Some where near the coast of the New Jersey Shore former Manny Pacquiao promoter Murad Muhammad is preaching the gospel of Islam and inspiring.
In his customary personality he’s positive and uplifting, self assured and confident. Whether some may consider it an act or what he truly believes, Muhammad considers himself to one of the great boxing promoters in the category of Don King and Bob Arum.
I met Muhammad several years ago when he as promoting a heavyweight contender named Donovan ‘Razor’ Ruddock who gave Mike Tyson two of the toughest fights of his Hall of Fame career.
He struck me as a King clone, someone who even spoke like King, but throughout the years my experience with him has been one of mutual respect. Muhammad was the American promoter who discovered Manny Pacquiao, the rival of Floyd Mayweather.
The two will be fighting in the richest fight in the history of the sport on May 2nd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Muhammad will not be anywhere near the history making affair. In 2005 he was sued by Pacquiao, who on the advice of advisors and namely trainer Freddie Roach accused Muhammad of stealing millions from the fighter.
Just as the trial commenced in 2005, Muhammad decided to settle the dispute with Pacquaio and relinquish his promotional agreement. Depending on whom you believe, Muhammad was taking advantage of Pacquiao who could not read, write or speak English. Although he had advisors from his native land and in the U.S. responsible for looking out for his well-being.
Nonetheless, Muhammad became the ultimate scapegoat. Today, he will not speak of the settlement or whether or not he has been compensated, but speculation is that he received a handsome payday to step aside.
The final bidding war for Pacquiao was settled when Top Rank and Bob Arum survived a bidding war with Golden Boy Promotions a few years ago. Pacquiao still reportedly has enormous tax debts in both the Philippines and the United States.
The sport of boxing is ruthless. The inside players are mostly White and Jewish such as Shelly Finkel who act as advisors and peddle the fighters to promoters and or television networks. There probably are very few fighters that does not have Finkel hands in their pocket. Cons such as Finkel steers the fighters to highest bidder.
The days of promoters controlling the trainers and mangers went away by the enforcement of the toothless Muhammad Ali Act, specifically designed to destroy Don King.
Now a Freddie Roach is just as influential as a promoter and often works hand in hand with promoters, advisors and managers, as he is frequently afforded the opportunity to train the best of the best. The most powerful Black man in the sport of boxing is Al Haymon, but he too is subject to the scandalous relationships with the likes of Finkel. Mayweather/Pacquiao would probably not have happened has Muhammad stayed involved.
“Check the record no foreign fighter is going to come to the United States and beat a Black fighter.” Muhammad said. “No Black fighter will allow for that to happen, that’s why I kept him away from them.”
Murad Muhammad will not have that worry now. He got forged out by the inside cons. He knew the game because he’s played it so well throughout the years, but he ultimately lost out on richest payday he could have ever imagined.
