Mayweather-De La Hoya: The Battle for Cinco de Mayo

    6
    1260

    floyd-mayweatherOscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. once shared a ring back on May 5th, 2007. As the sport’s two biggest stars of the modern era, it was fitting that they took part in what would become the biggest fight in recent history and the reference point for all big fight aspirations from that moment on as it pertains to PPV numbers.

    They set the PPV buys record (2.4M), not to mention a few other records along the way, and the number continues to stump all who dare strive to best it, including Mayweather himself.

    It was a great night for boxing and for a few weeks the sport was at the forefront of mainstream news outlets.

    It wasn’t a coincidence that the sport’s biggest fight took place on the sport’s biggest night, Cinco de Mayo. The holiday has become the premiere night for boxing’s biggest fights and promoters have continued to exploit this day, and reap all its advantages.

    All these years later and the two box-office heavyweights are still embattled in conflict with Cinco de Mayo as their backdrop.

    Mayweather Jr. recently gave an interview to Ben Thompson of Fighthype.com and his words regarding De La Hoya were laced with the kind of animosity that would have you think he’s gearing up for a second fight with his Mexican rival.

    “De La Hoya is a piece of shit. Oscar is a snake,” exclaimed Mayweather Jr. when discussing Golden Boy’s decision to bring Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez back to HBO from Showtime.

    The comments are harsh and seem to come from a genuine moral standpoint involving business ethics, but they aren’t. Floyd knows that Canelo going to HBO means that the potential for increased competition is heavier than ever before, but we’ll get to that.

    I don’t want to pick Floyd’s comments apart, but in the interview he called De La Hoya “disloyal.” That is the pot calling the kettle black.

    Floyd recently hired Alex Ariza, the most disloyal person in the fight game. A man known for bouncing around the opposing camps of his previous clientele, Ariza has shattered his reputation for remaining loyal to any future fighters, Floyd included.

    Floyd has also recently stated that a change is coming in his team and many believe that his right-hand man, and one of Floyd’s most trusted allies, Leonard Ellerbe is on his way out, though no confirmation has come as of yet.

    Not to mention the fact, Floyd himself left HBO not too long ago to partner with Showtime, which was definitely his prerogative, but why is De La Hoya “disloyal” for making the same kind of move in what he believes is the right move for his fighter?

    These comments could stem from some recent comments De La Hoya made regarding his intentions to pit Canelo against lineal middleweight champion Miguel Cotto, rumors are he and Arum will begin negations in the coming months for a fight next year, specifically on, you guessed, May 2nd, otherwise known as Cinco de Mayo weekend.

    De La Hoya believes Mayweather-Pacquiao, the biggest fight that can be made in boxing, is no longer as in demand as it once was. DLH feels as though Canelo-Cotto has taken its place and that while there is still a desire to see Mayweather-Pacquiao, fans are in doubt that it will ever actually take place.

    He’s right and wrong about his feelings: right because fans are tired and unconvinced Mayweather-Pacquiao will ever happen, but wrong if he thinks that his notion is recent, as fans have been tired for quite a while now.

    “People are getting tired. They want to see it (Mayweather-Pacquiao) and they can’t see it. They’re getting tired of asking and asking, whereas here, with Canelo and Cotto, if you ask you’re going to get it because both fighters want it,” De La Hoya was quoted as saying.

    Canelo, too, has been adamant about “taking back” the Cinco de Mayo date. All of this spells trouble for fight fans if Mayweather decides to fight in the first half of the year because if he does fight he will undoubtedly compete for the date.

    In actuality, it will be De La Hoya and Canelo competing for the date as Mayweather has been fighting on Cinco de Mayo weekend for years now. There is a chance Floyd doesn’t fight, but he may be inclined to compete out of pride, and it will be smart for his brand to do so.

    In the interview with Thompson, Mayweather addressed the speculation of Golden Boy’s attempt to compete for the May date.

    “Listen, do it! Do it! If they feel like they can compete, well then let’s see,” Mayweather said in response to a potential Golden Boy/Top Rank challenge for a dueling May promotion.

    To a random outside viewer, a non-hardcore fan, this may seem like a power move being perpetrated by two ego driven individuals not used to bowing down to others. However, there is a real issue at hand and the winner of the May date will set an important precedent for years to come.

    Boxing isn’t as thriving as it once was and critics continue to make claims that boxing is either dead or on its deathbed. That’s simply not true.

    It is true that boxing isn’t as popular in the main stream news coverage as it was in the era of the heavyweights, but the Hispanic population in America has kept boxing profitable. That is what makes Cinco de Mayo an important date to the sport’s elite.

    The biggest fighters are expected to fight on that day, and promoters know it. The person(s) that control this date have an advantage over the competition. That is why both Mayweather and De La Hoya are so adamant about this date.

    But it is deeper than that for fans.

    If you’ll indulge me for a moment and allow me to get a bit romantic, Cinco de Mayo isn’t just a day that fight fans, especially Hispanic fight fans, view boxing. On this day, boxing is celebrated. Some of my earliest memories of this holiday aren’t of me and my family celebrating our roots. Instead, it was about throwing fight parties with friends and family gathered to view the spectacle that only a big fight can create.

    These moments were used to bond with one another, enjoy great BBQ, and perhaps sneak a first sip of beer. Perhaps these aren’t the kind of memories that everyone shares, but it is the epitome of what the fight game can give on its biggest stage.

    Over the years the holiday as it relates to boxing has become tarnished, monopolized for its monetary value.

    The fight for Cinco de Mayo has bigger implications for fight fans than both Mayweather and De La Hoya probably realize, or perhaps they’ve lost touch of its true insight.

    With a big 2015 on the horizon, both of these men know as promoters they have to take whatever edge they can get in the battle for the top spot in boxing. The tide hasn’t shifted, but a storm is coming. You throw Bob Arum and Al Haymon into the mix and it could get epic, or tragic.

    This is the first big battle between Golden Boy and whichever advisory rises up, whether it be Mayweather or Haymon.

    I don’t know who is better for boxing anymore, maybe neither of them as long as they’re unwilling to work together. But only one man can win and I highly doubt both men will fight on that day.

    For the sake of semantics, let’s say they do compete head-to-head. The question comes down to this: Will fight fans stick with the biggest fighter in the world in a meaningless, noncompetitive contest, or will fans chose to get behind the young cash cow facing off against the battle tested Miguel Cotto?

    Mayweather has the numbers and history on his side as it pertains to the May date, but Canelo-Cotto is the kind of Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry that embodies the Cinco de Mayo holiday.

    They won’t compete on the same night, and one side will win, but the question will remain the same and the winner will receive the spoils. Let’s just hope they don’t spoil the tradition in the process.