Evander Holyfield is one of the truly great boxers of all time. He wasn't as big as some of today's monstrous heavyweights but he had the kind of determination, augmented by boxing skill, that would have put him at the top in any arena of champions. With his long and colorful ring record, you know he knows the sport inside and out.
So naturally a short interview with Evander in ThePostGame would have caught my eye. In it, he was handicapping the upcoming Mayweather v. Pacquiao fight, and essentially saying the Boxing Gods were rigging the game to have Mayweather lose. The reason Mayweather was being set up to lose is because 'Boxing People' (meaning mostly promoters) didn't allow anyone to retire undefeated from boxing. The only exception that comes to mind right now is Rocky Marciano, who cheated promoters in arranging a loss for the Rock by getting himself killed in a plane crash.
Holyfield is always witty and to the point. There is no other way to explain this boxing mythology than the way he did it in the article:
"They want to keep the money in the sport by doing things to make it happen this way. Somebody beats the man and then somebody beats the man who beat the man and then somebody beats the man who beat the man who beat the man..."
And so on ad infinitum. This may seem an arch way to express an idea but, over time, that's exactly what happens. To those elites who would condescend to say that Holyfield's analysis was generic, highly biased toward the personal, or unintelligent in any way, I would say you need to watch a little bit more boxing. Or maybe the stock markets.
The very same people who would poo-poo Holyfield's method of predictology are complete Pollyanna types who believe in such things as stock market analyses. I"m watching CNBC Business right now and it's the same as in the Boxing World where millions of people give their predictions and analyses and the sum total of all the wrong guesses and all the right guesses gives you a bottom line statement which is very similar to what Holyfield said.
B Like that stock and that analyst beat predictions of that other analyst and that other stock and the Fed put its finger on the scale beats first quarter profits which will be beat by second quarter profits and the whole thing impacted by war in the Middle East and Aunt Sally's red dress combined with the way the wind is blowing that day, at the end of which you either make money or lose it, but all this could be affected by if your dog farts.
In the end, something happens. I do think there is a boxing world karmic leaning toward a Pacquiao win even though my own pick to win is Floyd Mayweather Jr. He's the better fighter, I've always believed, and that is not to say that I don't love Manny Pacquiao. I admit to having once been a Pacquiao hater but was long ago converted by the skill, determination, motivations, character, and positive impact he has had on my favorite sport.
I just think Mayweather Jr. is the better boxer is all. And I think Holyfield is right, that the 'boxing world' is looking for a way for Floyd to lose and could easily find it in a split decision.
Holyfield suggests a way to "trick" the Boxing Gods. It's a very witty solution, I have to say. He says Mayweather should announce something like ten more fights and then quit boxing after he's gotten to five. That would work, except that Mayweather's pushing forty with Pacquiao not far behind.
I've got a better idea. Knock Pacquiao out and then retire. It's better than the Marciano Plan.
