand now, Pacquiao has conceded and the $40 million is no longer an insult to him and is ready to fight. Here are more reasons why this fight continues to be a mirage.
At this writing, Pacquiao has reportedly already signed the contract for the fight and the documents are said to be on Mayweather’s desk for him to ink the deal.
Mayweather insists that he will have no part in the fight as long as Top Rank boss Bob Arum is involved. Arum promotes Pacquiao. Mayweather was once a protégé of Arum but the two parted company in an acrimonious manner years ago.
Arum also once promoted Oscar De La Hoya, who, like Mayweather, also quit after bitter disputes with Arum.
Now, listen to this. After meeting in person for the first time during last Tuesday’s (January 27) Heat game in Miami, Mayweather Jr and Pacquiao met privately in Pacquiao’s hotel suite for more than an hour, reports ESPN.com. They discussed terms for their proposed May 2 fight, though no deal was struck!
“It was very pleasant and very encouraging, and we give Floyd credit for coming over,”
Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz, who was at the meeting, told ESPN.com. “That’s the first time they ever sat eye to eye. I’ve met Floyd many times, but he and Manny had never had a chance to meet.”
They talked at halftime, but this was a longer, more serious meeting. You could tell by their body language that this was very positive. It was for a good hour or more.
“It was a business meeting, but it wasn’t a tense business meeting. I think that’s because they both have mutual respect for each other. We’ll determine what will happen over the next couple of days.”
The May 2 bout, if it happens, could gross up to $200 million – the highest ever in boxing, according to the AP. The other sticking points are broadcasting and pay-per-view issues which remain to be worked out, among other terms. Mayweather is fighting under SHOWTIME and there is talk of CBS and HBO jointly screening this fight.
Meanwhile, Pacquaio is looking beyond this fight and has apparently moved on with plans for a possible clash with Amir Khan, his former sparring partner if the Mayweather bout fails to take off.
But Khan-Pacquiao cannot command or generate the kind of interest or attract the numbers in revenues or audiences as the dream fight that Mayweather-Paquiao represents.
But then again, as long as the two appear to be moving closer to agreeing on terms for the fight with no tangible evidence of seriousness, the fight remains “mwana wa kaya sakula.”
Comments: mwale.simon@yahoo.co.uk / 0966 755 574/0953744074