The internet has periodically exploded with rumors over who said what about boxing's most famous person. Like him or not, Floyd Mayweather draws a crowd. And he did so, simply by being good. The attitude may make people within the biz write articles, but Broner shares that attitude, and due to his lack of A+ talent, he is not a mainstream name. When someone becomes that famous, as Oscar De La Hoya found out before him, many people are going to try and tie themselves to your fame, for the crumbs of success that come along with it.
Some of the controversy is by design, from within the Money Team. Mayweather knows exactly what he is doing when he questions Muhammad Ali's record, yet for the most part, fighters calling out Mayweather has been such an overdone practice, that it is almost drying up... as fighters do not want to appear like they are playing a broken record. Also, now that Mayweather is supposedly retiring, it has left most of his serious boxing threats depressed and looking to question the past, rather than making their own future. However, the most bizarre of all, has been the implied "feud" between Mayweather and Ronda Rousey.
Rousey has made her disdain for Mayweather open and well-known, since his conviction for domestic violence. That is a hot button issue that people feel very comfortable speaking on lately, even when they do not have the facts oif an individual case It would be one thing if that was where the controversy ended, but now, it has spawned the 'search for the quote'. There have been alleged quotes attributed to Rousey saying she makes more money per second than Floyd (a commentary on her very fast wins, as opposed to Mayweather's 12 round victories).
The MMA star has also been quoted mocking Mayweather's supposed lack of reading skills. This is actually encouraging. Even though with most people, nowadays, this would be considered bullying of a learning disabled person, it is some how allowed in this case. Glad to see there are exceptions to the rule of the easily offended masses these days, even if it has to come at the expense of a fighter who has made himself the villain. The most bizarre, however, has seen Rousey and Mayweather being matched together! This is not tennis. Billie Jean King and Jimmy Connors may have crossed the gender barrier to match skills, but that will not be happening in fighting sports.
There is even controversy about trans-gendered athletes, let alone that big of a leap. Not only that, but hey are not even in the same sport! Of course Rousey would submit Mayweather, and of course Mayweather would dominate and knock out Rousey with gloves on. What is there to even discuss? To me, this is just what happens when any fighter is too dominant. We search for the fighter that will beat them, and when that search yields nothing, we broaden the spectrum to the point of ridiculous. That dominance may be the only thing these two people have in common, but apparently, that is all we need..
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
