Floyd Mayweather’s All-Star Game Announcement Was More Carrot Dangling

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IMG_1935Unlike the speculation of a Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight announcement at the Super Bowl, the rumors of an announcement at tonight’s NBA All-Star game were true. However, the reality of this “announcement” hinges on the understanding that no real news can still be news.

The announcement was simple and true; Floyd Mayweather Jr. said as plainly as he could that a fight deal has not been reached, as of yet. His statement was brief for more than broadcast purposes, but it was just as painful for boxing fans to hear it as it would’ve been if it were given in the form of a 20 minute rant on YouTube.

Mayweather Jr. was interviewed at the NBA All-Star game during the TNT broadcast. It was already known that Mayweather Jr., a huge basketball fan, would be at the game, but there were reports that a potential announcement would come at some point from Mayweather himself.

Mayweather was asked about the fight and whether or not a deal had finally been reached. “That’s not true,” Floyd said. “I haven’t signed, yet and he hasn’t signed, yet. It’s just been speculations and rumors, but hopefully we can make the fight happen.”

Floyd talks about hopefulness as though it is available in some unlimited source, but he need only look to fans for the truth about hope and optimism, and he’ll find that it is not something you want to test or deprive fans of because it has violent and vengeful consequences.

We are no closer tonight than we were last week, and we are in all realty no closer than we ever were when you consider the big picture and the habitual creature that is Mayweather Jr. Sure, there is an open dialogue like never before and at least negotiations are ongoing and both cams admit as much, but it doesn’t make much difference when you consider the erratic behavior we’ve experience from Floyd in the past.

This fight being made won’t come down to which term Pacquiao accepted or how reasonable Floyd was and the concessions made by both camps. This fight will only get made when Floyd decides he wants the fight, and I’m not convinced he does.

I’m not suggesting that Floy is scared or that he is weighing the pros and cons versus the potential for victory. There have probably been moments in the past where Mayweather debated the odds of winning and losing a fight against Pacquiao, but his conclusion has nothing to do with the fight, not happening, at least not anymore.

Floyd’s decision to fight Pacquiao will be made with the kind of reasoning that only makes sense in Floyd’s world. We shouldn’t dissect it because we’d just be spinning our wheels. It is useless to wonder why he wouldn’t fight Manny, and it will be even more useless to question why he waited so long to agree to terms if he does eventually make a deal.

However, the one thing that is known is Floyd’s brand will take a hit the longer he takes to say yes or no, especially if he says no to the fight.

Mayweather did himself a real disservice by talking to TNT tonight because he had nothing new to say and couldn’t guide us one way or the other, although most people will take it as a negative response to the fight happening. If he didn’t have any real news, then he shouldn’t ‘ve said anything. He wanted it known that Pacquiao hasn’t signed, despite reports that he has indeed put pen to paper.

If Floyd wants it known that Pacquiao hasn’t signed, then there are better ways of handling it. If Pacquiao actually hasn’t signed, then Floyd would do wonders for his reputation if he called Pacquiao’s bluff, although that is dangerous if he doesn’t really want the fight.

The more Floyd regurgitates the same words regarding the fight being made, the more fans will turn on him, and I’m not talking about Floyd detractors because they’ve been on that side of the fence. I’m talking about his loyal fans, the ones that claim he’s never been anything but the kind of warrior that takes on the best competitors.

Floyd should refrain from speaking of the fight until he can definitively say yes or no to a fight with Pacquiao. He is clearly overestimating his popularity by doing otherwise.