The Steel Cage

The Steel Cage battles The Neutral Corner over this boxer vs. wrestler debate.

Those boxing fans among you may be wondering how there could even be debate about what will happen when Floyd Mayweather Jr. faces off with the Big Show this Sunday at WrestleMania XXIV. After all, pro wrestling is fake, so there's no real competition right?
Wrong. In one way, the competition between wrestler and boxer is very real going into this Sunday's spectacle. The battle worth weighing in on is not who the better fighter is, but rather, who is the better showman.

For my money, it's no contest. In the boxing world, "Money" Mayweather may be the most colorful, flamboyant, and exciting performer there is. But, as has already been evidenced, in the world of pro wrestling, Mayweather is grossly outclassed.

I'll give Mayweather credit for playing his part to perfection in the angle that kicked off this match - the impromptu scuffle at WWE's February pay per view, No Way Out, where Mayweather hopped out of his ringside seat to defend his friend, Rey Mysterio, and ended up legitimately breaking the Big Show's nose with a couple of punches.

But ever since that night, whenever Mayweather has gotten behind a microphone to promote the event, he has come up short. The lowlight was an embarassing exchange on Monday Night Raw where the Big Show tore into Mayweather, and all the boxer could repeat was, "Last time I broke your nose. The next time I'll break your jaw." Over and over again. It was cringe-inducing.
So disappointing have Mayweather's performances been that WWE writers shifted course in the middle of the storyline, and recast Mayweather as the bad guy in the match, and the Big Show as the good guy. Heck, Mayweather's been getting booed out of the building at every opportunity, so why not take advantage of it?

The problem is, in the world of legitimate sports, it doesn't take much to be outrageous. It's easy to earn a reputation as a showman when so your peers are relatively bland.
But in pro wrestling, it's all about the show. Quite literally, when pro wrestlers receive their training, they are taught not only how to execute a proper hip toss, but how to come up with a compelling character, and how to "cut a money promo" - deliver an interview that sells tickets.
In fact, as far as promo guys go, the Big Show is far from the best, but even a slightly above average pro wrestler can usually out perform a boxer. There are exceptions, of course.
Muhammad Ali could probably hang with the best promo guys the squared circle has ever seen.
But Mayweather has benefited from being a big fish in a tiny pond of dull performers. Sharing the stage with a 7-foot-tall, 500-pound giant, whose been honing his craft for 13 years, he has been completely schooled.

As far as comparing their athletic skills, I'll take nothing away from Mayweather. I don't know much about boxing, but I know Mayweather is a world class talent, who has beaten some of the best.

But inevitably, whenever pro wrestling is mentioned among legitimate sports, the elitists always thumb their nose at my favorite past time. So there are a few things you should know about Paul "The Big Show" Wight. At just 24 years old, and wrestling professionally for less than a year, he won his first world title - an honor that most wrestlers never achieve, and those who do usually take several years to do so. Yes, such distinctions are decided by wrestling bookers, but they are not taken lightly, and reflect a performer's worth in a company.

After headlining for Ted Turner's defunct WCW for four years, Wight came to WWE, and again, was wearing the world title within months. Months later, he headlined WrestleMania 2000.
And while most wrestlers' performances usually decline over time, Show has only gotten better with age - improving his skills not only in the ring, but on the microphone. When WWE took the risky moving of launching a third brand in 2006, bookers chose Show to wear the ECW world championship and anchor the fledgling brand in its formative months. He did an exceptional job.
Since returning last month after year-long hiatus, the Big Show is arguably in the greatest shape of his career, having shed more than 100 pounds, and having trained as a boxer.

For my money, Paul Wight is the greatest "giant" ever to step into a wrestling ring. Some have been taller, such as the Great Khali or El Gigante. Some have been heavier, such as Yokozuna or Haystacks Calhoun. And some have been more famous, such as the legendary Andre the Giant. But as a total package of size, strength, and charisma, the Big Show stands head and shoulders above the rest.

So, yes, this Sunday's WrestleMania showdown will be scripted. And Floyd Mayweather should thank his lucky stars that it is.

Read The Neutral Corner's take on the match