LOS ANGELES, May 11 (Reuters) - Professional boxing lurched uncertainly into a promotional crossroads after last week's much-hyped fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley in Las Vegas turned out to be a damp squib.
The WBO welterweight title bout was a sellout in front of a crowd of 16,412 crammed into the MGM Grand Garden Arena but, with Mosley focusing purely on survival, it failed to produce the expected fireworks.
Filipino southpaw Pacquiao, already acknowledged as one of the best offensive fighters of all time, did his best to entertain but there was only so much he could do by attacking a defence-minded opponent.
Although Mosley was knocked down in the third round, the fight went the full 12 rounds and the crowd repeatedly booed the American's negative approach as Pacquiao eased to a unanimous points victory.
Making matters worse for professional boxing was the fact that Saturday's bout was screened by Showtime and its parent corporation CBS, the first time in decades a fight has been viewed on an over-the-air network instead of just cable.
The popularity of boxing among the younger generation has been severely dented in recent years from mixed martial arts, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship in particular.
Saturday's bout, which could have helped arrest that decline, will be seen by most as a failed experiment.
Top Rank Promotion's Bob Arum had piled on the hype during the build-up to the Pacquiao-Mosley showdown.
"The reason Shane was selected for this fight is because we know that we are in the entertainment business," Arum said. "And we know that Manny Pacquiao against Shane Mosley will be one hellacious and entertaining fight.
"Shane is an all-action fighter and when he is in with a guy who is an action fighter as well you are going to see fireworks and a real exciting fight."
While Arum cannot be blamed for how Mosley under-performed against "Pacman" Pacquiao, he certainly took a major risk in pitting a 39-year-old boxer in the twilight of his career against one of the best fighters of all time.
Mosley, a four-times world champion in three weight divisions, had shown signs in his previous two bouts that he was in decline while Pacquiao, 32, is at the height of his considerable powers.
DEFENDED DECISION
After the Filipino outclassed Mosley to record his 14th consecutive win since his loss to Erik Morales in March 2005, Arum defended his decision to put the two fighters into the ring together.
"Nobody can really perform against him (Pacquiao)," Arum said. "Some of these guys are pretty good fighters but nobody in their whole experience has ever faced somebody like 'Pacman.' Everybody is going to look the same way."
Perhaps the biggest problem facing contemporary boxing has been the failure, so far, of promoters to put Pacquiao and American Floyd Mayweather in the ring together.
Fans have long savoured the prospect of a mega showdown between defensive genius Mayweather and the aggressive Pacquiao - if only to decide the mythical title of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.
No other matchup comes close in terms of quality and universal appeal, and Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach believes the fighters would each make $100 million from a fight.
"I wish we could just come to a happy medium and make that fight because it's really hurting boxing," Roach told Reuters. "I travel the world and everywhere I go people tell me: 'Make that fight happen'.
"I don't care where it takes place -- that fight would be so big. The fans really want to see that fight."
Mayweather had been expected to meet Pacquiao last year until negotiations collapsed over the American's demand for random drug testing.
Mosley then stepped in to take the Filipino's place but he was outclassed by Mayweather in a non-title welterweight bout in May.
That left Mayweather with an unblemished career record of 41-0 with 25 knockouts but even then he was reluctant to commit to a mega-fight with Pacquiao.
"I'm not going out chasing fighters," said Mayweather, who surrendered his tag as the best pound-for-pound boxer to the Filipino during a 21-month retirement from the sport that ended in late 2009.
"If Manny takes the (blood) test, we can make the fight happen. If he doesn't, we don't have a fight. If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it is not hard to find me."
The likelihood of the two fighters getting into the ring any time soon has further receded with Mayweather facing a September trial in Las Vegas on a misdemeanour battery charge.
Even Pacquiao seems to lack interest in the fight.
"It depends on the negotiations of my promoter," said the Filipino, who is next expected to take on Mexican lightweight Juan Manuel Marquez in November. "The people recognise me as the pound-for-pound so I respect that.
"For me, I don't care is the fight is possible or not. I have done a lot in boxing and I am satisfied with that."
The WBO welterweight title bout was a sellout in front of a crowd of 16,412 crammed into the MGM Grand Garden Arena but, with Mosley focusing purely on survival, it failed to produce the expected fireworks.
Filipino southpaw Pacquiao, already acknowledged as one of the best offensive fighters of all time, did his best to entertain but there was only so much he could do by attacking a defence-minded opponent.
Although Mosley was knocked down in the third round, the fight went the full 12 rounds and the crowd repeatedly booed the American's negative approach as Pacquiao eased to a unanimous points victory.
Making matters worse for professional boxing was the fact that Saturday's bout was screened by Showtime and its parent corporation CBS, the first time in decades a fight has been viewed on an over-the-air network instead of just cable.
The popularity of boxing among the younger generation has been severely dented in recent years from mixed martial arts, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship in particular.
Saturday's bout, which could have helped arrest that decline, will be seen by most as a failed experiment.
Top Rank Promotion's Bob Arum had piled on the hype during the build-up to the Pacquiao-Mosley showdown.
"The reason Shane was selected for this fight is because we know that we are in the entertainment business," Arum said. "And we know that Manny Pacquiao against Shane Mosley will be one hellacious and entertaining fight.
"Shane is an all-action fighter and when he is in with a guy who is an action fighter as well you are going to see fireworks and a real exciting fight."
While Arum cannot be blamed for how Mosley under-performed against "Pacman" Pacquiao, he certainly took a major risk in pitting a 39-year-old boxer in the twilight of his career against one of the best fighters of all time.
Mosley, a four-times world champion in three weight divisions, had shown signs in his previous two bouts that he was in decline while Pacquiao, 32, is at the height of his considerable powers.
DEFENDED DECISION
After the Filipino outclassed Mosley to record his 14th consecutive win since his loss to Erik Morales in March 2005, Arum defended his decision to put the two fighters into the ring together.
"Nobody can really perform against him (Pacquiao)," Arum said. "Some of these guys are pretty good fighters but nobody in their whole experience has ever faced somebody like 'Pacman.' Everybody is going to look the same way."
Perhaps the biggest problem facing contemporary boxing has been the failure, so far, of promoters to put Pacquiao and American Floyd Mayweather in the ring together.
Fans have long savoured the prospect of a mega showdown between defensive genius Mayweather and the aggressive Pacquiao - if only to decide the mythical title of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.
No other matchup comes close in terms of quality and universal appeal, and Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach believes the fighters would each make $100 million from a fight.
"I wish we could just come to a happy medium and make that fight because it's really hurting boxing," Roach told Reuters. "I travel the world and everywhere I go people tell me: 'Make that fight happen'.
"I don't care where it takes place -- that fight would be so big. The fans really want to see that fight."
Mayweather had been expected to meet Pacquiao last year until negotiations collapsed over the American's demand for random drug testing.
Mosley then stepped in to take the Filipino's place but he was outclassed by Mayweather in a non-title welterweight bout in May.
That left Mayweather with an unblemished career record of 41-0 with 25 knockouts but even then he was reluctant to commit to a mega-fight with Pacquiao.
"I'm not going out chasing fighters," said Mayweather, who surrendered his tag as the best pound-for-pound boxer to the Filipino during a 21-month retirement from the sport that ended in late 2009.
"If Manny takes the (blood) test, we can make the fight happen. If he doesn't, we don't have a fight. If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it is not hard to find me."
The likelihood of the two fighters getting into the ring any time soon has further receded with Mayweather facing a September trial in Las Vegas on a misdemeanour battery charge.
Even Pacquiao seems to lack interest in the fight.
"It depends on the negotiations of my promoter," said the Filipino, who is next expected to take on Mexican lightweight Juan Manuel Marquez in November. "The people recognise me as the pound-for-pound so I respect that.
"For me, I don't care is the fight is possible or not. I have done a lot in boxing and I am satisfied with that."
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