It was a wild scene in the Las Vegas courtroom Friday when Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa postponed Floyd Mayweather’s jail sentence until June 1 so he can keep his scheduled May 5 fight date. One can only imagine how relieved the Mayweather camp is. The City of Las Vegas is excited as well.
A Mayweather fight will pump cash and excitement into the floundering Vegas economy and generate more heat than an oven. Of course Mayweather will still have to serve his six-month sentence (three of which are suspended) for domestic violence, but he will now be able to squeeze in a mega payday before they turn the key.
Now the big question is: Who will he face on Cinco de Mayo?
The boxing fans are screaming “Pacman! Pacman!” but to be honest, that possible face-off has been on the table for so long that it would almost be anti-climatic. I, like most fans, would like to see it but I am no longer holding my breath and jonesing for it.
What I’d really like to see is a Mayweather/Alvarez fight. A Mexican opponent on Cinco de Mayo makes all the sense in the world. Now that is a thrilling thought. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is one of my favorite young fighters and with a 39-0 record, he deserves a shot. It always intrigues me when a brash young, undefeated fighter steps up to face an older, wiser, and much more experienced man.
With a combined record of 81 wins and no losses–this would be a war. The gamblers would have a field day. Canelo has KOed three quarters of his opponents. Pretty Boy Floyd has stopped more than half of his. They are both at the top of their game and although there is a 14-year age spread, it should be a “pick-em” fight.
As for Pacquiao, he can fight Cotto or Marquez and his fans will be happy. Even a bout against Bradley or Peterson could be interesting. But in all honesty, both Pacquiao and Mayweather know that a fight between the two of them would be the highest-grossing fight in PPV history. Will they give in to the pull of that kind of money, or will this be one of those fights that never happens but is talked about for decades?
Jackie Kallen is a boxing manager who has been in the business for over three decades. Her life inspired the Meg Ryan film “Against the Ropes” and she was a part of the NBC series “The Contender.” www.JackieKallen.com, www.facebook.com/JackieKallen
