USA TODAY International Edition
Boycott Mayweather-Pacquiao, it’s all about greed
A rematch three years after letdown isn’t enticing
Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Saturday announced a rematch against Manny Pacquiao, and it’s time for boxing fans to get organized and to do the right thing: boycott the fight.
Sign a petition.
Take a public vow.
Do whatever it takes.
Boycott the fight.
Granted, Mayweather’s announcement might have been a ploy to spoil Saturday night’s Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin fight. After all, Mayweather despises Alvarez’s promoter, Oscar de la Hoya, almost as much as he despises the IRS.
And until now, Mayweather seemed to have settled happily into a postfight life focused on running his strip club, Girl Collection, posting photos of his luxury cars on Instagram and counting his money.
Lots and lots of money. Which is why it’s time for a boycott.
With a record of 50-0, Mayweather is in position to re-establish his legacy. As the one of greatest fighters ever? No. As one of the greediest.
Mayweather has earned an estimated $1 billion during his boxing career, and he says the rematch against Pacquaio would be another nine-figure payday.
Don’t forget that he already fleeced boxing fans of about $250 million for his first fight with Pacquiao, one of the biggest letdowns in modern boxing history. That fight was more than three years ago, and a rematch featuring a 41-yearold Mayweather and a 39-year-old Pacquiao figures to be an even bigger disappointment.
That is, unless fans take responsibility for enabling the greed.
Fight after fight, boxing fans forked over their hard-earned cash for pay-perview buys and tickets, and fight after fight Floyd did it again — won in boring fashion and left fans feeling ripped off.
Now it’s time to send a message to Floyd.
Time to show as much discipline as he does in the ring.
Time to unify, like boxing belts. Time to fight back.
Time to boycott.