Mayweather choke-slams boxing by taking Big Show bout

By Justin Grant

Rather than pursuing a bout the boxing world so desperately needs -- a match with rising star Miguel Cotto -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. reached a $20 million deal with World Wrestling Entertainment to take on the Big Show at Wrestlemania XXIV.

Now I'm all for athletes stepping into the squared circle to test their acting ... errr ... fighting abilities against Vince McMahon's superstars. Mike Tyson's feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin was one of the greatest moments in WWE history if you ask me. And who can forget Lawrence Taylor's match against Bam Bam Bigelow, or Dennis Rodman's days in the New World Order?

But in taking this circuitous route towards becoming a household name, Mayweather is robbing the sport and fans that have made him rich. Boxing is dying a slow death because of the type of selfishness Mayweather is demonstrating in participating in this event.

Mayweather's December knockout of Hatton injected some much-needed interest back into a sport which has been left on life support due to corrupt promoters, boring fights, a lack of a dominant heavyweight, and a dearth of intriguing matchups.

But instead of capitalizing on that momentum and giving Cotto a much deserved shot at the WBC welterweight championship, Mayweather will take McMahon's money and possibly be choke-slammed by the Big Show, who stands 7-feet and weighs in at 430 lbs.

"Wrestling takes care of business right on the spot," Mayweather said. "Whatever they say they're going to do, they do it right on the spot. There's no waiting three, four, five months. Quick results, quick money. Quick big money, too."

I can't fault Mayweather for aiming to maximize his earnings potential while he's still in his athletic prime -- most of us would do the same thing. But if he wants to have a lasting impact on the sport -- and perhaps become its savior -- Mayweather needs to look past the quick buck.

Mayweather vs Big Show, will no doubt be worth the price of admission. But the restoration of the sweet science is priceless.