Nick Bond: I’ll tell you what has the Nickster palpably excited: This Sunday’s Wrestlemania 24.

Stephen Cooney: Yeah, so am I, but for one reason

Nick Bond: Floyd “Money” Mayweather? You would be, Mr. Fairweather Fan. You people make me die a little inside.

Stephen Cooney: Well, Nick, for all purposes lets at least in first reference call him “Pretty Boy” Floyd “Money” Mayweather.

Stephen Cooney: And then we can just go with Mayweather.

Nick Bond: Okay. So answer me this: as a admitted Mayweather fanboy as well as a hardcore boxing fan, how does this play in the “real world” of professional boxing, and – I don’t mean this as a knock against boxing or their fans, it’s just that boxing isn’t nearly as popular as it should be – with the 42 true boxing fans left in the United States?

Stephen Cooney: Well, a lot of that has to do with the tragedy that is the heavyweight class. The fight world has shifted to lighter weights and they are more entertaining as well as being more marketable. A character who is also actually a great fighter will only help.

Nick Bond: Is this the low point in boxing history? The man who is unequivocally the best fighter in the world is pimping himself for a quick payday in what is considered by most to be a “fake” sport. I say this, as the biggest wrestling fan this side of the Green Lantern Fan.

Stephen Cooney: By no means is this the low point in boxing history. That would have to go to the commision suspending Ali in his prime but I am not the one to get into politics.

Stephen Cooney: There is a diffrence between collecting a payday and marketing yourself, which is what Mayweather is doing.

Nick Bond: I suppose. I just feel that this is on a completely different level than Mike Tyson being a Special Enforcer at Wrestlemania XIV, Mayweather is actually wrestling. What good could possibly come from this for Mayweather other than a giant payday? From the standpoint of the WWE, it’s a brilliant marketing decision; but for Mayweather, I think it tarnishes his legacy irreparably.

Stephen Cooney: Okay well you are going to use Mike Tyson as your defense. That is unreal because I am pretty sure that the IRS was after Tyson so he was looking for a pay day. Along with that I am positive that Ali was in a few wrestling matches for promotional purposes. So, does that make the Greatest a bad guy?

Nick Bond: Touche, Stephen. Touche.

Stephen Cooney: Yes, I know I’m sort of a historian of a real sport but what about your “fake” sport? What does this say about the buisness?

Nick Bond: Well, like I mentioned before, this reeks — in a good way — of the appearance of Tyson at WM XIV.

Nick Bond: It was slightly different because he was simply the “special enforcer” during the Shawn Michaels- “Stone Cold” Steve Austin Main Event, but I could see Mayweather’s involvement being symbolic of the beginning another boom era, much like the use of Tyson’s helped usher in the “Attitude” era, considered by some to be the peak of the industry.

Nick Bond: And yes, I am a giant wrestling nerd.

Stephen Cooney: It is cool I am actually impressed by your knowledge but I was a huge wrestling fan and even though I hated Austin and the Rock, who is going to replace those guys. The King of Kings, HHH, can not do it all his own.

Nick Bond: Well, there’s everybody’s favorite wrestler, John Cena. He has appeared in movies, albeit WWE-produced movies, much like Austin and the “Rock”.

Nick Bond: Also, Randy Orton, the current champion is slowly redefining the “villian” role. He free-kicked Cena’s dad in the head and kicked Matt Hardy where his, (and I quote) “appendix used to be”.

Nick Bond: And if you want someone who is going to be the next successful “crossover” star, look no further than Mr. Kennedy.

Nick Bond: …

Nick Bond: …

Nick Bond: Kennedy.

Stephen Cooney: Well that Cena guy is the worst thing since the Bay of Pigs invasion. It is just sad that they were skimming the bottom so hard that they tried to go with a hip-hop gimmick. Not only does that make me sad as a quasi-wrestling fan, that also makes me sad because I am a hip-hop fan. You should be happy Money Mayweather is involved at least he is entertaining. The only thing that could have been better for your “Sport” is if Chad Johnson crossed over too and he had someone who could keep up with him on the mic

Nick Bond: Wow. The Bay of Pigs invasion? Really? That’s pretty harsh. As for his “hip-hop” gimmick, that’s long gone, I don’t even think he has a gimmick, he’s just a bad man. Not in the way that Orton is, with his mildly sociopathic thing going. Chad Johnson would not last a minute on the mic against someone like Mr. Kennedy, he can barely keep up with Keyshawn Johnson.

Nick Bond: And not to be “that guy”

Nick Bond: But are you implying that professional wrestlers aren’t athletes?

Stephen Cooney: Never once did I say they are not athletes, I couldn’t wrestle without breaking at least a few bones so those guys are athletes. It is nice to see they are cracking down on the steroids, maybe baseball can learn a thing from The McMahons.

Stephen Cooney: Well, Chad is a funny man. Keyshawn, I like but he wasn’t even close to Chad. Also Mr. Kennedy is nowhere near the level of Mayweather. We are talking about one of the greatest mouths around

Nick Bond: If you say so. I just hope he doesn’t get legit hurt, because Paul “The Big Show” Wight is an immensely large and powerful man. He’s bigger than any person that Floyd has ever even seen, let alone be in the ring with. Of course, I know that they aren’t actually “fighting” but Mayweather is a very small man. One wrong move and Mayweather’s boxing career is over. What about that? Again, I just don’t understand the point of this from Money’s perspective.

Stephen Cooney: Well, The Big Show is a well seasoned professional and I know for a fact he will not hurt Money. He knows what this is all about and it is about promotion. Money not only makes money but gets his name out to a ton of people and also the WWE has set themselves up with a promotion that is worth way more than trump shaving Vince’s head.

Nick Bond: I actually completely agree with you about the promotional aspect.

Nick Bond: I just worry about Floyd.

Nick Bond: I worry about him because unlike boxing, people actually watch wrestling, and I don’t want him to embarrass himself.

Stephen Cooney: Well that comment must mean that you missed the Hatton fight, because a ton of people watched that one. On top of that he is incapable of embarrassing himself that is usually what he does to the other people. You know, like, when De La Hoya could not hit him. Or how he knocked out Hatton and put him face first into the corner. In the words of Cedric the Entertain Floyd is a “GROWN ASS MAN”. As a matter of fact, I’ll watch it with you.

Nick Bond: Sounds good, I’ll see you then, Buddy.