(PUBLISHED ARTICLE) Ring Stories: If Manny Pacquaio Were to Get Caught With Steroids

In sports, stats are a huge part in creating a skillful image of a certain team or player. Each year a team or player starts at zero. Whether it's a win/loss record or individual stats; they get another chance year after year to simply start over.

In the sport of boxing, a fighter doesn't get that chance to start at zero again. Once a fighter loses it can haunt them for the rest of their career. Their are only a select few champions that have kept their loss record at zero.

The pressure of keeping your win streak becomes all-time highs, at more accomplished stages in a fighters career. One loss can ruin one of the most glittering careers.
Boxing is indeed very different than other sports.

For example, retirement talks have been circulating around Ricky Hatton more and more these days. He has only seen defeat twice and to the two best fighters of our era.

Indeed boxing has more risk than other sports; but for some, that's all the more reason to enhance your physical ability. To prevent losses and extend your career. To become the best in the spectators eye.

But with the use of a steroids, it can add more risk to an "accomplished" career.
It's the biggest fall a fighter can have; especially if he has done so much in the ring.

Manny Pacquiao has indeed accomplished more in the ring than any boxer today. Steroid accusations dims them a little, but with the source not being sufficient enough to derail his train, he is still the most electrifying fighter today.

But, how electrifying would Pacquiao be if the world were to discover he has been using steroids to garner more fame.

A dirty blood test from one of the best and most popular fighters on the planet would, in short, hurt the sport of boxing.

Boxing has been showing tremendous advancements in viewers and in popularity recently. A dirty test would halt all trains for the entire sport.

A potential fight with Floyd Mayweather would definitely be out of the question. His good guy image would surely turn into one of a villain, as if it had been scripted in a WWE storyline.

He probably would'nt be able to schedule a midnight concert after his fights any longer. Because in the back of our minds we will all be thinking "Milli Vanilli."

But in all seriousness, Pacquiao would not be seen as a great anymore. The spotlight on his achievements would catapult the status of a rival.

Floyd Mayweather.

Mayweather would benefit the most from a Pacquiao steroid fall-out. One, he would not have to face the Filipino star. Two, it's the easiest way to jump back to the pound for pound number one spot.

Three, he'd be right. He'd be correct in his recent accusations of Pacquiao. With his newfound testament of "cleaning up the sport," Mayweather would indeed seem like a hero.

A Mayweather-Cotto fight would intrigue the world of boxing once again. But with a more predictable outcome than before.

The sport would dry up because the main attraction would be Mayweather. Not to say that Mayweather would be the reason. The line of opponents that Pacquiao left a trail of, would be the only logical opponents Mayweather would have to face.

Either Mayweather would face them and defeat them like everyone expects, or he would use an excuse to say that they have already been exposed to the point where it doesn't makes sense.
The biggest fights would indeed center Mayweather, but against the likes of a Matthew Hatton, or unknown prospects like Saul Alvarez.

Boxing would lose.

A Paul Williams bout would loom, but nothing would exceed a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown.
Boxing would turn in so many directions.

The more efficient defeats of Hatton and De La Hoya, by the hands of Pacquaio will all seem like a myth.

Ricky Hatton will then come back and have enough confidence to regain his 140 pound title back. De La Hoya would come back to fight Mayweather again, and win. No, I take that back he'd lose worst than before, I'm just surfing through thoughts of "what ifs."

But all "what ifs" aside, Manny Pacquiao is innocent until proven guilty. And right now he is carrying boxing on his back.

Hopefully he doesn't trip on any PEDs.

Bryant Maxwell can be reached at mailto:maxwritings@gmail.com

The Morrow Plot

Tragedy struck but I can't Complain,
Strained from my adolescence.
Trying to be the best at...
Still flexed at, the mirror today.

Is it that my mind has gone astray?
Wait! Too Cliche brain,
Flames from my deepest secrets.
Keeps my darkness reapin',
The struggle.
Prayin to the one above you, Keep.
Because The fleet is nothing more than a sheet,
Blinding the weaknesses of my counter attack.
In fact, it's only me.
Alone, without a bone to pick.
Without a pot...
I Got, Nowhere to go,
Nowhere to be.
See, the word lifts us when we are down,
Frowns our mouths' into smiles.
While building up where torn,
When whats born, releases scorn,
And what has left,
Feels like a direct cause of theft.

I should have called the cops on you,
Still Blue, Sorrows I yearned.
But learned, life is what earth borrows.
So until tomorrow...

~B. K. Maxwell

(PUBLISHED ARTICLE) B/R Mailbag: Manny Pacquiao and Steroids; Floyd Mayweather's Next Opponent

During the last mailbag, the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao bout was still in negotiations. What a wild three weeks it has been. The bout is off, and they are poised to face different fighters.

Mar. 13 is the date for the bout between Pacquiao and tough Joshua Clottey. Clottey is obviously happy about the bout, because he has yet to administer any blood test demands and sacrifice maybe the biggest purse of his career.

Meanwhile, Mayweather has been stuck in the dark. Talks about potential opponents Nate Campbell, Paulie Mallignaggi, (who are junior welterweights), and Matthew Hatton are in progress. Any one can see Mayweather winning all of these easily.

Mayweather has been a more safety-first boxer than a boxer who would fight anyone for any fee. He's all business.

But then came the earthquake in Haiti, a tragedy so big that it affected the WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto and his potential unification bout with WBA titlist Shane Mosley.

Now all of a suddenly, boxing fans anticipate a Mayweather-Mosley bout, which would be a real treat, because it has the potential to actually be competitive—something that boxing fans have been yearning for in recent Mayweather fights.

Now, let's get to the mailbag. There were a lot of emailed questions and concerns in the past few weeks.

For inclusion in the B/R Mailbag, Bryant Maxwell can be reached at maxwritings@gmail.com. My responses are in italics.

Manny Pacquiao isn't on steroids

"I enjoy reading your mailbag...but I'm getting a little bit tired of some of your mailers who state..."come on, Manny's on ROIDS cuz he took Cotto's punch...he has to be..."

After re-watching PACQUIAO-COTTO, there's no doubt that Manny is getting hit...however, in the early rounds Manny's Head is "MOVING" ever so slightly...and he was even able to SLIP some of Cotto's punches where they hit his "shoulder."

As for him MOVING up in weight, Freddie Roach has stated in the past that Manny's best attribute is his SPEED. And since he didn't want to take away from his speed, the extra muscle mass was placed on his LOWER HALF of the body (his legs)...he did the same with AMIR KHAN when he moved up to 140. This would allow Manny to have a more SOLID BASE and theoretically take a punch better, while also adding to his explosiveness.

Another thing I noticed from the sixth round on is that Cotto was backing up and fighting on his BACK FOOT...so he wouldn't have the same power as he would coming forward throwing a punch...so Cotto's power had NO POP in the later rounds. Is it really hard to believe what he is doing?"

-Armand Giron

Thanks for the comment. Those were some insightful thoughts. I agree that the best way to move up in weight is to add mass below, if your biggest concern is maintaining speed.

Marquez more recently moved up in weight, but added mass heavily up top, evident from weigh-in pictures. That was a huge mistake. Floyd, clearly the faster man from the jump, was even faster.

Floyd also is a true believer of putting muscle in the lower body, but he has added more weight up top in his last few fights, most notably in the De La Hoya bout.

As for me, I hope Manny isn't doing anything illegal. I just feel that Mayweather is putting him in a lose-lose situation, to be honest, but you never know. It is definitely giving the potential fight more press.

Cotto has been criticized for being flat-footed; he'd be a lot more powerful if he had mobility. And besides that fight, he really hasn't been hit too much. Hatton, De La Hoya and Diaz haven't really gotten good enough shots on him to test his chin. Thanks.

________________________________________________________________________

Manny hasn't beaten any prime opponents

"In your p4p list, you said 'unlike Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao has beaten a prime welterweight.' Can I ask, Bryant, what prime welterweight has Pacquiao fought?"

-Toby Gibson

Cotto was a more prime welterweight than any one Floyd has fought at the weight. He's also signing for Clottey, that further proves my point of prime welters for Pac.

Don't give me that Cotto was affected by his first loss. He came back against another prime welter in Clottey and beat him, and if you feel that both Clottey and Cotto are not prime, then you aren't seeing the welterweight division as having any prime candidates, because if Berto would have fought and defeated Mosley, Mosley will then be placed as a non-prime fighter.

How can one of the best divisions be flooded with washed-up fighters? If Cotto isn't a prime fighter in the division, then who is? Remember, a lot of people gave Cotto a reasonable chance to beat Pacman. I didn't.

________________________________________________________________________

Manny is hiding something

"Come on Max, you can't ignore the present climate of steroids in sports. Everyone laughed at Canseco when he "ratted" out all his buddies, and look at baseball now. And what about Teddy Atlas' story a couple of days ago about the Pac man camp asking that "if tested" that the results be sealed, sounds real fishy.

I'm shocked too that they would walk away from 40 million. I think that they should use the Olympic style testing because it is the best plus it leaves no doubt! The reason Pac wanted 30 days is that there are different type of cycles; there are 4,6 and 8 week cycles and you can use the drug called "clear" to mask the test.

Shane Mosley was on this when he beat Oscar and those wins should be taken away but went "UNDETECTED". Floyd is not asking Pac to do anything that he wouldn't do. Lets make it an even play field. That's not to much too ask for."

-Duane Foster

You are right, and I completely agree on some parts. Mayweather would do the same test. Have you read my article about Pacquiao's legacy being ruined by Teddy Atlas' shocking details ? I'm not saying he is hiding something, but he can really damage his image if he let's a mere 10 days keep him from fighting the biggest fight in boxing.

He gives all these excuses about how he is afraid of needles when he has multiple tattoos. That isn't right. Mayweather had compromised to 14 days before, but the Pacquiao camp still wouldn't budge. Fourteen days is enough time to regain strength from blood loss. He has been said to be mentally damaged for a few days after he gets blood drawn.

I just hope that he isn't hiding the fact that the drugs he may be using won't clear out of his system for at least 24 days. It'll really be bad for boxing. He should just take the test and shut Mayweather up in the ring. It'll say wonders about him, and potentially save his image. Thanks.

________________________________________________________________________

Floyd is great and Pacquiao is a cheat

"You make no sense in your article . Cotto wouldn't of stood a chance against Mayweather. Cotto is garbage, flat footed, and has been in a lot of wars. To say that he would of been a worthy fighter for Mayweather is just ridiculous.

Think for a minute not about Mayweather picking that fight, but about Cotto trying to rebound his career. Coming off a horrible loss, do you really think Bob Arum wants Cotto to face the best in the world and get utterly destroyed and take unbearable damage.

Trust me, Cotto's good, but would have gotten utterly destroyed by Mayweather. If anything Cotto respects Mayweather's skill way too much. You can even see in the Manny Pacquiao fight, Cotto tries to mimic Floyd's 'philly shell' in a bitter attempt to defend Manny's barrage.

Oh and also, you mentioned at the end of your article "And Manny Pacquiao beats everyone including Cotto, and becomes the boxing icon that Floyd Mayweather could have been." You forgot to mention this cheater is nothing but a cheater. Manny had moved up seven weight classes in such fashion. HGH Anyone? The man turned down $40 million because of a blood test? May I say more?

You and I both know Floyd Mayweather is the true 'king of boxing.' Don't try and make up silly stories that he is replaced by Manny "Pacroid."

-Maxwell Fillatre

I agree that Mayweather would have been victorious, but you aren't giving Cotto any credit here. When the fight was presented at their peaks, Cotto had a good chance, and a potential for a bout like that would have been huge. Cotto wasn't exposed until afterward.

Floyd would have probably picked him apart with pot shots, but it's an anticipation story that has nothing to do with my boxing logic, just what was going through my head in anticipation of the fight.

One thing that Floyd lacks, other than high-end opponents, is that he hasn't been in the kind of war that has defined so many careers. Before Cotto was exposed, that fight had the potential to be one. But what if Floyd was cut, by a headbutt or something? How would he have responded?

When the bout was presented, people compared it to Duran-Leonard. And although Leonard was the better guy between the two, and Duran had been a lifelong lightweight, Leonard actually lost the first battle. Styles make fights, and it could have been a great one if it would have happened. Thanks.

________________________________________________________________________

Mayweather is in a lose-lose situation

"The Berto-Mosley fight has been called off and everyone is talking about Mosley against Mayweather. Mayweather will beat him and not get the credit he deserves. The first thing everyone will say if Mosley is lackluster, is that he be a old man. Mosley is the only logical opponent. If Mayweather beats Paul Williams, he wouldn't get the credit he deserved because Paul nearly lost to Sergio Martinez. When will he ever get his due?"

-Jesse Farmer

Hi Jesse, Mosley has been considered past his prime since his lackluster fight with Ricardo Mayorga. But the media and fans somehow revitalized his career after the destruction of Margarito. It's funny how things work in boxing.

I agree that because of Mosley's age, Mayweather won't get the credit, but he is used to it; we still watch him, and that is all he cares about.

Now for Paul Williams: he fought a quality opponent in Martinez. And if Mayweather were to beat Williams, I think he'd get the same type of credit he has been getting from his destruction of Diego Corrales. Mayweather is clearly giving up all his advantages in weight, age and size. Williams' punch output is one of the highest in boxing and reach is as long as the Klitschkos'. I think even if Paul Williams were Shane's age, a Mayweather defeat over Williams would do wonders for his legacy.

________________________________________________________________________

Best boxer other than Pacquiao and Mayweather

"Every time I see a boxing rankings, Mayweather and Pacquiao are always one and two. If you could pick a boxer who is probably underrated and may be on the level of these two who would it be? For me it is Shane Mosley. I think he deserves more spotlight and is one of the best boxers today behind Manny and Mayweather."

-Travis Barker

Chad Dawson.

Bryant Maxwell can be reached at maxwritings@gmail.com.

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Vote Now! - Author Poll

Is Pacquiao on any type of illegal enhancement drug?

• Yes
• No

vote to see results

Results - Author Poll

Is Pacquiao on any type of illegal enhancement drug?

• Yes

  17.7%

• No

  82.3%
• Total votes: 226

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(PUBLISHED ARTICLE) Ring Stories: If Mike Tyson Would Have Never Been Convicted of Rape

Mike Tyson will go down as one of the most fierce champions of all time.

The way he dismantled the minds of fighters before he even stepped in the ring was a tactic that couldn't be taught in a gym. He would scare the pants off other fighters, making his night in the ring an easy one.

Out of his 44 KOs, he managed 22 of them in the first round alone. Which was astonishing. Riding high, and considered invincible until his untimely KO loss to James "Buster" Douglas in 1990.

A bout that would have pitted him against a prime Holyfield, who was undefeated and searching for his first title in the heavyweight division after cleaning out the cruiserweights.

After one of the biggest fights in the history of boxing, Mike Tyson vowed that he would become champion again in six months. But he wouldn't become champion again for another six years.

Not because he couldn't get it back inside the ring; but because he wasn't allowed to due to a rape conviction that took away four years of his career.

But what if Tyson would have never been convicted of rape? Before he was sent to prison, he was scheduled to fight Holyfield.

Holyfield was then the undisputed champion; dismantling Douglas quickly by KO. Tyson would have went against Holyfield who was flying high at the time.

A Holyfield who was light years better than the version that shocked the world in a match with Tyson in 1996.

Tyson would have lost this fight as well with Evander. After losing for the first time, Tyson came into his bouts sluggish and without the aura of invincibility that once defeated his opponents before he even stepped into the ring.

His two fights with "Razor" Ruddock before prison showed Tyson's decline mentally as an unbeatable fighter. Ruddock more than held his own, delivering crushing blows to Tyson.

Tyson showed little skill in these two fights, and defensively he began to take a lot of shots because of his aggressive nature offensively began to arise. His tactics were sloppy and the Cus D'Amato-acquired confidence and skills had officially left him.

He became a head-hunter and threw all that tactical knowledge he had out of the door.

The other contenders in the pool of heavyweights that Tyson missed because of his time in jail were light years ahead of the caliber of fighters he faced that flooded that flooded dry heavyweight division of the 80's.

To get back to his championship ways, he would have had to obviously go through Holyfield. Even if he had defeated him at that time, he would have had Michael Moorer. A fight that would have been very difficult tactically but I think Tyson would have KO'd him in Foreman fashion.

George Foreman was also standing in the way. A fight with Foreman was talked about after his imprisonment but his "bite" fight with Holyfield got him suspended for a year, and upon his return, Foreman had retired.

Riddick Bowe was the ruler of those four years that Tyson was out of action. Also a fighter that he'd lose to down the road, Lennox Lewis, would also have been a gate keeper to the throne.

This road back to boxing supremacy would have been so tough for Tyson. Especially after the most devastating defeat in his life. He might have been able to do it. But there was one thing that was intriguing about all but one fighter in the group that was just named.

They were all in their primes. At the time they were all considered future Hall of Famer's.

Tyson escaped the deep waters of the last great heavyweight class of fighters in their primes, through a rape conviction. During Tyson's stay in prison, he saw the defeats of Holyfield by Bowe. Moorer's KO loss to Foreman. Holyfield's decision over Foreman. Moorer's win over Holyfield and loss. And Bowe's ducking of Lewis, which resulted in him throwing his championship belt in the trash relinquishing his title eventually to Lewis.

After prison, those fighters had pretty much been through WWIII, and Tyson missed it. Regaining his title from unworthy opponents. And losses to Holyfield and more controversy delayed a fight with Lewis upon his return.

Tyson could have been considered one of the greatest heavyweights ever with spirited wins over these opponents in their primes, or his accomplishments in the 1980's would have withered in sorrow due to him being exposed by a stable of more than capable champions.

It was clear that Tyson was not in his prime when matched up against the likes of Lewis in 2002, or even Holyfield in 1996. But a fight with them while they were all prime fighters is what boxing needed to validate the true talents of these great warriors.

What a great four years of heavyweight boxing that would have been if Tyson was involved.

Who knows? Maybe Tyson would have run through them all. Or maybe that rape conviction saved him of further disappointment.

Physically, he could have beaten anyone, but mentally after the loss to Douglass he wasn't all there; evident of him admitting that his "career ended in 1990."

Bryant Maxwell can be reacheed at maxwritings@gmail.com

(PUBLISHED ARTICLE)Ring Stories: If Floyd Mayweather Would Have Fought Miguel Cotto

To be among the greatest boxers of all-time, one must come within distance of all the greats who have passed before him.

Sugar Ray Robinson is widely considered one of the greatest boxers ever. Some people attempt to talk their way into being called the best fighter on the planet. Robinson showed it in the ring.

Robinson was 85-0 as an amateur with 69 of those victories coming by way of KO, 40 in the first round. He turned professional in 1940 at the age of 19 and by 1951 had a professional record of 128-1-2 with 84 knockouts.His only defeat came by the hands of Jake Lamotta; which he avenged five times.

Today, records like that probably won't be seen again. But it wasn't about the records. Robinson beat everyone at his weight class. He fought everyone they put him against and never backed down.

Today, fighters like that probably won't be seen again.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is no question the most skillful boxer in the world today. He boasts a 40-0 record with 25 KOs. He has fought some great fighters, but the knock on Floyd is that he leaves a lot of fighters out there on the table.

During his march up in weight classes, Mayweather left a trail of fighters out there that would solidified his greatness. Instead bypassing prime fighters like, Acelino Freitas, Paul Spadafora, Joel Casamayor, Kostya Tszyu, Antonio Margarito, and Miguel Cotto, has placed a black mark on a great career.

One fighter that he did face that was of a seemingly high demand, was Ricky Hatton. A spirited win boosted Mayweather even higher on the ladder of the generations greatest fighters.

In the tenth round of his bout with Ricky Hatton, Floyd Mayweather lured Hatton into the corner of the ring and delivered a "check" left hook and Hatton flew head first into the ring post.

Not long after Hatton had been stopped via TKO. Mayweather had just been the first fighter to ever beat Hatton, and he did so in great fashion.

Coming off a great win against Hatton, Mayweather was in talks for a rematch with Oscar De La Hoya, whom he had defeated by way of split-decision earlier in the year.

But Mayweather surprised the boxing world by calling it quits at the pinnacle of his career. Leaving millions on the table, and leaving fans, the sport, and also prime fighters behind.

That summer, about six weeks later; Miguel Cotto, who was undefeated and a real threat to Mayweather's throne, took on a fight with Antonio Margarito. Cotto—a betting favorite in the fight, and rightfully so—took his first defeat by the "hands" of Antonio Margarito.

Replace Margarito with Mayweather. If Mayweather had won, he would have beaten a prime welterweight. A fighter that many believe could defeat Mayweather at the time.

Throw all those fighters that he had bypassed out of the window. All of Mayweather's critics would have had to commend him on his guts and glory. Mayweather then could have looked at the crowd and the fans, instead of mocking and booing him, would have said, "job well done."

It would have been a fight of a Duran-Leonard magnitude. No more talks of Mayweather never fighting the best at their best. Instead of always referring to his destruction of Diego Corrales, which happened nearly a decade ago, this would be his greatest achievement.

Just as Duran, Leonard, Hagler and Hearns had done just a generation before, Mayweather would have had a career defining fight. It wouldn't have been too far a stretch to place Mayweather's name in the same sentence as those guys.

Mayweather-Cotto could have been talked about for years. It was clearly a matchup worth seeing. Two undefeated welterweights in their primes.

It could have went something like this...

MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas NV.

Eleventh Round. Mayweather circles around Cotto. Cotto has been coming on late in the rounds and he has Mayweather cut over his right eye. Mayweather is bleeding from his nose and referee Tony Weeks has been in and out of Mayweather's corner warning them about a potential stoppage on cuts. Mayweather leans on the ropes, rolling his shoulders to the rhythm of Cotto's crushing body blows.

Cotto should be working on Mayweather's right eye but continues to send thunderous shots to Mayweather's mid-section. Mayweather built an early lead but Cotto has fired back, and for the first time in his career, Mayweather looks hurt. He looks like he's hanging on to the final bell in each round. Mayweather slides off the ropes. Throws a left jab to Cotto's body. A straight right that wobbles Cotto. Cotto is retreating now.

Mayweather is stepping forward for the first time in a long time. Mayweather stuns Cotto with a leaping left hook that look like he pulled all of his strength into it. Cotto tries to tie up Mayweather, but Mayweather raises up and delivers a crushing left hook and right upper-cut combination that sends Cotto down on one knee.

He beats the count but Mayweather flurries with blistering combos until the bell sounds. Cotto is saved by the bell. Cotto is on shaky grounds walking to his corner and falls down repeatedly. Referee Tony Weeks checks on the fallen champion and Miguel Cotto is waved off in-between rounds. Floyd Mayweather drops to his knees in celebration.

What a fight that could have been. What a fight the fans could have witnessed. But it didn't happen that way.

Cotto loses to Margarito.

Floyd retires early.

And Manny Pacquiao beats everyone including Cotto, and becomes the boxing icon that Floyd Mayweather could have been.

Bryant Maxwell can be reached at maxwritings@gmail.com

(PUBLISHED ARTICLE) With Manny Pacquiao Gone, Floyd Mayweather Has No Where To Go But 'Down'

The March 13 bout with Manny Pacquiao has been cancelled. This announcement was heard all over the world with Bob Arum stating, "The fight's off."

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has demanded his way out of a potential $40 million fight with the Filipino star. What does he have to show for it?

Nothing.

Floyd Mayweather may be one of the biggest names in boxing. He's one of the biggest talents today. He's one of the biggest PPV draws.

But without Manny Pacquiao as a potential opponent, who else do the fans want to see? The winner of "Sugar" Shane Mosley and Andre Berto would be the obvious choice but they are locked in for a bout later this month.

Paul Williams is another huge choice. This maybe the most competitive fight for Mayweather.

But the thing is, Mayweather doesn't want to fight these guys, at least not at this moment. The big knock on Mayweather is the fact that he has so much talent but he has never really been tested.

He is afraid to test himself.

In my opinion, I think he would defeat these fighters that were just named but he has made him himself out to be some "cash cow" and says that he doesn't take on fighters who aren't PPV attractions.

This was one of his reasons for taking on Juan Manuel Marquez over Shane Mosley in his comeback fight.

It was a reason he chose not to fight Cotto. And also Margarito. All of these fighters would have greatly improve his chances of being called one of the greatest if they were all victims of his talent in the ring.

But the omittance of these fighters on his resume is a huge black mark to an otherwise glittering career.

No doubt that early in his career he fought fighters that were real threats to his unblemished record. But for him now, boxing is a business, evident from the ongoing instances which he believes that "legacy doesn't pay bills."

But I bet the Manny Pacquiao fight would have paid a lot of bills, Floyd. And at the same time built upon a great legacy.

This type of fight doesn't come around often. And negotiations have blown it thus far.

So what options does Floyd actually have?

Matthew Hatton? There are rumors that a fight with Ricky Hattons brother will be Floyd's next "victim." This is a joke and a far cry from the Pacquiao fight. This can actually do his legacy much harm.

Paulie Malignaggi was also another name that has come up, but this fight has no significance either. These two fights along with others will cause his legacy to suffer.

Maybe Floyd can drop down a weight class, and fight some of the young guns there. The likes of Amir Khan, Timothy Bradley, and Devon Alexander are hot shots in that division. But irony would ring if he chose anyone of that nature. Because although they are great fighters that may cause Floyd some trouble, "They aren't PPV attractions" as he once stated.

The fact is, Mayweather can't retire without fighting Pacquiao. And if he does, his otherwise shining career would be placed under a dim light in the Hall of Fame.

Bryant Maxwell can be reached at maxwritings@gmail.com

(PUBLISHED ARTICLE) Manny Pacquiao's Legacy is Ruined

There comes a time when an athlete reaches the ultimate peak of his career. In that moment, whether it lasts a day, an hour or even a second, that athlete is the best that he will ever be for the rest of his life to come.

It is even more evident in the sport of boxing. A sport that relies heavily on ones physical nature. A nature that is so overwhelmingly important, it can not only determine their own personal success, but also the perception of invincibility to spectators.

Being invincible in the sport of boxing is a notion that lies buried in the inner thoughts of those who see a fighter that is unbeatable at that very moment in their career.

When that special type of fighter comes along, and exceeds all expectations to a degree which can only be seen in fairy tales; that embedded thought of invincibility rises above it's grave deep inside our brains and it stays there, rambling through our minds every time we witness him honing his craft in the ring.

That very moment we forget that the fighter is human.

That this perceived invincibility has a clock ticking in its background. Waiting for that moment to come that will spell doom for his physical talent.

A loss can take it all away and a new ticking clock appears at the boundary of that fighters career.

But in Manny Pacquiao's case, no one has beaten him in the ring of late. He is believed to be one of the greatest fighters of his generation. His perceived invincibility has stayed intact in the ring.

But out of the ring, the substance that potentially lies in his bloodstream, can raise questions in the minds of his dearest supporters.

The dedication and hard work that was once believed to be the pedigree to his success, is replaced by accusations from "sources" who believe that his accomplishments have been aided by a force that has notoriously been the cause of so many great athletes downfall.

A respected figure in boxing, Teddy Atlas, gave viewers on a telecast of Friday Night Fights , a reason to believe that Pacquiao has cheated his way into our mental state and buried lies of hard work and earned success.

"From sources that told me, they said that people in the Pacquiao camp sent a couple of e-mails to the Mayweather camp a few weeks ago, about 2-3 weeks ago," Atlas said.

"And the first e-mail was 'What would the penalty be if our guy tested positive?' And the second e-mail was 'If he did test positive, could we keep this a secret for the benefit of boxing? Now, if that's true, again, that doesn't prove anything definitively, but you have to wonder why those questions were being asked."

This statement doesn't actually prove anything.

But just as the Filipino star has flooded our minds with images of his unbeatable nature due to his rising "accomplishments," Atlas places a dam to stop the overflow of potential lies and deceit.

One doesn't have to believe Atlas or any other accusations, but just as he was once perceived unstoppable, this entire blood test debacle will continue lie buried in the back of our heads, even if he passes the test with flying colors. Then we are still left wondering if his previous accolades were accomplished with the aid of a steroid.

And wondering if his current actions of reluctance to take a few blood tests, even though it may make him one of the richest fighters in history, are in fact a sign that he is hiding something.

And his legacy that he may have built up with hard work in the gym, may be torn down by a steroid cloud, storming in the depths of peoples minds.

"If you ask those people, they're going to say one thing: 'Why would you walk away from $30 million on the table just not to take some blood, just not to take a test. If you're clean, what do you have to hide?'...the regular man—the common man—has a right to think that and say that." -Teddy Atlas

Bryant Maxwell can be reached at maxwritings@gmail.com

(PUBLISHED ARTICLE) No Manny Pacquiao, But Floyd Mayweather Gets Into Scuffle With Rapper Instead

For boxing fans, the mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao so far has proven to disappoint. With the fight being called off, the fans are left wondering who would two of boxing's biggest stars fight next, if not each other.

Manny Pacquiao has several options. With his promoter, Bob Arum, mentioning the likes of Paulie Malignaggi and Yuri Foreman in future bouts.

With Mayweather, it is unclear whom he will fight next in the ring.

But out of the ring we have a candidate. Famed rapper Rick Ross. According to TMZ, Mayweather almost got into an altercation with the rapper in Las Vegas.

The fight even had a referee. Sean "P. Diddy" Combs stepped in to stop the incident before it propelled any further.

If this is the kind of fight Mayweather wanted, then why didn't he just tell someone, instead of leading us on with this Pacquiao thing?

Mayweather likes "bigger" fish, I see.

Rick Ross outweighs Mayweather by more than 100 pounds.

TMZ reports that the scene went down at the grand opening of Vanity nightclub in the Hard Rock Hotel. The grand opening was hosted by P. Diddy. TMZ reports that Mayweather showed up at the party and ran into Ross. Rick Ross had been very vocal about the boxing star in videos and in public.

I see Mayweather couldn't run away from this fight. After Mayweather ran into the rapper, their entourages became extremely confrontational.

Until P. Diddy came in as referee "Joe Cortez" and put a halt to the altercation.

I guess Mayweather doesn't need Pacquiao or the possible $40 million he would have made in that fight. He can instead fight rappers, with celebrity guest referees, for free.

Only one question comes to mind after hearing this debacle:

How many days in advance did Rick Ross take his blood test, Floyd?

Bryant Maxwell can be reached at maxwritings@gmail.com

(PUBLISHED ARTICLE) Kimbo Slice is MMA's Top Watched Fighter in 2009

Kevin Ferguson, better known as Kimbo Slice, has been in the fight world for some time now. Slice has garnered many viewers on the web for his famed street fights. He has also gained criticism for being strictly a street fighter who hasn't developed a big enough skill-set to compete in MMA, and definitely not the UFC.

Slice made his MMA debut with a series of decisive wins against low profile and "over the hill" opponents, before being knocked out seconds in by Seth Petruzelli, late replacement for MMA legend Ken Shamrock, after Shamrock backed out of the fight due to injury.

Against James Thompson he set the record for the most watched MMA fight in history, when it was broadcast nationally on CBS.

Spectators thought that it may have been the end of Slice's short-lived MMA career at the hands of Petruzelli. But they were wrong.

During his Elite-XC, days he was portrayed as an unbeatable opponent, getting praise and comparisons to the likes of Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. His invincibility dampened by the likes of Petruzelli's "upset," Kimbo went into oblivion for a short period of time.

He resurrected with a career defining move. He set out to prove the media false, and more importantly prove to himself that he could compete with the best.

He tried out for UFC's Ultimate Fighter 10. Exclusively for the Heavyweights. Kimbo's biggest doubter, Dana White, was then challenged, as he had been very vocal about Slice's career.

"What has this guy done to get 10 million views on You-Tube?" Dana White said. But White had a plan. Casting Kimbo, having an uncanny ability to garner so much press and support and also criticism, made for a good business move.

Kimbo's first episode on the show received the biggest audience on Spike TV, proving that Slice's drawing power had not decreased.

The previous seasons of the Ultimate Fighter averaged about two million viewers per episode. This past season averaged over 3.5 million, according to Spike TV. The episode featuring Kimbo's first fight against eventual season 10 winner Roy Nelson had an average of 5.3 million viewers, including 6.1 million that tuned in during fight time.

In the entire season, White took another approach with Slice. Instead of displaying him as an invincible foe who would be erased with one loss, White displayed a fighter that showed progress, a fighter who would train hard to be the best but knew he wasn't.

White succeeded.

Kimbo Slice has since been portrayed as a fighter with a dream—a dream to prove his place in the biggest MMA promotion today: the UFC.

He got his chance.

Houston Alexander was to be his opponent—a fighter who was an aggressive standing fighter, a fighter who would trade punches with the heavy handed Slice. It would make for a great fight and welcome Slice into the UFC with a win.

Alexander circled the octagon the entire first round, making it even harder for Slice to display his power and his seemingly best chance to compete. But hard work pays off.

Kimbo beat him on the ground. What was thought to be a weakness of his, became a strength through hard work and dedication.

He didn't lose any fans. In fact, he may have gained supporters.

Slice, having earned a couple hundred dollars for a fight in the streets, earned $25,000 for the bout with Alexander. And another fight in the UFC.

Solidifying his keep in the company were the Nielsen numbers. Spike TV reported to MMA Weekly that his fight was the most watched fight on the card.

The Nielsen totals, including the live telecast and all replays for the following seven days, raised the average number of viewers for the Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson versus Houston Alexander fight up from 5.2 million for the live telecast to 6 million total.

Even minus the replay views, the numbers were still strong enough to make his fight with Alexander the most watched MMA fight in 2009.

With his Elite-XC fights and his two fights with the UFC, Kimbo Slice's last four matches have been firmly placed in the top 10 watched MMA fights in history.

Bryant Maxwell can be reached at maxwritings@gmail.com

(PUBLISHED ARTICLE)Mayweather-Pacquiao Update: Bob Arum Gives Floyd Mayweather the Final Deadline

The mega-fight between two of the worlds greatest fighters has been in a whirlwind of negotiations lately. If you haven't heard about it, maybe you have been sleeping under a rock. A very huge rock.

Or maybe a small planet.

The negotiations took another turn these past few days. Floyd Mayweather has until Monday, Jan. 4 to come to terms with his demands, Bob Arum told Sports Illustrated.

Pacquiao has already ready agreed to take unlimited urine tests up until the fight, but he refuses to take any blood tests after the month of January and no more than two blood tests before the proposed March 13th Showdown with Mayweather.

Manny has never tested positive for any type of drug testing. But Mayweather wants Olympic style testing on the Filipino star.

Arum plans to go to the Nevada Athletic Commission on Jan. 19 to see if the blood tests would be necessary.

"This is unprecedented," Arum stated to Sports Illustrated. "Our expert says blood tests are ridiculous. But we will let the commission decide."

Arum then began with talks of the potential bout with Paulie Malignaggi. Stating that he would arrange for Malignaggi to take Mayweather's place, if Mayweather continues to proceed with his blood testing hold-out.

Arum placed the final deadline for Monday. He hopes that the Nevada Athletic Commission would rule in his favor, because they only require urine samples before and after each fight. The tests checks for 40 different types of steroids and other agents.

Arum feels that Mayweather is using these steroid allegations because he "knows Manny's phobia for giving blood, and he's using that to get out of the fight. Too bad." Arum said.

Arum was asked if he felt that the fight will still happen, and he replied "I don't know."

Bryant Maxwell can be reached at maxwritings@gmail.com