Manny and Floyd: Boxing's Bernadette Peters and Tom Wopat

Those are lyrics to Bernadette Peters and Tom Wopat’s classic song “Anything you can do (I can do better”) as popularized in the Broadway play "Annie Get Your Gun". And for the past year since Floyd Mayweather Jr. walked away from the sport of boxing, he and Manny Pacquiao have been trying to sing their own rendition of the classic tune.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated De la Hoya via close split decision; Manny Pacquiao beat up De la Hoya in 8 one sided rounds prompting for De la Hoya make the decision to pull a Duran and say “No Mas”. Mayweather knocked Ricky Hatton down twice in the tenth round en route to a 10th round TKO victory. Pacquiao knocked Hatton down twice in the first round and probably forever in the second round when he unleashed his lethal left on the Englishman’s mug. Just about anything Mayweather Jr. has done, Pacquiao has done better- well not everything, just like Floyd’s stint in the TV show “Dancing with the Stars” but Pacquiao’s mom Dionicia may give Floyd a run for his money on that one. Surely Madame Dionicia can tear up the rug with his D.I. (Dance Instructor) as evidenced in Pacquiao's 30th birthday bash.

In response, Mayweather Jr. has come out of retirement to try and pull one on Pacquiao as he aims to better Pacquiao’s performances against Juan Manuel Marquez. It’s common knowledge in the world of boxing that the one person that has given Pacquiao fits is Marquez and by nitpicking the smaller Mexican as his next foe, it is clear where Mayweather’s intentions play along. He wants his sexy back like Justin Timberlake. Like Ludacris, he’s coming for the number one spot. And just like Tom Wopat in the song, it’s his way of responding “No you can’t!” (Do better than me).

And there’s more of that response that came verbally from Mayweather. He has repeatedly pointed out the blemishes in Pacquiao’s record and his Pay-per-View numbers stating how he still is better than Pacquiao. Floyd has repeatedly said Pacquiao is not the best and that he definitely still is number one. Pacquiao on the other hand has responded in a more subtle manner when asked by a local TV station and said, “Floyd’s time is done. It’s my time now.”

It will take a lot of work for this fight to come to fruition. Mayweather has already said that Pacquiao will never get a 50/50 split from him, posturing his early negotiation stand. Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum countered by saying they want 60/40 in favor of Pacquiao since the Filipino is now the draw and have outdone Mayweather as the sport’s best since the latter retired. It doesn’t help both either that Mayweather and Arum already hates each other’s guts after they parted ways a few years ago. I guess even in the negotiating table, Pacquiao and Mayweather will still be doing their rendition of the classic song. Don’t count out Juan Manuel Marquez from stepping in though and pull an upset over Mayweather and doing his song and dance rendition of Britney Spears’ “(Hit me) Baby One More Time” for Pacquiao. One thing is certain though, if and when Pacquiao and Mayweather do agree to make music together inside the boxing ring, just like the song, their tandem will definitely be a classic. Ahh yes, boxing is indeed alive!

Source: examiner.com