Manny Pacquiao: To make history, just be like Floyd

As of two weeks ago, this fight was a lock. Fast forward to today, August 3rd, 2009, and there are more questions surrounding this issue than those facing the rising odds of a healthcare reform in the U.S.

Among the biggest obstacles is still the question of the WBO strap being on the line. One major issue seems simple to overcome, but the way that issue is resolved will impact all other details involved.

If the strap is on the line regardless, who's to say that Cotto has to follow through with Team Pacquiao's request to enter the ring at 145lbs?

If Cotto stunts the whole fight by showing up at the welterweight limit (147lbs) for the weigh in, and subsequently enters the ring at a near 160lbs like he has in the past, will Pacquiao go through with the fight under those terms?

He would have to if his pledge to become 7-time world champion in 7 different weight divisions can be realized, but would it be worth the disadvantage?

I said a week ago that I felt Arum had announced this fight to the world before it was signed for a reason, and we now find out why. He was under the impression that this move, along with the media buzz around the globe would force the fighters to conform and sign, but he's now learning these guys are not only fighters in the ring. They also fight outside of it, to make their position inside of it a bit easier to handle.

This is just another example of what continues to plague our sport.

You have a sanctioning organization that is more concerned about getting paid than it is about anything else. For those Pacquiao fans who think the WBO has their back, think again. This is about money.

The WBO only wants to get paid their $150K. If both fighters agree to terms, they will make more, but if all else fails, they want atleast that amount, which they would get, even if Cotto abandons the strap and allows Team Pacquiao to pay the cost to earn it.

These type of politics continue to hurt what some refer to as a dying sport.

In the midst of it all, you have Pacquiao, eager to fight anyone, yet his promoter has only given him one option for reasons that only benefit him (Arum).

You have Miguel Cotto who's eager to face anyone as well, but not willing to do it in a fashion that calls for him to concede to a smaller purse, a lower weight, and with the title on the line as well.

This fiasco continues to get wilder by the day, and there's no end in sight.

At the end of the day, this fight negotiation all comes down to two things.

How much Pacquiao wants a shot at breaking history, and how much he plans to give up for that shot? Arum (who has his own agenda) is not gonna back out and substitute Cotto with Mosley, which means that there has to be more give and take from Team Pacquiao.

If they want the title on the line, the weight limit will inevitably need to go up. If they don't agree to it, Cotto has no pressure to meet their 145lb limit, and many expect him to train for a regular 147lb fight and weigh in at that weight, which won't matter because the bout won't be sanctioned as a defense of his title anyhow.

Cotto has not agreed to enter no heavier than 145lbs, and you can firmly believe that he won't.

So Cotto's position (whether we agree or not) is to stand pat. Neither Arum or Pacquiao can make him do anything else.

My resolution....Let Cotto get his extra two pounds. Oscar De la Hoya had an extra four pounds on Mayweather, but it didn't stop the smaller man from being more effective.

Floyd gave Oscar the higher weight and totally destroyed him with speed and defense. Oscar threw 106 more punches, yet Floyd landed 85 more. Pure execution.

Pacquiao has that same ability, and in this case for history, sense Arum won't swap to a Mosley fight for personal reasons, Team Pacquiao may have to adopt that same philosphy.

If they can't, this fight for history will in fact be history.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-845-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d3-Manny-Pacquiao-To-make-history-just-be-like-Floyd