Opening Bell: What's Next For Manny Pacquiao?

by Gautham Nagesh

WASHINGTON–The fallout from welterweight titlist Manny Pacquiao’s controversial loss to Tim Bradley last weekend has continued to build in recent days, with the WBO announcing it will review the fight and Top Rank CEO Bob Arum requesting a formal inquiry by the Nevada State Attorney General’s office. Of course, the combined result of those actions will be exactly nothing, a fact Arum is no doubt aware of as a former Justice Department prosecutor.

But here in the world of people with the power to actually do things, there has been renewed talk of the need for a national boxing commission to oversee the sport on the federal level. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who as you can see from the photo above is no stranger to Pacquiao (or the sport, as a former amateur boxer, judge and Nevada state official), and recently said he might join fellow fight fan Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and renew his push to implement national standards for the sport. Many in boxing would welcome the effort, which stalled during previous attempts in the 1990s and capped out with the passage of the toothless Muhammad Ali Reform Act of 2000.[[MORE]]

Currently boxing and other combat sports in the U.S. are regulated by state and tribal commissions, with the results varying widely depending on where you fight. My home state of Michigan has been the site of some questionable practices, and there have been numerous complaints about states like Texas as well. The rules are not standard, there is no reciprocity for disciplinary actions, and even large states like California with established commissions have avoided adopting the so-called unified rules. The commissioners themselves are largely by appointment, which governors often use as political payback. Here in the District, I have observed at least one commissioner on our panel that appears lack even a basic understanding of the sport.

The sanctioning bodies, which are charged with overseeing issues such as rankings and the designation of champions, are largely a joke. The WBA is probably the most egregious of the four “major” sanctioning organizations, but WBC boss Jose Sulaiman is responsible for some of the sport’s more cringe-worthy pronouncements. As the sport’s international governing bodies, their performance has veered between outright corruption and what appears to be a deliberate campaign to de-legitimize the sport. If ethicists and activists are truly opposed to boxing, they could do nothing to more effectively destroy it than prop up the alphabet organizations.

Finally there are promoters and managers, charged with protecting the interests of the boxers themselves. Sadly, these designations have become largely meaningless, with some “advisers” filling the role of promoter, matchmaker, manager, and trainer. Ideally, promoters look to stage the best fights for the lowest price, while managers attempts to get their fighters the best possible payday for the least amount of risk. Instead, many promoters use their pay-TV dates like hostages, holding fighters and their handlers hostage unless they agree to onerous terms. Many managers are guilty of throwing their men into the ring with no hope of winning, with no other interest than collecting their percentage off the top.

Which brings us to the only group aside from Congress with the ability to affect change: the TV companies. In theory, their interests would be best-served by a clean sport where the best fight the best. In reality, networks like HBO, ESPN, and Showtime have let personal relationships with certain promoters and handlers dictate the entire landscape of the sport. If the TV providers were to throw their support behind any type of reform, including a national commission or expanded drug testing, it would likely become industry standard without much resistance. Here’s hoping the recent changes in leadership at the networks will result in some willingness to tackle the sport’s underlying challenges.

Showtime Goes Deep on Victor Ortiz: Proving once again that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Showtime has debuted a new documentary series dubbed All Access. The first installment over the weekend featured former welterweight titlist Victor Ortiz ahead of his June 23rd fight against Josesito Lopez in Los Angeles. The new series will air place of the previously announced Fight Camp 360. I didn’t catch the whole thing, but saw enough to recognize the show for what it is: 24/7-lite. I’m always glad to see more shows on the Sweet Science, but this show stands up to its HBO counterpart about as well as The Tudors compares to Game of Thrones.

Shane Mosley, Winky Wright, and Antonio Margarito Retire: We’d be remiss if we let the retirements of two Hall of Famers like Shane Mosley and Ronald “Winky” Wright pass without some form of acknowledgement.

At his prime, Sugar Shane was one of the fastest, toughest, and most complete fighters in the game. After a standout amateur career, he turned pro at lightweight and became that division’s most feared fighter since Panamanian legend Roberto Duran. His win over Oscar de la Hoya helped establish him as the sport’s premier fighter, and for a spell he ruled the pound-for-pound lists. Later revelations of PED use did what multiple losses to Vernon Forrest and Wright couldn’t, which is reduce his stature in the sport.

But Mosley will still be remembered as a gifted and affable fighter, one that never ducked the best (even when he should have, like against the bigger Forrest). His comeback win over Margarito in 2009 helped resurrect his career, but also set him up for less-then-impressive losses against Pacquiao, Mayweather, and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez to end his tenure in the ring. We’re glad to see him go, even if it is a year or two late. Hopefully he can enjoy his retirement with most of his faculties intact.

Wright was a consummate professional who acquitted himself decently in his last fight against middleweight contender Peter Quillin. Wright’s wins over Mosley were probably his peak, but his win over Felix Trinindad and draw against Jermain Taylor in a middleweight title fight showed he belonged in with the best. He can retire with his head held high and a career that almost any fighter could be proud of.

The same cannot be said for Margarito, guilty of the sport’s cardinal sin. The impressive courage and relentless will he displayed in the ring will forever be shadowed by the discovery of his loaded hand wraps before losing to Mosley. Many now assume he cheated during his epic win over Miguel Cotto, which the Puerto Rican avenged last year. In a sport that has embraced murders, rapists, and thieves, Margarito was a cheater of the most dangerous variety, which for our purposes is the worst offense. His name will always be a reminder of the sport’s uglier side, and its inability to clean itself up when given the opportunity.