Typical SI. A recent article covering the Pacquiao-Clottey fight spends more than 90% of its one-page coverage talking about the need for a Pac-PBF fight. It talks about how boxing needs this fight... otherwise fans will continue to gravitate from boxing toward "real" and exciting sports, like MMA. It talks about how Manny and Floyd need to face each other... otherwise both of their careers will have some sort of "giant asterisk" next to their names. It talks about Floyd like he's actually accomplished something worthwhile in the 147-pound division, to warrant a shot at Pacquiao.
You can tell the SI boxing writers are nothing but part of that huge casual fan base, that couldn't name 5 old time world-class boxers if their life depended on it. The article talks about the "instant gratification" attitude of most fans nowadays, and yet the author ironically has "instant gratification" syndrome coming out of his pores.
These short-sighted articles do nothing to advance the cause of boxing wih the casual fans. All it does is perpetuate the myths that most of these casual fans have. I miss the old time writers, the ones that used to cover the Ali-Frazier fights, or the fights from the golden 1980's.
Again... just because Floyd is the U.S.'s only candidate for the mythical title of p4p, it doesn't justify continuing to carry the torch for a guy that has fought once in the last couple of years, and THAT fight was a hand-picked, gross size mismatch against a willing, but totally overwhelmed opponent. Floyd gave up his right to brag about anything a long time ago. He should have stayed at 135 or 140, where he can truly be a force. Pacquiao doesn't NEED Floyd. Floyd NEEDS Pacquiao. Manny has continued fighting, defying the odds, and beating fighters that no one have him a shot of defeating. He comes to fight... he's exciting to watch... and he has remained humble throughout. My kinda guy.
But back to SI... either hire competent, knowledgeable boxing writers to do the sport justice... or stay out of boxing altogether and stick with the NFL, NBA, MLB, and those other sports you cover so well.
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