The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight was proof that boxing's time is over. The American sporting landscape is no longer interested in watching two men brutalize each other in largely uninteresting shoving matches artificially constrained by an esoteric set of rules. These days, the preference is for MMA, which offers watching two men (or women) brutalize each other in largely uninteresting shoving matches artificially constrained by an esoteric set of rules that reinforces the Gracie family dynasty, but which gives the impression of being wild and unconstrained.
Fight night gave the world everything one would expect: incredible build-up, pomp and spectacle, the weirdness of ESPN's "red carpet" pre-show, a last reminder that Floyd Mayweather's attitudes towards women are somewhat unenlightened, and a dull bout that largely went down as a glorified game of tag. And then, afterwards, the revelation that loser Pacquiao was fighting hurt and that the Nevada Boxing Commission refused to let him take an anti-inflammatory shot before the bout.
I cannot possibly imagine the news that Pacquiao had a bum shoulder affecting betting lines before the event. I also cannot possibly imagine why that news would be suppressed. The reason he was denied the anti-inflammatory, well, I'll leave that one for the conspiracy theorists, but you have to admit they've set the stage for Mayweather-Pacquiao 2: Both Shoulders Working This Time nicely.
But if that happens, it will happen in the far future, and in the meantime I don't have to think about boxing again for ages, if at all.
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