IN the early hours of Sunday morning last, millions of people paid money to watch a boxing match between two guys in Las Vegas.
The two, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao could not be more different. Pacquiao a charitable man who donates a lot of money to his impoverished country the Phillippines, the other Mayweather is a convicted criminal.
Boxing has never been a favourite sport of mine right back to the days of Barry McGuigan when I was a child, I never understood the attraction of two guys getting into a ring trying to knock the other fella out.
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If I’m honest, in later years when I realised that women also took part in this sport, I was even less impressed. I know, I know what about Katie Taylor? Sorry but gold medal or not, I’m just not a fan.
Anyhow getting back to Mayweather, this guy has five convictions for domestic violence. He has received community service and suspended sentences dating back to 2001.
In that instance he struck the mother of one of his children in the face with a car door and then punched her several times in the face. He was charged with domestic battery and he pleaded guilty.
Due to his guilty plea, he got a suspended jail sentence of six months, a fine of $3000, 48 hours of community service and two days of house arrest. This pattern of abuse continued and in 2010 he attacked the mother of three of his children and punched her in the head.
His son called the police and his father did a plea deal for domestic assault and he eventually served two months of a ninety day sentence.
What amazes me is that this mysogynist, this violent man is the highest paid sportsman in the world according to Forbes.
Surely this man does not reach the criteria to hold a licence to box? Is this just another case of “Money Talks”? Are we now glorifying a man who beats up women?
At its very best, a boxing match can be thrilling for fans of the sport, unfortunately as long as men like Mayweather are the winners in every sense of the word, the sport will be tarnished.
I’ve no doubt with all the press that his history has received in the last few years, there will be someone in the American justice system or the governing body of boxing who will raise their head above the parapet.
This man is not a good role model and does not deserve to be glorified in any way. The collective indifference of his domestic abuse is wrong and by embracing him, the fans are wrong. He should not be celebrated, he should, in my opinion be behind bars.
Violence should never be a winner!
Until next week,
Stay safe!
Orlagh x
