I don’t know much about boxing.  Everything I know I learned from the Rocky movies, so, as you can imagine, every boxing match I watch is comparatively boring.

But I do know this:

Boxing isn’t a team sport.

Of course, this is obvious.  But what that means is when you pull for a guy in the ring, you pull for everything about him.  It’s not as simple as a Cowboy fan saying, “We need Greg Hardy so I can deal with his off-the-field issues if he helps my team.”  Rooting for a boxer is no different from buying a Greg Hardy jersey.

And so you can understand my confusion why anyone in their right mind would root for Floyd Mayweather, under any circumstances.  I don’t care if tonight’s fight against Manny Pacquiao is the latest version of the Fight of the Century.  To me, coming up with an excuse to root for Mayweather is the exact same as Chris Rock’s justification for a white person using the N-word.  In order to not root for Pacquiao tonight, he had to have beaten you up on Christmas Eve and stolen the toy you had just gotten for your kid, and then pissed on you for good measure.  Only then can someone say, “Yep, I hope Mayweather kicks his ass.”

Floyd Mayweather beats women.  He’s been convicted numerous times for his crimes, and when questioned he proclaims that there are no pictures or video and that “Only God can judge him.”  Let’s ignore the stupidity of the belief that “Only God can judge me” and point out that Mayweather has served jail time for his abuses.

If you’re rooting for Floyd Mayweather, you’re rooting for a man who (a) gets paid for his ability to fight and (b) in his free time uses that ability to beat women.  Not only that, because of the financial terms of the contract, if you spend any money for the fight (which, in the interest of full disclosure, I may well do), 60% of that money is going to Floyd Mayweather.

I don’t understand anyone who would pull for this man.  I’m genuinely troubled by this.  If you want Mayweather to win, I really want to know what the thought process is that goes through your head to allow that.  I don’t think Pacquiao is a saint – I don’t know much about the man – but I truly believe this is one of those rare situations where a sporting event is a matter of good versus evil.

I hope Pacquiao comes out at the bell and tries to knock him out.  I don’t think that will happen.  I think Mayweather will utilize his boring, methodical style, and the referee, who has been known to cater to Mayweather’s style, won’t allow a fight that allows Pacquiao to knock him out.  And the judges won’t allow a convincing decision unless that decision is so mind-bogglingly obvious as to end the judges’ careers (which simply doesn’t happen in boxing).  There’s simply too much money at stake.  We’ll see a split decision (or worse, a draw) and then we’ll see Mayweather-Pacquiao II and maybe even III.

I know that people pull for Mayweather and think it’s as simple as that.  They’re fans of the “sweet science” and think Mayweather is one of the best ever, and whatever happens outside of the ring is irrelevant.  I find this ludicrous, but it is what it is.  So to those people – and anyone else who will plunk down money on the fight – I offer you a challenge.

Take the money you spend on the fight tonight and figure out Mayweather’s take (it’s a pretty simple 60%).  If you buy the fight at home, Mayweather’s take is $60.  If you spend $25 to watch at the bar, Mayweather’s take is $15.  (See?  Simple.)  Take that money and give a matching donation to a local women’s shelter or domestic abuse charity or anything that supports women who are victimized by people like Mayweather.

And really think about why you’d support this man.

Go Manny.