SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
+3
GrantZilla
flapanther2001
gomez1012
7 posters
Page 1 of 1
SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/chris_mannix/06/29/mayweather.notes/index.html
NEW YORK -- The Paper Champion made his way toward the stage, arms raised, a toothy smile creasing his face. These are the moments Floyd Mayweather lives for and craves, those meticulously planned, carefully choreographed entrances where all eyes lock on him. They feed his ego and reassure the most insecure star in sports that, indeed, he is still No. 1.
Here was Mayweather, back in the spotlight, back in front of hundreds of adoring fans who had poured into Hudson Theatre in Times Square on Tuesday -- the first stop on a glitzy press tour to promote his Sept. 17 fight against Victor Ortiz in Las Vegas -- basking in the moment. He waved to the crowd, glad-handed the media and listened as television, hotel and boxing executives fawned over his skills and thanked him profusely for gracing the world with his return.
They have to, of course. A Mayweather fight means a sold-out hotel for the MGM Grand corporation and a lucrative pay-per-view and a highly-rated 24/7 series for HBO. They have to extol his virtues. They have to smile and nod when Mayweather says he "absolutely" wants a fight with Manny Pacquiao even though, privately, most know he will continue to do everything he can to avoid it.
That's what it all circles back to, isn't it? There's nothing wrong with fighting the 24-year-old Ortiz, a ferocious-punching titleholder who is a rising star. There is a reasonable amount of danger for the 34-year-old in an Ortiz fight because, historically, Mayweather has had trouble with southpaws and even more trouble with fighters who back him up with consistent pressure. But it's not the one fight, the only fight, anyone around boxing really wants to see.
Mayweather says he doesn't need Pacquiao, and too many people are starting to believe him. He says his victories against Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Shane Mosley are enough to elevate him to the level of greatest of all time, while his status as a pay-per-view giant -- 6.9 million buys and counting -- makes him a bona fide star.
The truth: Without Pacquiao, Mayweather is incomplete, a paper champion with a résumé at which Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran would sniff. He is the LeBron James of boxing, an extraordinarily talented phenom who has never lived up to his potential. Whereas LeBron has shrank in big moments, Mayweather simply avoids them. He has had too many chances to fight Pacquiao, far too many to dismiss as bad timing or bad luck. Last summer he dispatched adviser Al Haymon to hammer out a complicated deal with Top Rank's Bob Arum and HBO's Ross Greenburg. When Haymon came back, Mayweather simply told him he wasn't interested anymore. Another adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, bizarrely denied that negotiations had ever happened.
Mayweather is enabled, too, by a boxing press corps that, predominantly, refuses to challenge him. During a 35-minute meeting with reporters, he was lobbed softball after softball, "questions" like why he doesn't get enough credit for elevating the sport or why his past opponents are criticized while Pacquiao's conquests -- several of which appear on Mayweather's list -- are praised. So comfortable is Mayweather in dictating to the boxing media that, while addressing a question about the most recent assault allegations against him, he had the audacity to tell the gaggle that he would "appreciate it if they write the story like I give it to them."
This is the bubble in which he lives, where his boorish behavior is ignored and grossly inaccurate statements are met with nods and "You're right, champ" affirmations. An example: While discussing performance-enhancing drugs in sports, Mayweather wondered why the public has been so quick to jump on Barry Bonds while "some guy from another country" (Pacquiao) can go from "106 pounds to 150-something." Never mind that it wasn't until the BALCO link to Bonds was established and his grand jury testimony was leaked that the embattled slugger came under a microscope. To date there has been no direct link between Pacquiao and steroids and, thus, no reason to lump him into Bonds' category. And never mind that in 1993 Mayweather was a 16-year-old, 106-pound amateur while in '95 Pacquiao, at the same age, was fighting professionally at the same weight.
These are insignificant details to Mayweather, whose opinions have been hardened by the legion of friends and advisers telling him that he is right. His assault on Pacquiao's character is pathetic, from the suggestions of steroid use to the racist, homophobic rant on Ustream last year that has since gone viral. He insists he will never fight Pacquiao without blood testing, but Arum and Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, have claimed that they have agreed to every one of Mayweather's demands.
This fight with Ortiz will be entertaining. It will sell out the arena and probably pocket close to 1.5 million PPV buys. But it will do nothing to enhance Mayweather's credentials, nothing to alter the opinions of anyone who matters. Until he faces -- and defeats -- Pacquiao, he will be a Hall of Fame fighter with a third-ballot résumé, a Paper Champion with great skills but without a truly defining win.
gomez1012- Posts : 7452
Join date : 2010-10-22
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
Waa waa waahhhh!!! Let Chris Mannix get in the ring before he calls anybody a "Paper Champion". I am easily the biggest Floyd basher, but if you subtract the Pacquiao debacle, who in their right mind can say that about Floyd? What a biased douche bag.
flapanther2001- Posts : 2962
Join date : 2010-10-27
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
flapanther2001 wrote:Waa waa waahhhh!!! Let Chris Mannix get in the ring before he calls anybody a "Paper Champion". I am easily the biggest Floyd basher, but if you subtract the Pacquiao debacle, who in their right mind can say that about Floyd? What a biased douche bag.
I guess thats his point, at 147 homeboy is a paper campeon and w/out Money Pacquiao he's not what he claims to be
gomez1012- Posts : 7452
Join date : 2010-10-22
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
gomez1012 wrote:flapanther2001 wrote:Waa waa waahhhh!!! Let Chris Mannix get in the ring before he calls anybody a "Paper Champion". I am easily the biggest Floyd basher, but if you subtract the Pacquiao debacle, who in their right mind can say that about Floyd? What a biased douche bag.
I guess thats his point, at 147 homeboy is a paper campeon and w/out Money Pacquiao he's not what he claims to be
Mannix doesn't even know what a paper champion is. Mayweather holds zero titles at Welter to begin with.
He is also the last linear Welter Champion. And to some, still is. With me, he lost it when he "retired."
I agree with some of the stuff Mannix is saying, that Mayweather get's his ass licked too much. But Mannix has proven he doesn't know shit about boxing.
GrantZilla- Posts : 9310
Join date : 2010-11-05
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
You tell 'em Grant!
When I wanna know from Mannix, I'll watch the old TV series. Who the f does he think he is? Who is this cocksucker anyway?
When I wanna know from Mannix, I'll watch the old TV series. Who the f does he think he is? Who is this cocksucker anyway?
ScottLevinson- Posts : 327
Join date : 2010-12-31
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
The fact Mannix, who covers NBA, is the "boxing guy" for SI shows you how little to no respect SI has for boxing.
SI been shit for years. Totaly run by PC-coprorate American. Why boxing never get's on the cover, even for big fights. Oscar was on the fucking cover of SI once, with Mayweather. Pac has never been on the cover, which is a joke.
Not just boxing. MMA get's nothing out of SI as well.
And what's funny is, SI owned by Time-Warner who owns HBO.
SI been shit for years. Totaly run by PC-coprorate American. Why boxing never get's on the cover, even for big fights. Oscar was on the fucking cover of SI once, with Mayweather. Pac has never been on the cover, which is a joke.
Not just boxing. MMA get's nothing out of SI as well.
And what's funny is, SI owned by Time-Warner who owns HBO.
GrantZilla- Posts : 9310
Join date : 2010-11-05
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
GrantZilla wrote:The fact Mannix, who covers NBA, is the "boxing guy" for SI shows you how little to no respect SI has for boxing.
SI been shit for years. Totaly run by PC-coprorate American. Why boxing never get's on the cover, even for big fights. Oscar was on the fucking cover of SI once, with Mayweather. Pac has never been on the cover, which is a joke.
Not just boxing. MMA get's nothing out of SI as well.
And what's funny is, SI owned by Time-Warner who owns HBO.
I guess we can be thankful that SI's importance has diminished about ten thousand percent in the past quarter-century.
So maybe there was a time when the lack of coverage woulda hurt. But with the Internet and explosion of sports-related TV channels, SI now has more impact in the T&A department with their swimsuit issue than they do with sports.
ScottLevinson- Posts : 327
Join date : 2010-12-31
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
ScottLevinson wrote:I guess we can be thankful that SI's importance has diminished about ten thousand percent in the past quarter-century.
So maybe there was a time when the lack of coverage woulda hurt. But with the Internet and explosion of sports-related TV channels, SI now has more impact in the T&A department with their swimsuit issue than they do with sports.
Yup. Because stopped being a good source for sporting news. It shouldn't even be called Sport's Illustrated anymore. Should just be called NFL, NBA, MLB, and sometimes Golf Illustrated
GrantZilla- Posts : 9310
Join date : 2010-11-05
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
First of all, without the swimsuit issue, nobody would buy SI anymore. Secondly, Mannix has no right to bust on Mayweather without giving the whole story. Would he call him a paper champion at 130?gomez1012 wrote:flapanther2001 wrote:Waa waa waahhhh!!! Let Chris Mannix get in the ring before he calls anybody a "Paper Champion". I am easily the biggest Floyd basher, but if you subtract the Pacquiao debacle, who in their right mind can say that about Floyd? What a biased douche bag.
I guess thats his point, at 147 homeboy is a paper campeon and w/out Money Pacquiao he's not what he claims to be
flapanther2001- Posts : 2962
Join date : 2010-10-27
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
If you are going to criticize Mayweather then you have to be analytical and honest. Dougie Fisher and alot of boxing writers over the years have acknowledged Floyd's skills while pointing out that Floyd jumped past 140 without attempting to take on any challenges (which isn't that bad but for a truly great fighter he could have tried to do more-same for Pac jumping past 140), but then at 147 he has not faced PW, Cotto, Cheato, Cintron, Clottey, in addition to Pac.
I think Floyd beats those guys, but he never faced them. And who would you rather face at 147? Those guys above or Judah (coming off of a loss), Hatton above his best weight, etc....
He could have ridden us of the PW hype. He didn't.
He could have been the guy to get the Cotto scalp. He didn't.
He could have beaten Cheato up the way Mosley and Pac did. He didn't.
He could have made Cintron freak out the way Cheato and others have. He didn't.
He could have made Clottey look scared and make him stay in the defensive shell too much. He didn't.
If we were to compile a list of the best at 147 over the past 6 years, Floyd would have faced less top guys than the rest of the other guys on the list. That isn't a coincidence.
I think Floyd beats those guys, but he never faced them. And who would you rather face at 147? Those guys above or Judah (coming off of a loss), Hatton above his best weight, etc....
He could have ridden us of the PW hype. He didn't.
He could have been the guy to get the Cotto scalp. He didn't.
He could have beaten Cheato up the way Mosley and Pac did. He didn't.
He could have made Cintron freak out the way Cheato and others have. He didn't.
He could have made Clottey look scared and make him stay in the defensive shell too much. He didn't.
If we were to compile a list of the best at 147 over the past 6 years, Floyd would have faced less top guys than the rest of the other guys on the list. That isn't a coincidence.
captainanddew- Posts : 8143
Join date : 2010-10-20
Age : 47
Location : Richmond, Virginia
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
flapanther2001 wrote:
First of all, without the swimsuit issue, nobody would buy SI anymore. Secondly, Mannix has no right to bust on Mayweather without giving the whole story. Would he call him a paper champion at 130?
Why hail Flod's past accomplishments when we're talking about the NOW?!?!?!?!
gomez1012- Posts : 7452
Join date : 2010-10-22
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
gomez1012 wrote:flapanther2001 wrote:
First of all, without the swimsuit issue, nobody would buy SI anymore. Secondly, Mannix has no right to bust on Mayweather without giving the whole story. Would he call him a paper champion at 130?
Why hail Flod's past accomplishments when we're talking about the NOW?!?!?!?!
Yeah, but how is Floyd a paper champ? He doesn't even have a title at Welter. He could have taken Mosley's WBA trinket, but rightfully refused to pay the extortion, I mean, sanctioning fees.
Floyd was the linear Champ at Welter before he retired. Cyberboxing still lists him as the linear Champion. I don't. He gave that up when he "retired."
GrantZilla- Posts : 9310
Join date : 2010-11-05
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
So FMJ who is arguably the best boxer of his generation and is undefeated is being compared to a choker that has won nothing?
freakzilla- Posts : 2734
Join date : 2010-11-14
Location : Sydney, Australia
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
Last I checked, Ortiz was the one with a paper title.
I mostly agree with the rest of the article.
I mostly agree with the rest of the article.
Guest- Guest
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
GrantZilla wrote:gomez1012 wrote:flapanther2001 wrote:
First of all, without the swimsuit issue, nobody would buy SI anymore. Secondly, Mannix has no right to bust on Mayweather without giving the whole story. Would he call him a paper champion at 130?
Why hail Flod's past accomplishments when we're talking about the NOW?!?!?!?!
Yeah, but how is Floyd a paper champ? He doesn't even have a title at Welter. He could have taken Mosley's WBA trinket, but rightfully refused to pay the extortion, I mean, sanctioning fees.
Floyd was the linear Champ at Welter before he retired. Cyberboxing still lists him as the linear Champion. I don't. He gave that up when he "retired."
Not arguing past accomplishments, he was the champ at 147 before he retired! The way Flod talks its like he,s THE champ right now which isn't the case
gomez1012- Posts : 7452
Join date : 2010-10-22
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
gomez1012 wrote:Not arguing past accomplishments, he was the champ at 147 before he retired! The way Flod talks its like he,s THE champ right now which isn't the case
That's just Floyd. I was just pointing out that Mannix doesn't even know what a paper champ is if he's calling Floyd one. He's not even a Champ on paper since he doesn't even have a trinket.
GrantZilla- Posts : 9310
Join date : 2010-11-05
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
Yeah, but how is Floyd a paper champ? He doesn't even have a title at Welter. He could have taken Mosley's WBA trinket, but rightfully refused to pay the extortion, I mean, sanctioning fees.
Floyd was the linear Champ at Welter before he retired. Cyberboxing still lists him as the linear Champion. I don't. He gave that up when he "retired."
Yet he's paying the sanctioning fees for the WBC belt.
SlickMoney- Posts : 1642
Join date : 2011-03-06
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
gomez1012 wrote:
Not arguing past accomplishments, he was the champ at 147 before he retired! The way Flod talks its like he,s THE champ right now which isn't the case
He came back and beat the number 1 welter in Mosley and is fighting the number 2 welter in Ortiz.
SlickMoney- Posts : 1642
Join date : 2011-03-06
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
SlickMoney wrote:Yeah, but how is Floyd a paper champ? He doesn't even have a title at Welter. He could have taken Mosley's WBA trinket, but rightfully refused to pay the extortion, I mean, sanctioning fees.
Floyd was the linear Champ at Welter before he retired. Cyberboxing still lists him as the linear Champion. I don't. He gave that up when he "retired."
Yet he's paying the sanctioning fees for the WBC belt.
No shocker there. Mayweather loves that piece of shit belt.
GrantZilla- Posts : 9310
Join date : 2010-11-05
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
SlickMoney wrote:gomez1012 wrote:
Not arguing past accomplishments, he was the champ at 147 before he retired! The way Flod talks its like he,s THE champ right now which isn't the case
He came back and beat the number 1 welter in Mosley and is fighting the number 2 welter in Ortiz.
What's that guys name ahead of Ortiz???
gomez1012- Posts : 7452
Join date : 2010-10-22
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
It's Mayweather's own fault he is not the welterweight champ. He chooses to be inactive for long stretches.
Guest- Guest
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
Canvas wrote: It's Mayweather's own fault he is not the welterweight champ. He chooses to be inactive for long stretches.
Yup. And he says he's above titles, yet is going to fork over 3% of his purse for a trinket he doesn't even need.
GrantZilla- Posts : 9310
Join date : 2010-11-05
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
gomez1012 wrote:SlickMoney wrote:gomez1012 wrote:
Not arguing past accomplishments, he was the champ at 147 before he retired! The way Flod talks its like he,s THE champ right now which isn't the case
He came back and beat the number 1 welter in Mosley and is fighting the number 2 welter in Ortiz.
What's that guys name ahead of Ortiz???
The guy who wont take the test with NO cutoff date.
Who has a fight scheduled already.
SlickMoney- Posts : 1642
Join date : 2011-03-06
Re: SI's Chris Mannix - Flod: The Paper Champion, the LeBron of Boxing Returns
Flod-Mosley testing cut off at 7 days
gomez1012- Posts : 7452
Join date : 2010-10-22
Similar topics
» SI's Chris Mannix dont know shit about boxing
» Chris John finally returns
» Boxing Returns to Network TV
» Povetkin: I don’t feel like a champion
» Rios has become another undisciplined Lightweight champion.
» Chris John finally returns
» Boxing Returns to Network TV
» Povetkin: I don’t feel like a champion
» Rios has become another undisciplined Lightweight champion.
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum