Born Under a Bad Sign
posted by Shoefly
I don’t believe in signs or meaning or an universal narrative arc except where myself and my inescapable impending misfortune are concerned. That said… man, it’s been a black-cat-passing-beneath-a-ladder-while-spilling-some-salt kind of summer hasn’t it? All we’ve had is painful negotiations, spoiled fights, and the lasting stink of the true violence and death that the sport is really a manifest pushing away from. It’s enough to convert even a true believer in the church of chance to doubt his own faith.
Which is why Roger Mayweather’s ’situation†has me worrying in ways that I prefer to devote toward morbid self-attention. Many dislike the Mayweathers, and I understand why, but I have always found them engaging and alive in ways that few are. They have a charm all their own, the out-sized self-love of the sociopath and the holy fool. Roger, in particular, mixes personal regard with gallows humor in a near vaudeville act that at points seems too perfect to be accidental.
“Why does Bill Gates still build them motherfuckin’ computers?”
Why indeed, Roger? Why indeed?
But this latest trouble is deeply unfunny. One doesn’t have to be a disciple of pitchfork justice to find it at best unseemly. It is the intersection of edgy entertainment with the slap of grim reality and I don’t like it one bit. Even the woman’s strange interview seems haunting and windswept and tragic:
I know people who love that show ‘Intervention,†but I have to leave the room when it’s on; my preferred form of exercise is running from reality.
But it’s not just Roger Mayweather’s difficulties which have cast a pall over Mayweather-Marquez; there is something about the fight which is starting to seem underwhelming and bound to disappoint, a joke that can’t sustain a punchline. It began as soon as the fight was made, an ambivalence from the collective boxing community that seemed to say, ‘Yeah, it’s a terrific fight, but not the right terrific fight.â€
I still disagree to a certain extent. The names on the marquee are written in bold. Floyd Mayweather Jr. – Juan Manual Marquez. These are men that have done it. Two genuinely generational fighters going at it in the ring, and that’s always something to applaud. The weight is the obvious counterpoint, but neither of these guys is a bruiser. This will be one of the few fights in recent years in which Floyd has not been outweighed by opponent, and we might get a chance to see the more offensive style he employed when making his bones at 130 and 135.
I also dispute those who say Marquez is too small to hurt Floyd. Marquez may not have the same power as Mayweather’s most recent opposition, but he is the most beautiful combination puncher in the sport. He will land on Floyd – he’s too good not to. A well-placed blow from Marquez is far more intriguing than a dodged hammer from Floyd’s recent chafe. And if, by grant of talent and inspiration, Floyd does pass through untouched it will have been a worthy enterprise simply for the audacity of the display.
But while I still retain interest in the fundamentals of the match-up, it’s the peripherals that irk. The first and most important is the delay. I know it happens to even the best and most fit, but Floyd’s rib injury brings into focus that he has been out of the ring for almost two years. His maniacal training regimen may not be suited for a man who, while he’s danced through the mortal damage, did seem to be fraying at the edges when last we saw him. The hands were chronic years ago, but rib damage from sparring has the subtle smell of decay.
Which has really been brought home by Floyd’s facial appearance since his return. Pretty Boy no longer, he still has the smile, but in two years he has started to look old. Perhaps it’s just that we can now see so clearly on his newly lined face that he is truly his father’s son, but the change in his appearance is striking. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but not all two years are created equally. As Nate Campbell showed us last week, fighters like Bernard Hopkins are the exception. It will be a surprise if Floyd doesn’t perform well against Marquez, but I feel a lingering regret about Floyd’s hiatus that I didn’t before. He was really something special when we last saw him. A fighter fine, subtle, and rare; I fear that might be hard to recapture.
And that’s really what it’s all about. I want so much for him to be the man he was. Though I love Marquez it is really the next fight we are all waiting for. Floyd has to win and Pacquiao must as well. It’s just in the cards. Floyd’s face, his injuries, the layoff, his uncle, the weird way they won’t announce what weight the fight is at – it all seems an anxious preamble to destiny. And from Manny’s side we’ve had some niggling disappointments. While I don’t think it’s anything more than negotiations, the weight/title debate between Pacquiao and Cotto has been unflattering to both men.
I long for the happening of a truly ‘Big Fight,†a bout for the ages. There have been a few that have come close since the days of the big four, but this is the only one that has the opportunity to be a defining and shaping and real cultural event. Every bump in the road and sign of weakness makes me tremor.
I presume this is all neurosis; which boxing more than any other sport welcomes. Pacquaio/Mayweather is so monumental that it has subsumed everything else. I don’t know that I can enjoy the painful foreplay before such a giant happening and it’s making these normal nothings take on heightened meaning. One doesn’t want to squeeze the puppy so tight that we crush it, but I’m afraid that may be happening. Hopefully the first counter right will wash it all away.
August 11th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Large,
Great write-up. Although you veered away from the religious tone at the start which I loved. I know it is hard to keep that motif going. Still a fantastic piece of work.
August 11th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
ive still got to question the legitimacy of this “rib injury”…really…the rumors were running rampant about poor sales…and the fear that if floyd tanked on the ppv number that hed be in bad shape in future negotiations…so when does the fight get moved to? mexican independence day…maybe im wrong…but i just cant see floyd and his camp disclosing an actual injury…it wasnt too long ago that haye backed out of the wlad fight…citing a back injury…well it was pretty well known that setanta sports was about to fold…and haye was very worried that he would get stiffed and not paid….im pretty skeptical that floyd and his people…especially after the time off…would be willing to disclose vulnerability
ive seen some recent pics of marquez training…and the bulk up is noticeable…he looks pretty good….
shoe…u say that marquez is too good not to catch floyd…but i say floyd is too good to get hit by marquez unless he puts his foot on the pedal…if floyd decides to throw lead rights all night…and no more than two punches at at time…marquez just might not get much of a whiff…as great of a counterpuncher marquez is…floyd is equally as skilled defensively…however…as i said when this fight was first signed…i feel like floyd is going to be dominate(and i love/think the world of marquez)…i would fully admit that i could be dead wrong about floyd here…because he is just more likely to go the safe route…but i feel like he knows what dominating marquez will do for him down the road….and i get the feeling he can do just that
“Yeah, it’s a terrific fight, but not the right terrific fight.”
i understand that…but i just dont think its cool, no matter how much distaste you have for floyd, to expect him to come back and take on pac….this is a guy that many feel is a 2x pac conqueror…and one of the top 3 p4p guys in the sport…oh hell i dont have to tell the mas about marquez….im just not sure what would have been the “right” fight for floyd…he just cant please anyone…man i dont care if you think he should be fighting pac…or if marquez poses no threat to floyd moving up in weight…or floyd is getting old….if you are a diehard boxing fan…you will be watching…to see two modern greats in the ring together
by the way…sounds like the ghost and the punisher in AC on october 3rd….could be a dandy…really sucks that its so close to pac/cotto which im already booked for….cuz id love to go that one…just dunno if i can rally enough troops to make it worth my while…its definitley “the fight” at 160…the only one that interests me….i think id have to go with pavlik as of right now
August 12th, 2009 at 5:21 am
Just making sure that is the same girl that everyone went out of their way to say is hot? Am i missing something?
August 12th, 2009 at 7:56 am
Rooster – this one was by our man Shoefly.
August 12th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
This ain’t Largarito, homes. This is Shoefly.
August 12th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Great stuff Shoefly. I really think you are a great addition to the mas.
Me too, I’m not sure what to think about that fight. On the one hand, I’d love JMM to beat Floyd, JMM deservs it – on the other hand, sure thing, Pac vs Floyd would be goodly.
@Ricky: Fall is shaping up nicely! Pav-Williams, JMM-Floyd, Cotto-PAc, Klitschkos vs. live-bodys, the super-middle-tourny and on and on!
August 12th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Shoefly – well done – I’m still with Ricky on the point that Floyd didn’t need Paq in his first fight back. JMM is not a bad fight to take after a big layoff. I’m more concerned with Cotto “crushing the puppy” than JMM.
I also agree with Trickster – the Fall is looking pretty stacked with good fights.
Briks – I’ve met Melissa St. Vil and she’s pretty cute, for a boxer mind you. The video doesn’t do her justice.
Here’s the picture that Mike Marley went with for one of his stories:
http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d4-Alleged-Mayweather-victim-guards-her-grill-not-her-privacy
You be the judge.
August 12th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Hey guys, I agree that JMM is a more than adequate opponent, in fact I wish he’d have taken on someone less formidable; like Campbell or Forbes or someone like that.
I’m more concerned about Mayweather being up to the challenge than JMM. It hadn’t really hit me till all the stuff in the lead up to the fight that Floyd might not be the man he was; and as a big fan of him, and someone who really wants to see Floyd/Pac fought at the highest level, it concerns me.
Strangely I’m not too worried about Cotto, he has always been the one welter I’ve felt Manny matches up well against, even when Manny was battering Diaz at lightweight.
Also, check out this piece I wrote about Hopkins/Adamek, which I’m really hoping HBO springs for- though I doubt they will.
http://boxiana.blogspot.com/2009/08/true-vine.html
August 12th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
I think that what everyone seems to be overlooking is how pac’s last two fights were against guys who in retrospect had nothing much to give? I know he looked REALLY impressive in both fights, and you’d have to be wary of him, but if Cotto puts it together well, is there a chance of Pac/Money even happening? admittedly it’s a big if, as Cotto hasn’t looked the same since margarito, but he punches a lot harder than pacquiao’s last few opponents, and there has to be a considerable chance he will get more than a few big shots off against a smaller opponent.
anyway, there’s my two cents..
August 12th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
oh ml…you certainly have a partner in crime when it comes to the belief that mannys last two wins are pretty overrated…it was a very carefully put together plan by arum and pacs people…almost a perfect crime…
as much as i hate arum…man he saw the window of opportunity…and he seized the day…i think pacs people know it too..and they are going to make sure they cash out before/if he gets beat by a welter…and theyve got the lesser of the 3 evils between cotto, shane, and floyd….theyll fight floyd…but i dont think they wanted any part of shane
August 14th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Great article although I think the trepidation is just a reflection of how much boxing needs this fight to be successful. And I think it will. It’s more than just boxing’s cultural relevancy on trial by making the big fights big. It’s also every superfight in 2010 on the line.
It’s a lot to worry about here but I think it’s going to work out. Don’t attribute that to my faith in a higher power so much as faith that JMM is going to make it a good fight. (You still don’t bet against Floyd but if there’s anyone I’d like to see knock the daimonds out of his teeth it’s Marquez.)
I’m also less nervous because I don’t think Pac/Floyd NEEDS to happen as much as I’d like to see that. Even the odds of that happen don’t hinge entirely on the results of each of their next fights exactly.
And anyway wouldn’t diminished skills from Floyd make for better fights?
August 14th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Guy Manndude, I certainly don’t want to see Floyd with diminished skills. Yeah it would even the playing field some, but in the big fights against Marquez and maybe Pac I want to see him at his best, lest the fight themselves become less monumental.
August 15th, 2009 at 12:09 am
I didn’t exactly mean for that to sounds as if I was a Floyd hater. I hate Floyd for sure but I think that the sport does need him. When he said that he misses boxing and that boxing misses him he was on to something. What the UFC folks showed us is that the public prefers great fights to great fighters.
We as boxing fans were treated to Floyd in his prime and what did we get from it after the smoke cleared? More questions? What’s the entertainment value of a dry clinic?
I hear you Antwonomous, we’re at a window where the top p4p are in their prime and on a collision course and we want to see the best out of all of them. And I hope they do bring just that to the table. In any case I hope that they make the classics we’re in store for that live up to their standing.
August 16th, 2009 at 10:06 am
good stuff. as the fight nears, i’m growing more and more confident that marquez will provide a serious test to floyd’s undefeated record. and for anyone dismissing pac’s last two fights…..lets keep in mind that those were also floyd’s last two wins (with neither win as dominant as pac).
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over the past decade, who has floyd fought the caliber of JMM? corrales? that fight was 8 years ago and corrales was dealing with all sorts of distractions leading up to the fight. and corrales wasn’t nearly the technician that marquez is. (and i still say floyd lost to castillo in the first fight).
ultimately, i’d give an edge to floyd on speed alone, but i think it’ll be close. and if floyd dances around all night, throwing the occasional shot, he’ll likely win…but it’ll do nothing for pacquiao/mayweather build-up. sadly, that’s a potential scenario that may keep a lot of folks from ordering the ppv.
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i actually think pac-man/cotto plays out like a slightly longer version of hagler/hearns. maybe it’s wishful thinking, but i think cotto is good enough to hit/hurt pac with some shots….but will simply eat far too many big shots to make it past the midway point. just an opinion. add the williams/pavlik and klitschko/arreola fights to the mix and there’s a lot to look forward to in the next few months.
August 16th, 2009 at 11:43 am
adam…lets keep in mind that floyd fought oscar at a comfortable weight for oscar…and with bigger gloves…im sorry…but freddie himself and his mouth really cheapened pacs win if you ask me…saying how he knew he was dead when he saw the fresh iv marks…i dont think oscar is beating pac…but it really says all u need to know about oscar in that fight…he was healthy for the floyd fight
hatton was also and undefeated fighter brimming with confidence going into the floyd fight…he had an friggin army of brits behind him(not that he didnt at the pac fight…i saw first hand…still wasnt the same…the atmosphere in vegas and fight night for the floyd fight was insane)…floyd put on a clinic that night and showed why he is probably the most intelligent fighter in the world…ricky, based on how the first castillo fight went, thought he could out muscle floyd…he disrupted hattons timing….set traps…landed flush lead rights…he broke ricky down…and delivered a pretty spectacular ko of his own
adam…i find it funny how you offer a “distraction” excuse for chico…who was still the betting favorite…and got absolutely owned….then you go on to mention the first castillo fight(where floyd injured his shoulder)…so there was some doubt cast? what did floyd do? rematch and left no doubt…you floyd haters are the worst…u dont have to love the guy…but christ…give him his due
August 16th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
perhaps i’m not giving floyd enough credit….but then perhaps you should give JMM more credit? granted, i’m in mexico city and a biased marquez fan, but you suggest he may not get a “whiff” of floyd? looking over marquez’s entire career, what would give you such an opinion?
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and while i agree the circumstances of floyd/oscar and manny/oscar were much different, i still don’t think a “comfortable weight oscar” was anywhere near being a fighter in his prime.
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sure, if floyd throws 1-2 punches at a time and dances all night long, he’ll almost certainly win…but that doesn’t mean i’m gonna start gushing about him.
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and if roach has been opportunistic about the path of manny’s career, so too has floyd. whether by his own doing, the doing of others, promotional conflicts, etc, the fact remains that he hasn’t fought cotto, williams, mosley, margarito. and while i’d certainly pick him to win every one of those fights, with the possible exception of sugar shane, lets not pretend that he’s taken on all-comers in their prime.
August 16th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
adam…i certainly cannot be accused of not giving JMM enough credit…im a big fan…i really think the world of him…im not basing any floyd/jmm prediction of mine based on any shortcomings JMM may have…i just think floyd is a different animal
also…you wont ever hear me say that floyd hasnt been opportunistic in his career path….my point was…thats what manny is doing…but floyd is the one who takes the pounding from the critics and hardcore fans…while pac is lauded…you did go on to make an excuse for chico by saying he had “distractions”…then go on to say floyd lost the first castillo fight while forgetting that he claimed a shoulder injury in that fight and went on to leave no doubt in a rematch…im merely sticking up for a guy who is constantly picked on and pointing out that pac has been pretty opportunistic himself…pac is given a free pass…while floyd takes shit
man…floyd is about to fight JMM..then probably the winner of cotto/pac….he has already called out shane on hbo in the past…and when shane was on hbo next…he was asked about it…and shane said he had to go see a dentist and had a vacation planned…two fights ago everyone had shane has washed up when he struggled to put away mayorga…everyone was talking about how margarito was the man…i think i was the only guy on this site who picked shane over margarito…now floyd is scared of shane?…i actually find it laughable when people suggest floyd fight paul williams…lolol..the paul williams that is fighting pavlik? pavlik who fought at 170?
people who have an axe to grind with floyd make me laugh…its like the same people who believe that reality tv is still real…u see people acting like retards on reality tv daily…but they get a nice paycheck for it…and the reality is they could probably care less what some nameless, faceless, person thinks about them and their personality
this guy didnt start out talking trash and acting like this…its an act that sells…you dont see brian kenny on sportscenter interviewing any other american boxers do u?…you would all agree that shane mosley has a more personable attitude and probably a more crowd pleasing style wouldnt u? but who is more popular? who does bigger ppv numbers? who appeals more to the casual audience?
all you hear about his him owing money to the IRS or “making it rain” in a club…yet when hes donating 150k to help fund the national golden gloves championships in grand rapids…its barely a blip…and nobody brings it up again……people love him and people love to hate him but its so obvious its not his genuine personality…he does it because it makes him millions and anyone who takes what he says deeper than the surface is taking it a step to far…
anyway…sorry for the rant…but i cant stand to be accused of not giving JMM enough credit(although upon further inspection maybe i am)…so i leave you with this gem
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/107/2njm5ps.gif
and by the way large…i got my cotto/pac tix on saturday through the presale…ill see you there!…and if you guys havent seen it already…check out the pitalua/reyes ko video from this weekend…absolutely devestating
August 16th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
that is a great clip.
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the only disdain i’ve ever had for floyd is the result of feeling like he has chosen to coast in several fights on the strength of his one-in-a-million physical attributes. it’s the same beef i used to have with RJJ. granted, it’s probably an unfair criticism (why choose to get punched in the face / take more risks than you need to). that said, i love that he’s willing to embrace the role of the villain and do his part to try and raise the profile of his fights and the sport itself (although, i’m not optimistic about the marquez fight doing big numbers….seems like the majority of casual fans will view it as a foregone conclusion that it’s simply a sort of tune-up for pacquiao/mayweather). i’m thinking maybe 350,000?
August 17th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Ricky, as a Floyd hater myself I’d have to agree with you. Everything I’ve heard about the “behind the scenes” Floyd is that he’s generous and personable. I mean, I hate the bastard, but I’ll give credit where credit is due.
I may be crazy, but I’ve never thought this fight was a foregone conclusion. JMM is a pinpoint accurate counter puncher who doesn’t go for the home run. Every decision is thought through three moves ahead. If there is a slight crack in Floyd’s all time great defense, Marquez will find it. I’m not picking him to win, but I’m hoping he’ll bring out the animal in Floyd.
August 17th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
I just think everyone is just missing where the real anger about Floyd comes from with boxing fans. It’s not his “villian role.” Fight fans aren’t golf fans, they don’t really care if you’re a good guy or not. That’s what the casual sport fan is interested in. Not the boxing fan. The boxing fan wants to see the fighter, particularly the great fighter, fight. Often. Against the best. That’s why Floyd’s has problems with fight fans. He doesn’t fight. Since the start of 2006, Floyd has fought 4 times. Judah (12), Baldomir (12) Oscar (split) and Ricky Hatton (10 KO). In the same span Manny has fought 9 times!!! That’s what we want. Manny was fighting at 130 at the start of 06, now he’s fighting at 145. Mayweather was fighting at welterweight at the start of 06 now he going down in weight?….why? Certainly not because there are no good welterweights out there. So you see, the two are going in completely opposite directions at the moment. One if fighting all the time, and fighting bigger more challenging opponents, and the other is Dancing with the Stars, and wrestling with the wwe, and doing commercials and MTV cribs…but not fighting much. And when he does, it’s against smaller guys. That’s where the “disdain” for Floyd comes from with fight fans. I am looking forward to seeing him back in the ring. It’s a shame he’s wasted these past years.
August 17th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
good point about the inactivity/retirement, but i can’t begrudge floyd for trying to make himself more marketable to a larger mainstream audience (ie “Dancing” and ‘Mania)….especially when you consider how many boxers end up living out post-career lives broke (and in relative obscurity). Granted, it seems like Floyd’s greatest revenue stream would come from fighting, but if he has any sort of major agency representation (?)…well then i’m sure those are the sorts of career moves they encourage (and he is the only boxer not named de la hoya that ive seen in a commercial recently).
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but like brad, i’d prefer to see him fight.
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different topic, is berto/mosley still on? and what kind of odds would we see in that fight (i’m guessing mosley would be at least a 2-1 favorite)? seems like it could be a great fight.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
brad…i hear you…valid points…i would certainly never try to claim that floyd is a peoples champion or a fighter of the people…but you must admit..it is the persona that irks most…i know you must think of him as an arrogant little twat…i understand the era you come from brad…and people want greatness out of their fighters…floyd comes from a different era
ahhh the retirement…maybe floyd is really ducking the top welters…and thats why he took a leave of absence….or…maybe he needed to heal an injury…or maybe, after hitting mitts since he was old enough to walk, he was a bit burnt out….again..the retirement seems like nothing more than nice fodder for floyd haters….its funny…because there are constantly rumors being floated from pacs camp that he might only fight one or two more times after cotto…say that happens….what would the difference be? manny retiring before the age of 32? floyd taking some time off then retiring around age 34? floyd was rather productive during his time off…generating interest in the sport and himself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lc9Kd955co
go to 2:22 of this video…heres shane…after the 2nd vargas fight…after floyd had called shane out…this is when shane is the more recognizeable fighter…the bigger attraction holding the position of power….hes got trips planned! not to mention a trip to the dentist for that loose tooth! heres where floyd wanted to take on the best…but shane didnt seem too interested…now floyd has flipped the script…hes the man..in the position of power…and not only that…but shane is wreaking of desperation for a big money fight…why would floyd want to let a guy eat of his plate now when this guy did nothing for him when he could have given him a shot? i know the era you come from brad…i know the fighters…and i know what alot of people expect from “champions”…but sometimes pride gets in the way…if i was in floyds shoes i wouldnt give shane a fight either..floyd is in the drivers seat now and he told shane to fuck off..if he cant get floyd 20 mil…then he can get in line like shane told floyd to do when he was at 135…payback is a bitch….and how many of you people clamoring for floyd to fight shane, were doing so, halfway through the 12th of the mayorga fight??
brad…like i said..i understand the era in which you come from…and i think…you like to know that a boxer is human…he can lose…can comeback..and still give you great fights…but i think times have changed…and the only way an american fighter can capture the country is to have an aura of invincibility…to hold the “0″…i think floyd would be very happy beating JMM, pac, cotto, and throw in another name….and saying you know what…”ive fought for 15 years…fought world champs from 130-154…never lost…never been knocked down…rarely had a guy land more than 3 good shots on me”….and be happy with his career…if floyd finished his career with wins over JMM and pac..maybe cotto…and keeps his 0…he has set himself up well for retirement…you never see boxers on sitcoms anymore(save for the ill fated foreman series years ago..lol)…i dont mean his own…but guest starring…like tyson and sugar ray would….i can already picture floyd in movies…as a guest star type…kinda like mos def…and manny will in office, cutting albums, and doing movies too…the difference is it takes much more for someone like floyd to break into that avenue over here…then it does for manny to have a nation like the phillipines on his back
brad…i think yer a great boxing fan(your wealth of knowledge is amazing and dates back to a time before my conception)…i always enjoy reading what you have to say and soak up your stories and knowledge…so dont think i have anything against you or anything like that…but…my advice…is to wait for floyd to finally be done…for good…before passing judgement on his career moves…i have a feeling he is hungry…and hes going to prove alot of his doubters wrong…i really hope he does…and i hope he earns some respect along the way….and i will probably always believe…that no matter what you say…floyds mouth/persona is what ticks you off most about him
August 18th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
I actually have followed and enjoyed watching “arrogant little twats” for some time Ricky. Benitez was an arrogant prick. So was Aaron Pryor. Duran, my favorite, certainly was arrogant. Hell he had a 680 lbs pet lion that he walked around Panama on a leash like a dog, if that’s not arrogant what is? Not to get off subject but Roberto told Michael Katz that he use to jerk-off the lion and he would imitate the face the lion would make before it came. The story and Duran’s unashamed telling of it, cracked up Katz.
So Ricky if my favorite fighter of all time use to not only jerk-off his 680 lbs lion but brag about it…I obviously don’t mind “arrogant little twats”.
August 19th, 2009 at 9:30 am
brad…that is a great story….that i wouldnt expect to hear anywhere else….although it is a bit disturbing..lol
i still think there is a difference…duran is obviously just plain crazy…i just think floyds arrogance ticks alot of people off…especially in a commercial hip hop era…and a time where even the diehard fans are disenchanted with the fight game…i think in durans time you could deal with it…it was a great time for boxing…now its not so easy
anyway…i really hope pac and floyd get it on so i can take 8 lbs of sausage of ya(no homo/duran)
August 19th, 2009 at 9:30 am
of=off
August 19th, 2009 at 10:30 am
With Roberto there are many disturbing stories. Alex Wallau of ABC Sports was a producer back in the mid seventies. ABC was doing a Duran fight and Wallau and his camera crew were following Duran around the streets of Panama for an “up close” segement that was to air before the fight. Keep in mind Duran was on the streets from the time he was 8 years old. He sold papers, shined shoes, danced and even fought for money (as strange as it sounds, adults in the barrio would watch kids fight and bet on who would win). In short, Duran was a bad-ass, who came from a bad place and was never very far removed from poverty. Even when he made it big. He never forgot where he came from and would hang out on the beach in his old, poor neighborhood drinking and eating with his old friends. Anyways, Wallau and his camera crew were walking around these poor, dirty old streets with the now world champion Duran and he asked Duran what he did for fun back in the day. Duran shrugged, picked up cat that was walking by, spun it around by the tail and threw it. It landed in a pile of trash a few yards away. Wallau was shocked. He said he had no idea if the cat died or not but he couldn’t believe that any athlete, or public figure, would have such a careless disregard for how he looked to the media.
Pat Putnam worked for Sports Illustrated around the same time (the mid 70’s) he was in Panama doing a story on Duran. It was 100 degree out and Duran was in a shitty mood. He had no interest in the media. He didn’t care how he was viewed, if the story was favorable or not. He was giving Putnam nothing. Putnam was pissed. Duran started to pick up on Putnam’s anger and asked how many more questions he had. Duran told Putnam he’d buy him a drink after he got through. Putnam slam his notebook shut and said “interviews over, let’s drink”. Duran cracked up. He also opened up. They drank and Duran gave him great stuff. From then on Pat Putnam always got great material from Roberto, Duran would always approach him after press conferences to talk to him. By saying “fuck it” to his job and going for a drink, Putnam got Duran respect. He became a friend…
I think maybe one of the things that intrigued me about Duran was his contempt for all the things that our society seems to place such value on: being famous, coming off good to the media, getting endorsements, etc.
Duran seemed to have no desire to seperate himself from poverty. That’s a trait you don’t find in many athlete’s, or people today. Being poor is like a crime that you should be ashamed of. They leave their past and never return. They become someone else. They become part of the establishment. Duran was always Duran. I’m not sure who Floyd is.
August 19th, 2009 at 10:56 am
great stories brad…but i think we be foolings ourselves if we thought that duran didnt indulge himself in some of the trappings of fame and fortune
i dont know floyd…cant profess to…and while i dont know anyone who as met him personally…ive read of quite a few encounters from people on message boards who have met him in vegas…and havent heard a bad word yet(ive heard that he and manny are actually pretty friendly and attend the same church services when manny is in town)…again…a guy who helps fund the national golden gloves championships when it was held in grand rapids…and while im sure hes not a saint…he does not drink(god bless anyone who can do that)
i find the kenny interviews get blown out of proportion…you get guys on boards…acting like “oh man kenny owned him” this and that…i think alot of the time floyd gets asked stupid questions…and thats why you get stupid answers…i still laugh at the thought of kenny telling him that he should be fighting baldomir instead of zab judah…like anyone actually thought baldomir would have a shot in hell…kenny really shitting on the judah fight…then praising cotto for his win over zab and calling it a magical night at the garden(after a couple of nut shots)…its seems like some people like to try to instigate him…like i said before..i actually saw one guy make a post saying floyd was scared of pac because when someone asked him what he wanted for a split he said “youll have to ask al haymon”…how ridiculous of a conclusion/assumption is that?
i think what i know about floyd is he is probably the most intelligent fighter of his era…and just a great fighter…and i think he has some plans after boxing to remain relevant…and i think that if he ends up fighting JMM and pac…and another big name…and remains unbeaten….then his retirement was a thing of a brilliance…two birds with one stone…rest/recovery and marketing savvy….i really think this guy is hungry to prove how great he is…and as a great as i think marquez is….i think floyd is going to dominate him
August 19th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Well you may be right about Floyd coming back and being dominate. Boxing certainly could use him. He’s as big of a name as exists today and he’s been idle. I grew up watching the sport of boxing being full of stars: Ali, Frazier,Norton, Hagler, Hearns,Leonard, Duran, the Spinks brothers, Holmes,Pryor,Arguello, Sanchez, Lopez,etc…today there are few stars in the sport. Luckily, most are in the same basic weight class so great fights should happen. That’s where my anger with Floyd comes from. He needs to be in the middle of it. I’m tired of hear about MMA. I can’t stand seeing grown men lying on their backs kicking at an opponent standing over them. Or elbowing a guy who is clearly out, or….whoops, I didn’t mean to turn this into another boxing vs MMA discussion. Point is boxing needs every star to be active at the moment. Floyd needs to get to work.
August 19th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Another thing… Looking at the SSM-video, how THE HELL does B-HOP always ends up in the middle of the interview? Dude has a feeling for the camera.