Around The Curve With Abe: Money, Money, Money!

Fresh off the heels of what was an eventful evening, Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Logan Paul fought eight rounds of boxing strictly for entertainment. That last part is what most fans should have thought about prior to purchasing the PPV. After the fight, they bashed it on social media calling it a “joke” and “scripted”.

Floyd gave some props to Logan Paul after the fight. Photo by: Amanda Westcott

Yes, it was hard to see a fighter that is considered by many “The Best Ever” to be part of an exhibition but he did tell everyone that it was exactly that, an exhibition. During fight week, Floyd called it a “legalized bank robbery”. That should have signaled to those looking to take this seriously, to look away. Boxing fans and casuals couldn’t help themselves and wanted to believe in their mind that it would be more than that.

Looking back though, timing and the buildup of an event is everything. No one does that better than networks like Showtime and ESPN. When this was originally billed and Fanmio was taking the lead on the promotion, the event didn’t get the traction it was looking for and so it was rescheduled for a later date. With the PBC deal rumored to be coming to an end soon with FOX and possibly a new deal with Showtime on the horizon, it only made sense to lead with the man they call “Money”.

If anyone was going to break the Showtime app and Fanmio, it was going to be Floyd.

Whether it was an orchestrated stunt or just a savvy move by Jake Paul, the “Gotcha Hat” incident catapulted this event into “must see” for the casual fan of sports and entertainment. It immediately hit the trending wave and soon after, it was the talk all over the sports world. Then the machine of Showtime took over and did what they do best and that’s turn this event into something that will make you push that purchase button. That they did and by the time the weigh-in came around on Saturday, it turned into one of the more anticipated events of the year to those that casually follow the sport.

The emphasis is on the word casually. Anyone who is a purist of the sport, knew that they weren’t going to see anything more than a spectacle. No one is forcing anyone to purchase these boxing events but time after time, the end reflects a different result than what one would expect. Was this a cash grab for both men? Absolutely and if you thought any differently, than I would hope that last night will serve as a reminder to lower your expectations the next time you see the word exhibition attached to a fight.

Sure, there was discussion of both men saying they would knock each other out but that was just the sprinkle on top of the promotional train named #MayPaul. With the fight finally happening last night, it was no surprise to me that it lasted all eight rounds.

The bigger picture is what matters and it’s clear that Showtime is in the Paul Brother’s business which means that Logan needed to survive in order to keep the future intact. Logan Paul lasting eight rounds with Mayweather gives him credibility. That allows for him to partake in a few more of these type of events down the road. With Jake Paul’s fight coming up, would it surprise you if he scores a knockout victory against Woodley? If the knockout occurs, that would make the Mayweather vs Jake Paul fight THAT much bigger.

The story would be that Mayweather went eight rounds with Logan but Jake knocked out a legitimate opponent. Throw that in with the feelings behind “Gotcha Hat” and you have yourself another major PPV event. It’s the reality of the situation but again, you choose whether to buy it or pass on it.

It’s amazing that people I know who don’t watch boxing at all, purchased the event. Whats even crazier is that they actually thought Mayweather would knockout Paul. The fact that they bought the PPV tells me that the promotion for this event was a success. Mayweather hasn’t had a knockout in years and he wasn’t about to start now with someone almost 50 pounds heavier on fight night.

When asked about these exhibitions and why do them, Floyd simply said “my kids can’t eat legacy”. I don’t disagree with that but how much is enough? When processing that statement, I instantly thought of this scene from Wall Street-Money Never Sleeps.

My Three Cents:

This whole Mayweather situation falls under the category of “it is what it is”. If you feel burned by the purchase, then don’t buy the next one. Chances are though, somehow, some way, you may find yourself hitting that button again the next time Floyd fights.

I know it’s a little early to start thinking about Christmas but make sure you set aside $79.99. Why you ask? To see Floyd Mayweather vs. Jake Paul because we will get that in 2021 or at the beginning of 2022. When that fight does happen, will you purchase or pass? Time will only tell how long these novelty fights will continue. For now, get used to it because it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

You can follow me on Twitter @abeg718 and follow @nyfights on Instagram.