Manny vs. Floyd: Public Perception and Shifting Leverage
Public perception shifted once again in Pacquiao’s favor thanks to Floyd’s domestic violence case for which he was sentenced to 90 days…
“Perception is 90% reality.”—Anonymous
“God blessed me with a 22,000 square foot, 17 million dollar mansion.”—Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“I would only spend a week or two in the Philippines, most probably the week during my birthday because I am planning to give away Christmas gifts to the poor people of General Santos just like what I did last year.”—Manny Pacquiao
After Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2) had run roughshod over bigger and sometimes favored opponents, his claim to the number one P4P fighter was well grounded. Surprisingly destructive wins over De La Hoya, Hatton, and Cotto gave Manny leverage over Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0) vis-à-vis public perception
Mayweather’s camp then hinted that Manny Pacquiao was using performance enhancing drugs. The leverage quickly shifted in favor of Mayweather who dictated to Manny the kind of drug tests that would be required if a fight were to be made. Fueling this shift, the tattooed Pac Man’s answers were inconsistent, particularly the one about fear of needles.
But the shift in Mayweather’s favor didn’t last long as Pacquiao dominated Mosley and Margarito in easy fashion and once again claimed the top spot in public perception.
Mayweather came back with a strange but definitive KO over equally strange Vicious Victor Ortiz on Sept. 17, 2011, but in the eyes of some, it might have done his public perception more harm than good. Whatever the case, it was not enough to alter the leverage.
But then on Nov. 12, 2011, Manny’s leverage all but evaporated as Juan Manuel Marquez gave Pac Man all he could handle and then some. Pacquiao’s invincibility was shattered by the same fighter Mayweather totally dominated over 12 rounds. Mayweather was once again firmly on top and this time it appeared he might stay there.
But lo and behold, public perception shifted once again in Pacquiao’s favor thanks to Floyd’s domestic violence case for which he was sentenced to 90 days in the county jail for battery upon his ex-girlfriend in Sept. 2010. He also pled no contest to two counts of misdemeanor harassment which stemmed from his threatening to beat his kids. In addition to the 90-day sentence, Mayweather was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service, attend a 12-month domestic violence program, and pay a less than challenging fine of $2500.
Thus, what finally could have been a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather now seems a very distant proposition. Look for Manny to consider fighting Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Timothy Bradley, or dark horse Lamont Peterson. Even the winner of Berto-Ortiz is in the mix. In the meantime, since Manny has regained the leverage, he and Freddie Roach will let Mayweather stew in his own juices in his lonely cell in county jail in Nevada as he contemplates fights with the winner of Berto-Ortiz II or even Amir Khan.
