I've covered this terrain before as a contributor for BraggingRightscorner.com and i wont stop; because i and my compatriots represent the REAL BOXING MEDIA. I'm no different than any other sports fan, meaning i love me some Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith but i want to jump in the TV when they riff on Boxing with little or no real insight. They throw around the word "fan" with expense card carelessness because Boxing is too unorganized (thereby weak) to call them on it. They roll in 30 Football experts a day and not once have they invited any Boxing expert to challenge their assertions about what they "think" is going on between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Neither man would know Andre Ward or Nonito Donaire if they delivered their food during the break on their ( admittedly addictive) show. They didn't even bother to glean over a MAJOR Middleweight PPV Event featuring the son of a Legend that both of them should know. Now don't get me wrong, all of this is fine but what i object to is Stephen A. Smith's continued insistence on a PPV Boycott of Mayweather and Pacquiao until they fight one another. That "Fight" is long gone and all that's left is the merger, the contractual Armageddon that if ever completed is bound to set a major precedence that will further economically exploit fans in the future. We've already crossed over that "tipping point" where Promoters realized they can draw numbers by providing little or no value with the under card-the combined greed of the #2 and 4 (yeah i said that shit, Andre Ward is #1) best fighters in the world will most certainly lead to no undercard at all. Our problems as consumers and fans are reduced to a Teddy Atlas rant between poorly funded cards on the network so having one of their most influential voices call for Boycotts with no scholarship (or depth of knowledge) of our ills is disturbing. If Anything, a more thoughtful observer would call for a Boycott of the fight if it is made because it is long past the "sell by" date that most LEGITIMATE Sports would have given the fans (consumers) clarity. Stephen A. Smith is a celebrity; a man who openly roots for NBA Finals to be held between the two cities (Miami and L.A.) where he likes to "kick it" the most... so what does he care about Boxing integrity?. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao for a celebrity of his calibre is a place to be seen, if made it will attract the African American "Glitterati" from all corners of the country- it's a hangout to him nothing more. If he really wanted to see the best he (and Skip Bayless) would point out that the best of both men has come and gone and anything past 32 years old in the HARDEST game should be cast in suspicion. But he wont, because he loves the idea of the spectacle that Floyd Mayweather can still provide- long term health should be a matter addressed to those of us who love the Sweet Science. The one thing he does have right is the fact that Economic Sanction is the only way to force this Sport to play it straight-and if anybody can do it we can. Our Sport is the niche of all niche Sports, we lived online LONG before ESPN decided to get in the game (see Maxboxing.com) because we'd been thrown to the wayside years ago. We also have the most active presence online and in Social Media; and i have to think if people can revolt against Libyan Dictators by way of Twitter why cant we get a mere Promoter to do the right thing by Boxing?. There are evil elitists right now who fear that technology is actually leading to the first TRUE democracy (aint that a bitch?) and you mean to tell me we're still getting pushed around by the same cast of characters?. Thanks but no thanks Stephen A, we got this, and if Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is ever made have fun and do your thing bruh- because I have more pressing matters to attend to.
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