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NOTES FROM THE BOXING UNDERGROUND: MONEY, THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

By Paul Magno | June 26, 2017
NOTES FROM THE BOXING UNDERGROUND: MONEY, THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

I honestly don't care one damn bit about Mayweather-McGregor. I'm going to watch it; I won't buy it (I don't buy any pay-per-views); I will cover it as a writer; I'm not going to pretend that McGregor has a chance of winning without the aid of a sniper in the arena balcony. All in all, it's a spectacle that, at worst, is a harmless piece of fluff on an August evening. At best, it brings some much needed mainstream attention boxing's way.

In short, Mayweather-McGregor is what it is-and I'm fine with it being what it is.

What irks me, though, is the nonsense coming from fans and our suddenly holier-than-thou media. Suddenly, everyone's a "purist."

And these "purists" say that Mayweather-McGregor is going to tarnish our sport, mess with the "sanctity" of the game. But where is the outrage from these pantsloads when it comes to the REAL issues fucking with boxing, like shitty commissions that get kids killed or put into comas...or a shitty business model that has destroyed the infrastructure of the sport? Nobody's raging on social media over the stuff that actually matters. Seems like the rage is only directed at the fact that one guy, they don't like, is making some money and that the dreaded "casuals" are going to gain at least partial entry into their beloved private boxing club.

Personally, I enjoy sticking a thumb in the eye of these self-righteous boxing snobs. They do way more harm to the sport with their elitist attitudes than Floyd vs. Conor could ever do.

For that reason, not only do I NOT dislike Mayweather-McGregor, I hope that Mayweather fights Kevin Durant next, then Bryce Harper, then Sidney Crosby, then Lionel Messi, then Tom Brady.

The "purists" forget that sports are supposed to be entertaining, not some super serious test of whether you are a "real fan" and not some fetish-love where you go down to the basement, strip naked, and fap yourself silly over how pure and unspoiled your man-crushes are.

Just relax...have some fun...or, at the very least, let others have fun.

Bottom line-- I love boxing and I'm all for anything that helps put the sport back on Sportscenter and in the mainstream media. If and when boxing's other promoters figure out a way to do that, I'll also support their efforts. My only interest is in the overall health of the sport and a big part of that is pulling the bunched-up panties out of our cracks and figuring out ways to bring new blood to the sport. If it means getting boxing out there to as many people as possible, I'm all for it. Mayweather-McGregor can potentially do that and I don't see the down side in allowing a space on a hot summer night for a mainstream-friendly spectacle.

Mayweather-McGregor IS a mismatch and the B-side IS absolutely without a single shot at victory-but how is that any different than so much we regularly see in boxing? Did Dominic Wade have any more of a chance of beating Gennady Golovkin than McGregor has of upsetting Mayweather? The Vegas odds didn't think so. Would it have been better, more palatable to the purists if McGregor had played the boxing matchmaking game, going through the motions like other fall guys beefed up with paper-thin records? Would beating 15 or 16 no-hopers first, followed by a couple of fixes against cash-starved fringe contenders be less offensive to the purists' sensibilities?

Maybe Mayweather-McGregor should not have been approved by the NSAC, but is anyone surprised that a fight like this, that could generate $500 million for a tourism-driven municipality, would get a green light? Commissions would be 50-50 on approving a Lucas Matthysse vs. his grandmother bout if they thought it could generate half a billion dollars.

Again...it is what it is.

Okay, yeah, Mayweather-McGregor IS all about money. (Here's a shocker, though-to the professionals earning a living via prizefighting, it's also ALL ABOUT MONEY). And, nope, it won't be a competitive fight. So freakin' what? Stop turning an interesting little event and curiosity into some twisted "do you REALLY love me" test for fellow boxing fans.

By the way, all of those people going out of their way to jump on social media and post about how much they don't care about Mayweather-McGregor? THAT is star power. THAT'S why this event will be a hit.

Quick (S)hits:

-- If it's going to take $7 million to convince Deontay Wilder to go to the UK and fight Dillian Whyte, then what are the chances of the price being right for him to face ANYONE? The Bronze Bomber is a great big bore.

-- Andre Ward still beat Sergey "Triple K" Kovalev, deal with it.

-- Kermit Cintron vs. Tyrone Brunson was a good, fun bout that shows how smart matchmaking can turn a pair of tired re-treads into a highly entertaining night of boxing. Where does the winner, Brunson, go? Nowhere, really. But that doesn't mean he can't make some money and put on some good shows against an appropriate level of opposition.

Got a question (or hate mail) for Magno's Bulging Mail Sack? The best of the best gets included in the weekly mailbag segment right here at FightHype. Send your stuff here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com.

Buy Magno's awful, hateful (sometimes insightful and funny) book, Notes from the Boxing Underground, via Amazon on Kindle or in paperback.

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