Set your PVRs.....

...For Pacquiao-Clottey.

And if we're lucky, we might get Mayweather-Malignaggi in the same month.

What a wondrous time to be a fight fan.

Now, as of Friday Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach conceded that the door hadn't completely closed on a Mayweather matchup but he didn't sound like he wanted to spend much more time thinking about it, either.

So unless something dramatic happens Monday, Pacquiao's moving with all deliberate speed toward a showdown with Clottey, who couldn't handle the guy Pacquiao dismantled in November.

Again, you're forgiven if you can't muster much excitement over this one. 

I realize that Pacquiao's most rabid fans would pay 50 bucks to watch him fight a traffic ticket, but the rest of us need a more compelling reason to part with that type of pay-per-view money. A bout with Clottey -- who could have had this fight last November if he could have closed the show against Cotto -- doesn't provide it. As a peace offering to fans HBO needs to keep this bout on its cable network.

 

But at least Clottey's a welterweight -- and a strong one. He might not win, but he'll make Pacquaio work.

What can Malignaggi do against Mayweather except run, take punches and crumble in the late rounds?

Exactly.

If HBO airs Pacquiao-Clottey on semi-free TV, then they need to offer a rebate to any subscriber who watches Mayweather-Malignaggi.

While each of these fighters moves on toward less lucrative, less interesting and less risky fights, folks are still trying to figure out just who is responsible for the short-circuiting the biggest boxing event of a generation.

A lot of commenters on the last post felt I tried too hard to vindicate Mayweather and place blame for the failed fight on Pacquiao.

Not true.

I'm simply aware that, as my friend Will Strickland says, there are two sides to every story, and three when you include the truth. And the truth here is that both parties could have done more to make this fight happen.

I never intended to let Mayweather off the hook. I didn't have to because Pacquiao already did it.

Mayweather's win over Oscar de la Hoya was a genuine gamble, but like everyone else I've noticed that Mayweather has been *ahem* very carefully matched since moving up to 147 pounds four years ago. It's a matter of public record that Zab Judah is the biggest welterweight name on Money May's resume. 

 

Would have loved to see Mayweather against Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto, but strangely, none of those fights happened.

And the drug testing hurdle he erected in front of Pacquiao, combined with this bizarre desire to face a non-factor like Paulie Malignaggi tell me that Mayweather is more concerned with preserving his perfect record than defending it. 

So if, as Pacquaio's camp insists, Mayweather called for extra blood tests because he hoped to force a cancellation (thereby avoiding an epic beating and his first pro loss), I can understand how they reached that conclusion.

Still can't understand Team Pacquiao's reaction to it.

As this drug test drama has unfolded, Team Pacquiao and their fans have protested that no fighter should be able to dictate those kinds of terms to another, and that Pacquiao isn't obligated to roll over and give Mayweather whatever he wants.

Point taken.

But if you believe that Mayweather is petrified and desperately wants a back door out of the fight, why give it to him? Instead of Mayweather dictating the terms on which the fight will happen, he's dictating the terms on which it won't happen, and Pacquiao's team allowed him to do it.

Is that any better for the fighters and their fans?

Nope.

So if you're Pacquiao, why not say yes to the test?

 If you really think Mayweather has a sinister plan to avoid facing you, and you realize that this plan only works if you say no to extra drug testing, just say yes.

Say, "Yes, you can test me up to 14 days out from the fight, and no you're not getting out of this beating," then sign the contract and watch Mayweather squirm once he realizes his luck has run out.

Say yes and seize a clear victory in the psychological sparring that precedes every big bout. Imagine what it does to your opponent's mind when he sees that the one thing that was supposed to spook you -- extra blood testing -- doesn't even slow you down.

Say yes, and if Mayweather still balks you've won the public relations war, exposed the extra drug testing as a smoke screen, and made clear exactly who spoiled the fight of the century.

Instead, Pacquiao said no, leaving plenty of questions about exactly what went wrong, leaving the sporting public with a pair of bouts nobody asked for, and leaving Mayweather as the only person who got what he wanted in the end.

If a way out was really what he wanted.

Comments

[Thane]

Of course it's Pacquiao's fault. Extra testing is meaningless if you're not cheating. What's there to be afraid of?

Either he's afraid of Mayweather, or he's a drug cheat. Neither way is it Mayweather's fault.

Still, a disappointing result.

[JRoc]

Of course it's Mayweather's fault. Let's take a look at Mayweather's resume versus Pacquiao's resume. As stated, Mayweather has that history of avoiding those notable names, where Pacquiao has taken up every single challenge put up against him.
So why does Mayweather make testing an issue when it has never been an issue for Pacquiao's opponents? What it is is that Mayweather is implying Pacquiaio's a cheat by following standard rules and not catering to additional unnecessary testing, and people are buying into Mayweather's smoke.

Either he's afraid of Pacquiao, or he's afraid of losing the highly debatable P4P #1. Neither way is it Pacquiao's fault.

In any case, I'm loving these mind games and drama. I'm not disappointed. That is, only IF this fight happens in the very near future. And it needs to happen. Late 2010? New Yankee Stadium?

[morales]

Did you know that the 14 day proposal only came out after the negotiations broke down?

they rejected the 24 day Pacquiao proposal and subsequently made no counter offers.

after Pacquaio walked away, then he calls a press con saying he like to whup Pac's #$@. and revealed they countered a 14 day testing.

anyway, which is a better test , 14 days before the fight or 5 minutes after the fight which Pac agreed to?

[ronnel boston]

You are stupid if you blame this on Pacquiao. KFC did not want to fight and even if they do blood test everyday, he would have found an excuse. Please open your eyes, the guy is scared of Pac and Mosley.

If KFC did not duck PAC, all he has to do now is wait for Berto-Mosley winner and fight him instead of bringing another small fighter to 147.

Also, do you realize that random testing can mean 5 blood draws in 2 days before the fight?

KFC is a coward, enough said, and anyone who believes him and hs excuses is as ignorant and as stupid as he is.

[aylab tungaw]

So if you're Pacquiao, why not say yes to the test?

If you really think Mayweather has a sinister plan to avoid facing you, and you realize that this plan only works if you say no to extra drug testing, just say yes.

Say, "Yes, you can test me up to 14 days out from the fight, and no you're not getting out of this beating," then sign the contract and watch Mayweather squirm once he realizes his luck has run out.

[Earl]

Who can say yes to an unlimited blood testing up to the week of the fight. Look, is it a possibility that the blood testing be done on Manny Pacquiao at least five times on the week of the fight?

My answer is a mammoth YES.

[jay]

mayweather sr. and jr. tandem has accused pacman for so many different reasons even before this fight schedule at march 13, no skill as a fighter , easy to beat than marquez, one dimensional fighter. these thrashed talking blows out of proportion when they accused pacquiao of using steroids. manny pacquiao can't hold his patience any longer. he still has pride and principle worth more than money.

[Robin G]

why in the heck would i allow any man that slandered, insulted, disrespected me and my country a chance to make US40,000,000????