Cinco de Mayweather by M.DeTyrone

Cinco de Mayweather

M.DeTyrone

Lately in boxing circles, boxing sites and social media pages much been expressed about the boxing days centering on Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day which is celebrated on Sept 16.  The reality of the matter is that Cinco de Mayo has become more of a boxing event due to Floyd Mayweather jr. strategic and masterful promoting of the day since 2007. Recently the comments from Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya and nationalistic fan base are claiming that Cinco de Mayo was to be return back to for Mexican boxers as an exclusive date. They truly dismiss and underestimate all other demographics that support boxing. It seems that it’s all about marketing nationalism and you have a boxer that hasn’t accomplished much in boxing that feels it’s an ethnic right to claim a boxing date on a calendar.

 There is no personally identity or any great individual accomplishments in Canelo’s career so the only appeal they have is a nationalistic self-esteem thus also appealing to the lowest denominator of boxing fans that use boxing to identify with a culture by demeaning another. Notice the constant talk of Canelo vs. Cotto and Oscar De La Hoya promoting on twitter let’s revive the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry. Does he realize that he’s talking about a rivalry of a nation of millions vs. a small island in the Caribbean?  I would be ashamed to be from such a big nation with a countless population of those of Mexicans ancestry living in the USA and my main rivalry is a small island in the Caribbean with less than 4 million citizens.

Mind you! When Oscar De La Hoya faced Puerto Rico’s best at the time Felix Trinidad to define the best welterweight in the world on Mexican Independence weekend on the west coast. Oscar according to his own standards ran for his dear life. Let’s remember he and Canelo called it running when Lara boxed. I guess it depends what your ethnicity is.

I can understand the argument, if you’re only going to build a ppv star on one specific demographic. The problem with that strategy is that all Latinos/Hispanics celebrate Cinco de Mayo or Mexican Independence Day on Sept 16 neither does the international boxing fan. If you have a competitive event with a strong undercard then the boxing fans will purchase the fight regardless of the dates. The boxers that have built the September date to a marketable importance within the boxing business have been Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Oscar De La Hoya, and currently Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya fought 5 times during the Cinco de Mayo Weekend; however, his biggest fight on that date was vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5, 2007.  Oscar’s biggest fights during his career were on the Mexican Independence Day Weekend.

1.      Oscar De La Hoya Vs.  Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.: September 18, 1998

2.      Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad: September 18, 1999

3.      Oscar De La Hoya vs. Fernando Vargas: September 14, 2002

4.      Oscar De La Hoya vs. Shane Mosley: September 13, 2003

5.      Oscar De La Hoya vs. Bernard Hopkins: September 18, 2004

Chávez Sr. fought opponents like David Kamau, Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whitaker, and Hector Camacho on the Mexican Independence Day weekend, nevertheless; many of Julio Cesar Chávez Sr. big fights were on dates outside those two dates. One of Julio Cesar Chávez Sr. memorable fight held in Estadio Azteca, in México vs. Greg Haugen on February 20 1993. 

Floyd Mayweather Jr. after defeating Oscar De La Hoya on May 5, 2007 must have realized the importance commercially of those two dates and capitalized on the opportunity.  Since 2007, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has fought on the Cinco de Mayo Weekend:

1.      Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Oscar De La Hoya: May 5, 2007

2.      Floyd Mayweather Jr.  Vs. Shane Mosley: May 1, 2010

3.      Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Miguel Cotto: May 5, 2012

4.      Floyd Mayweather Jr.  Vs. Robert Guerrero: May 4, 2013

5.      Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Marcos R. Maidana: May 3, 2014

6.      Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. TBA: May 2015

On the Weekend of the Mexican Independence Day Floyd Mayweather Jr. has fought:

1.      Floyd Mayweather Jr.  Vs. Juan Manuel Marquez: September 19 2009

2.      Floyd Mayweather Jr.  Vs. Victor Ortiz: September 17 2011

3.      Floyd Mayweather Jr.  Vs. Saul Alvarez: September 14 2013

4.      Floyd Mayweather Jr.  Vs. Marcos R. Maidana: September 15 2014

5.      Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. TBA: September 2015

Neither Chavez Sr. nor DeLaHoya have accomplished PPV records like Floyd Jr. on those dates.

All the sudden Saul “Canelo” Alvarez thinks that, he’ll just take over a boxing date without accomplishing anything.  I wish them luck, with all the marketing of nationalism and creating an atmosphere of US vs. Them. The big problem will be that no date will improve Canelo’s talent or skills within the Jr. Middleweight division or Middleweight division where Mexican boxers historically have never accomplished anything great. English, USA, Argentine and Puerto Rican boxers have historically dominated the Jr. Middleweight Division.