MAYWEATHER VS. COTTO - NOT EVEN OUR SECOND OR THIRD CHOICE

floyd-mayweather-vs-miguel-cotto More bad news from the world of boxing. OK, a slow couple of months would not have soured the average boxing fan. As a fan of the sweet science, you take your good with the bad, because when things are good, they stay with you forever. However, boxing fans are being teased... and that is what I will remember most about the month of January. It is one thing to not get. However, we thought we would be getting a lot. We started off with a few slow weeks on Friday Night Fights (until last week), a cancellation of hotly anticipated Berto-Ortiz 2, and you guessed it... no big superfight.

If Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are not going to fight, it's time for us to shut up about it. I am speaking to other scribes, Freddie Roach, Bob Arum, as well as the fighters themselves. Enough already. We were not teased this long for Frazier vs. Ali, and that was only stopped by a licensing issue! This is the last article I will write on the subject until the fight is signed. All parties involved are to blame, and history will likely blame them all equally. There is nothing they can do about it. Freddie Roach may get off scott free, as will perhaps Golden Boy, but the rest of the parties are all history's villains.

It would be one thing if both men were forgoing the fights to break new ground. If Pacquiao were having a fourth fight with the most competitive opponent he's had, in Marquez, then fine. If Mayweather were attempting to make history by moving up to Middleweight to take on Sergio Martinez, that would be great. However, not only are we not getting those fights, we are likely not even getting our consolation prizes. Canelo Alvarez and Timothy Bradley are also out of the equation. We are back to each man taking on the other's victims, to compare themselves, and waste valuable time.

Cotto has not looked all that impressive since his loss to Pacquiao. He's simply been beating fighters that he should beat. He's a good guy, and has the right attitude about boxing. With his skin, he may even add to Floyd's KO list. This will be Cotto's cash-out fight. The truth is, this fight was only being made to screw Arum out of signing Cotto, and to leave Pacquiao without a safe, yet viable opponent. Pacquiao is too small for Martinez, won't be allowed take the risk against Golden Boy-promoted Alvarez, and has beaten everyone else we would care to see. So, who will get the call?

With Berto out, do not be surprised to see Ortiz vs. Pacquiao. Sounds ludicrous, but after the close shave with Marquez, don't expect Arum to take too many chances. The winner of Danny Garcia vs. Erik Morales may also get the shot, provided the winner looks exceptionally vulnerable. I still have faith that this megafight can get done for November, but it will all depend on how both fighters look this spring. They have both begun to slide a bit, so no matter what, it will not be the same as if they had fought in 2011... back when we all cared more. Pacquiao's dance card is yet to be filled, but something tells me that we will not be impressed with his partner.

Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com