Without landing a punch, Manny Pacquiao might have destroyed the career of Floyd Mayweather. Reported to be short on money and options, Floyd Mayweather’s career may be in peril. HBO is not going to spend multi-millions for any more of Floyd’s garbage fights. HBO surely cannot be pleased as the network was very very eager and excited to stage Pacquiao-Mayweather I and II.
Everybody in the boxing world should realize Floyd has a horrible bargaining position now. The next rumored handpick Matthew Hatton should realize he can call the shots. Matthew Hatton should know, like everyone knows, Floyd has inflicted irreparable damage to himself and his reputation with his actions over the last few weeks.
Matthew Hatton should be aware of the fact that Floyd and Golden Boy want to use him as a sacrificial lamb, as they seek to try to cash in with Floyd in the U.K. next, because they know Floyd is and never was an attraction, on his own, in the U.S.
Matthew Hatton is holding all the cards actually, as there is no other name welterweight or junior welters based in the U.K. to serve up to Floyd and Golden Boy as a sparring partner for the sparring session Golden Boy and Floyd will try to sell the the U.K. public for no doubt top pound prices, as Golden Boy will want to recoup many of the millions it lost by having to support Floyd’s astonishing (to some) chicken-out of the $40 million-plus payday (or $60 million – don’t forget rematch clauses) which would have come on March 14 for the Pacquiao fight.
Matthew Hatton can really play hardball with Golden Boy and Floyd, if he’s sharp and saavy enough. Or Matthew Hatton could allow himself to be used a cheap sparring partner or punch bag, on the take for whatever kibbles and bits he can get from his masters.
Matthew Hatton should also understand, Floyd really has nowhere else to go. We all saw how scared Floyd is of Shane Mosley. I guarantee Floyd will not going to fight a high-risk like Mosley next. And everyone should know Floyd would never in a million years step in a ring with Paul Williams or Joshua Clottey.
Therefore Matthew Hatton is the carefully selected handpick. If Matthew Hatton is smart and saavy and his own man – and not under the complete control of Golden Boy – he should demand 50-50% parity with Floyd, as Matthew Hatton can say he is the draw in England and since Floyd shamed himself as a coward by ducking Pacquiao, Floyd has to regain his credibility with the public at his own expense and not Matthew Hatton’s expense. But then again, Matthew Hatton might be under complete total control of whatever Golden Boy wants to use him for.
All of the boxing world must know that Floyd Mayweather is not in position to call the shots anymore. He has reported money problems. He has to be worrying about the potentially devastating lawsuit that’s coming. His public approval rating has plummeted – and it was never very high to begin with.
The truth is Richard Schaefer and Oscar are not in any position to make hefty demands on behalf of their diminishing valued asset of Floyd. Conversely, they are going to have to accept whatever they can get. Every potential opponent who is approached by Floyd, Haymon or Schaefer – to be used as a punching bag or cheap sparring partner – is in perfect position to play hardball. And the good news in this is that the harder Golden Boy, Schaefer, Haymon and Floyd find it to take advantage of the dumb, and to cash in on the foolish, the more likely
it will be possible for the Super Bowl of Boxing to take place later this year.
Because by only making crumbs off Floyd, Golden Boy, will eventually turn against their house fighter. Instead of protecting and perpetuating the fraud everyone knows he is, Golden Boy will eventually conclude it must sacrifice Floyd to the wrathful fists of Pacquiao, in order to recoup the multi-millions it has lost by ducking out of March 13.
But then again, there are really no guarantees anymore, as Pacquiao may not be in any charitable mood to do any favors for Floyd, who very possibly could have committed career suicide in late December 2009.
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