Mayweather next? Pacquiao wins biggest if they don't fight

Saturday night at Texas Stadium Manny Pacquiao faced the most daunting challenge of his career and conquered it with style.

You could argue (And I would -- loudly) that Antonio Margarito deserved neither the shot at the WBC super welterweight title nor the $3 million payday that came with it, not after attempting to enter the ring with with plaster-reinforced hand wraps for his January 2009 title bout with Shane Mosley, and not after the California commission shot down his attempt at reinstatement.

When Floyd Mayweather declined the opportunity to meet Pacquiao on Nov. 13 he gave Bob Arum (who promotes both Pacquiao and Margarito) the room to do an end run around the California commission's suspension, get Margarito licensed in Texas and give him the pay-per-view date with Pacquiao.

But even if Margarito's main event credentials rested on a flimsy premise -- specifically that he belonged in any ring after what he tried to pull against Mosley -- he presented a credible threat to Pacquiao. At 5-foot-11 he's huge for his weight class and has built a career on crushing smaller fighters' spirits with his concrete chin (and gloves?) and relentless pressure, and Saturday night he entered the ring with a 17-pound weight advantage.

Pacquiao still made him look like a sparring partner, survivng tense moments in the second and sixth rounds but overall dealing the bully a massive beatdown. Margarito left that bout with a career-high paycheque, a fractured oribital bone and swelling on his face that won't subside for days.

And Pacuiao left the ring with a world title in an unheard-of eighth weight class and a familiar question facing him:

Is Floyd Mayweather next?

The answer?

Who knows.

We asked the same question this time last year when Pacquiao dismantled Miguel Cotto, but after 11 months of bickering boxing's two brightest stars have sparred at the negotiating table still haven't squared off.

And that's a shame because before Saturday Mayweather was the only other fighter in the world with a legitimate claim to the pound-for-pound crown, and remains the only fighter alive with the skill set to cause Pacquiao problems. Pairing those two in 2011 would produce the most important fight of our generation and the biggest single sports event of the year.

But if it never happens I won't be surprised, and if Pacquaio's the one who refuses to fight I won't blame him.

It's not just because, after Saturday's lopsided win, Paquiao's legacy in more than set. With titles in eight world classes he doesn't need a Mayweather win to vault him into the all-time top 10.

Instead it's because if Mayweather is honest with himself he knows he needs to beat Pacquiao, both for the $50-million payout and to cement his status as the top fighter of his era. And the best way for Pacquiao to ensure a resounding victory over Money May -- and repay Mayweather for 11 months of insults, delays and drama -- is to never face him.

Not duck him.

Just leave him alone.

Move on to other things while Mayweather scrambles for a big payday and a career-defining win.

Saturday night HBO analyst Max Kellerman pointed out that Pacquiao absorbed more punches -- 229 -- than he normally does. Citing that stat compared Mayweather to a mid-1980s Ray Leonard, who had a standing invitation to face middleweight king Marvelous Marvin Hagler but waited for Hagler to endure grueling bouts with Thomas Hearns and John Mugabi before emerging from retirement to make the fight. 

But unlike Hagler, Pacquiao doesn't have to rally to salvage wins. He took punches because he always takes punches, but he's still winning by wide margins.

So instead, picture Mayweather as Leonard circa 1990, coming off a draw in a rematch with Hearns that most people felt he lost and looking to remain relevant with a big money bout against another old foe.

Hagler.

Leornard wanted Hagler to end his three-year retirment, but Hagler was happy doing what he was doing -- living in Italy and making straight-to-video feature films.

 

He stayed retired, and instead of another superfight Leonard settled for a February 1991 bout with Terry Norris, and absorbed more punches for less money than he would have against Hagler.

This isn't to suggest that Mayweather's skills are about to abandon him, or that Pacquiao should retire to concentrate on his singing career.

But Pacquiao has never had more clout than he has right now after thrashing Margarito, while Mayweather's declining profile is a fact he needs to face. 

Over the summer Pacquiao's camp decided to comply with Mayweather's request for Olympic-style drug testing and boxing fans worldwide thought the fight of the decade was finally on.

Yet rather than accepting the fight Mayweather let the opportunity lapse, refusing to explain the move and leaving his girlfriend to hint without elaborating that Pacquaio situation is more complex than it seems.

Instead of beginning training camp for a megafight Mayweather spent September butting heads with his ex-girlfriend, a confrontation that netted him nothing but a string of charges.

And instead of facing Pacquiao in the ring Mayweather blindsided him in a racist rant on Ustream.

As Mayweather's behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre the profile he gained by dominating Shane Mosley in May bleeds away, and so does the leverage he needs to compel Pacquiao to face him on fair terms.

Do you see Mayweather facing Paquiao for the short end of a 60-40 purse split?

Neither do I, but with their stocks rocketing in opposite directions Mayweather might need to accept it because he needs a win over Pacquiao to answer lingering questions about his ability to handle a hall-of-famer in his prime.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, knows his legacy is set, and could decide not to fight at all, leaving Mayweather with 40 percent of nothing.

Against a guy nicknamed "Money" what better revenge is there?

 

Follow the Star's Morgan Campbell on Twitter

 

 

Comments

[Tone]

Pacman needs to fight real fighters with defense not sluggers & brawlers

[johnnyk]

Pac doesn't need PBF. He's got the money and he's got the P4P crown.
M
Leave PBF in his echo chamber telling himself he's the greatest.

[Mihca]

..and who are you talking about "real fighters with defense " ??? MAYWEATHER??!!! Yeah he's got defense but he's not a real fighter.

[majarlikan]

WELL WRITTEN SIR...so brutally honest article

[JESUS]

RIGHT ON THE MONEY MR.AUTHOR...
MANNY FOUGHT THE BEST AND BIGGER OPPONENTS AND STILL WILLING BUT THE OTHER GUY IS BECOMING (NAMED FLOYD) MORE OF A JOKE.
WHAT DOES A 40-0 MEANS,RICKY HATTON WAS 40-0 AND DOES IT MEAN ANYTHING?.WHY HATTON WASNT NAMED P4P KING AS WELL LIKE FLOYD?
AND DONT FORGET THAT MANNY IS FIGHTING BIGGER AND HEVIER GUY AND FLOYD IS DOING THE OPPOSITE,HE FOUGHT BLOATED MARQUEZ AND HE EVEN WENT OVER THE WEIGHT LIMIT,AFTER THTA HE FOUGHT MOSLEY WHO IS ALMOST 40...
AND JUST COMPARE THE FACES OF MANNY AND FLOYD OPPONENTS AFTER THE FIGHT,SWEET SCIENCE?...
THE FACT IS FLOYD IS AFRAID TO GET HIT WHILE MANNY IS A DAREDEVIL WILLING TO GO TOE TO TOE,NOT AFRAID OF GETTING HURT,AND THAT IS BOXING,YOU GET HIT AND SUCKED IT ALL UP AND GO AND FINISH THE OPPONENT...
FLOYD IS SLAP SLAP SLAP,SHOULDER ROLL,SLAP MORE THE OPPONETS AND MORE ROLLING OF SHOULDER,IS THAT SWEET SCIENCE?...
GO BACK FLOYD AND FIGHT IN THE OLYMPICS,YOUR STYLE IS STILL BAESD ON THAT CONTEST..

[Marlon]

Im glad you had mentioned that on the 2nd negotiation Pac's camp agreed to drug testing because all these Floyd fans stil thinks Pac did not want to take any kind of drug test. At least now it shows Floyd is the one who doesnt want to fight.

[Marlon]

Im glad you had mentioned that on the 2nd negotiation Pac's camp agreed to drug testing because all these Floyd fans stil thinks Pac did not want to take any kind of drug test. At least now it shows Floyd is the one who doesnt want to fight.

[BigThud]

Morgan, Floyd's busy preparing for his wedding. Leave him alone!

[Captain Speaking]

Pac-Man looked about as good as he ever has this past Saturday night. He was as fast as ever....he seemed to enjoy the challenge of putting his back on the ropes, and exchanging with a known brute....his footwork is still there....he showed a real cerebral aspect to his fight plan as well, by using that battered eye to his advantage (circling right, but sticking a "delayed" left to the Tornadoes injured right eye).

Whatever my boy PBF plans to do in the next two years, it won't matter if he doesn't step in the ring with Pac-Man. I agree, Pac-Man no longer needs to fight PBF to solidify his leagacy. The same can no longer be said about PBF.

You know that scene in Oceans 11 (part 2) when Andy Garcia was left standing in his bank vault with an endless amount of flyers for local massage palours floating around the room post explosion? All the money's gone, and he's standing there with empty memories of what he once had.....well that would be PBF if Pac-Man refuses to fight him before retirement.

[Huna]

Very nice article....Worth the Read

I for one do not believe that Money will accept a Fight with Pacquiao due to it being too High Risk....Manny has a Legitimate Chance of Defeating him and Floyd is all about his undefeated record...

[Boxing's first Emperor]

Eight championships in 8 different classes. No one even comes close. The seven titles in 7 divisions is even currently held by Pacquiao himself. What a conqueror of the weight classes, an Emperor of Boxing! He's a living legend, a living all-time great.

[renato a rivera]

This Mayweather Pacquiao fight will be useless if the fight ever happens. Floyd will be covering up his face all 12 rounds long in order not to get hit, much like Clottey did when he fought Pacquiao. He will never open up his face for the 6-7 combinations onslaught so as to protect what he called his pretty face. I won't blame him. Who would want to look like Margarito, Cotto, Diaz and Hatton after fighting the Pacman. He will try to finish the 12 rounds bout standing much like Clottey did. He will try to back pedalled much like Cotto did. Forget about the shoulder rolls. Mayweather will become a punching bag all night long and it will be a shut out in favor of Pacquiao. Mayweather doubts his punching power to knock out the Pacman. He knows the more you hit the Pacman the more he will come after you banging his gloves. After the Margarito trashing from the hands of Pacquiao I believe in all honesty that Mayweather is seriously seriously intimidated by what happened at the Texas Stadium, in Dallas a couple of days ago. So to all the fans out there, forget about this fight. It will never happen.

[renato a rivera]

@tone Pacquiao fought a complete defensive fighter in the name of Clottey, Sir!

[Captain Speaking]

ummm.....as much as I think Pac-Man no longer needs PBF, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY you can compare Clottey to PBF! Let's not get crazy here.

I have no prediction on who would win a Pac-Man/PBF fight, but I can guarantee you PBF ain't no punk, and he'll step in the ring expecting to win, not just to survive!

He's probably faster than Pac-man, and for that reason alone he'd be willing to trade. One of the best defensive fighters in the history of the fight game (and like a basketball game, defense matters), so it would be a challenge for Pac-Man to get his range.

Like I said, I have no prediction on a winner, but don't start putting a flawed fighter like Clottey in the rarified air space that PBF occupies.

[Mihca]

Willing to Trade what? Punches? He doesn't even want to get in the ring with him.

[Lucas Kent]

Mayweather is scared and has problems...let's crown Manny now as the best fighter ever and let Money keep wagging his tongue anyone that will listen which is becoming fewer and fewer.

[Dennis Lainez]

You are right there Mr. Campbell, PAcquiao does not need to fight MAyweather just to prove he is the P4P king and beaten the "Money". Mayweather needs Pacquiao more then ever, now that he is in dire need for his lawsuits. Pacquia really WINS BIGGEST is he does not fight Mayweather. If i were PAcquiao, i will not fight, why give Mayweather the biggest payday now? Mayweather can fight all that there is and stay with his 0 defeats but not receive that huge amount.....

[PBF is a Coward]

Mayweather even dodged Margarito. And look what Pacman did to him. Mayweather, simply put, is a punk, plain and simple. He will never fight Pacman. Coward. Even worse are all these Mayweather apologists defending his ways. It's a disgrace to boxing. The whole point in boxing is getting up there, sacrificing the body, and giving the boxing fans what we have been waiting for. Pacman is more than willing to do this. Mayweather makes excuse after excuse, condition after condition. And when all conditions are made, he comes up with more excuses. Pitiful.

[Ivan Montiel]

Morgan for the first time I would have to say I am not pleased with this BLOG.

Margarito was tailor made for Pacquiao. Margarito was too dam slow on his feet, didn't throw enough punches, didn't move his head and should have worked Pacquiao's body if he wanted to win.

This win in my opinion isn't Pacquiao's biggest win not unitl he fights and beats Mayweather Jr convincingly.

pound for pound KING Floyd Mayweather ain't no Margarito he's a lot smarter, faster both on his feet and hands, has the best defensive skills in boxing period and proved he has a chin by taking big shots from Shane Mosley.

My prediction if Mayweather vs Pacquiao happens a shut out victory for Floyd Mayweather Jr!

[centerbolt]

no need for pacman to face floyfraid. Pac'll be on the top 3 boxers of all time.
floyfraid, he can shove his money and unbeaten record. what does it do to boxings glory if you avoid what boxing afficionados want?

[Captain Speaking]

There are many ways to skin a cat. So "stick and move" is the order of the day for both. As much as Pac-man likes to trade, he's not the guy from the early 2000's that actually swallowed many a punch. He's in and out now. A much smarter way to fight if you're more skilled.....why give the opponent a chance? PBF just takes that to another defensive level.

Nothing about PBF's past history says he can be 'beat-up' by anyone. It just hasn't happened.....I've seen Manny get beat on pretty bad though.

So if they do trade, who says Pac-Man would be more likely to come out victorious? He's got a heavier punch, but accuracy is on PBF's side. You give me a guy who seems to avoid every punch, yet lands more frequently, and I'll say that's a guy who wins a 12 round decision.

No matter how you look at it, no one can really whoop the other without landing the big blow.

[william]

the measure of a "greatest fighter", to me, is measured in what he does in and out of the ring. clearly, mayweather is no match! if i may advise pacquiao, never give mayweather that opportunity to earn anymore dollars. after all, he's done and heading to jail.

[catskill208]

"..Pacquiao, meanwhile, knows his legacy is set, and could decide not to fight at all, leaving Mayweather with 40 percent of nothing.

Against a guy nicknamed "Money" what better revenge is there?..."

clever, very clever.

Manny can even hint that 'ala-Sun Tzu's Art of War' he beat Mayweather without firing a shot!

[Mike N]

Love your links Morgan. The Hagler one is hilarious. My interest in the Manny/Floyd match is rapidly waning - especially with Mayweather appearing more and more like a complete moron.

[Wacky Jabber]

Q: Why did The Chicken NOT cross the road?

A: He saw Pacman on the other side.