Not delusional but devious

C/P
By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star)

When the fighting is over in the ring, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. will end up like so many mindless boxing champions in the past – destitute, unable to come to grips with reality, bitter and alone.

He might try selling grillers like George Foreman but who’ll value his endorsement? He could become a minister but what congregation will believe a man who has no credibility? He’ll do pro wrestling, for sure. Mayweather is perfect for the make-believe world. Two years ago, he made his WWE debut against 7-footer Paul (The Big Show) Wight on Wrestlemania XXIV before close to 75,000 fans in Orlando and “won” by knockout.

Pro wrestling is the antithesis of boxing. It’s not recognized as a sport so that wrestlers aren’t subjected to mandatory drug tests by state athletic commissions. It’s scripted entertainment – nothing wrong with that, movies are scripted, too, and they’re enjoyable. I’m a big pro wrestling fan myself and I admire the stars for what they go through to excel.

But for a pro boxer to degenerate into a pro wrestler, it’s a major drop in integrity. Joe Louis took to the mat after retiring from boxing because he was bankrupt. So did Primo Carnera and Two-Ton Tony Galento. The problem with Mayweather is he’s not a heavyweight and it’s unlikely a welterweight or even a middleweight will stay long as a box-office draw in pro wrestling even if you’re a former No. 1 pound-for-pound best boxer in the world. Besides, Mayweather may be a broken man by the time he hangs up his gloves.

Mayweather lives under a cloud of grandeur, a state he himself created with help from his sycophants and title belt carriers. Promoter Bob Arum once called him a psychological coward. He revels in his status as an undefeated fighter. He claims to be fearless but wouldn’t dare cross paths with someone who’s a threat to put a blemish on his pristine record. That’s why he can’t seem to get himself to fight Manny Pacquiao – his ego won’t allow it. Mayweather knows he’ll never be able to live down a loss to the Filipino.

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Inevitably, Mayweather realizes he’ll have to face Pacquiao because he loves to spend and his money’s running out. That thought haunts him like a recurring nightmare. There are rumors of income tax arrears and a slew of financial obligations. A Pacquiao fight will solve his money problems in a snap. In the end, he’ll have no option left but to risk losing to Pacquiao.

Mayweather is sadly psychotic. He covets Pacquiao’s success and recognition. He must eat his heart out whenever he reads about Pacquiao’s rise from rags to riches, how the Filipino icon inspires the less fortunate and brings hope into their lives. Deep down inside him, Mayweather probably wants to be Pacquiao although he’ll never admit it.

That’s why Mayweather went bananas and ranted as Pacquiao was in the middle of a well-publicized promotional tour announcing his Nov. 13 fight against Antonio Margarito last week. He tried to steal the thunder away from Pacquiao and the only way to do it was to go ballistic with inane comments. Never mind if his tirade would trigger accusations of being racist, sexist or out-of-whack. Mayweather craved for attention at Pacquiao’s expense and expectedly, got it.

Long after they’ve retired from pro boxing, Pacquiao and Mayweather will lead completely opposite lives. Pacquiao will remain a hero of the masses while Mayweather will probably be in prison, serving time for robbery or drug-pushing or something as despicable.

Mayweather is the perfect foil for Pacquiao because he represents everything you’d love to hate in a villain. Perhaps, Mayweather isn’t as dumb as some people make him out to be. He surrounds himself with spokesmen Leonard Ellerbe and Al Haymon who negotiate in his behalf and when he feels like breaking off, denies they were ever authorized. Twice, Ellerbe and Haymon were in talks for a Pacquiao-Mayweather duel but Pretty Boy now claims negotiations never took place. Maybe, Mayweather isn’t delusional – he’s just devious.

What Mayweather said about Pacquiao lately showed his lack of class. The man has absolutely no respect for human beings and the sport that puts food on his table. He’s going down the tubes faster than Mike Tyson in their race to oblivion. After launching a savage verbal assault on Pacquiao, Mayweather apologized and filmed a video with two Asian women as if to absolve himself from racial prejudice.

Pacquiao did right not to give importance to Mayweather’s tirade, saying only that it was an “uneducated message.” Mayweather doesn’t deserve a reaction from the honorable gentleman from Sarangani.

In the privacy of his bedroom – wherever that may be, Mayweather must cower in fear – afraid of the inevitability of fighting and losing to the Congressman he has called “a yellow chump” and a midget. He must be wondering what life will be like after boxing, if the friends who surround him now will still be around when the glamor of being a champion is gone, if there will be enough money in the bank to maintain his lavish lifestyle. He must be fantasizing to be like Pacquiao and it’s driving him nuts.