While pugilistic diehards might feel the Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao balloon popped today, when Floyd signed to fight Miguel Cotto, think again.

The simple truth was that this superfight was leaking air for months.

The fight was ripe and ready to go before Mayweather faced Victor Ortiz last September, and Manny decided to trilogize his rivalry with Juan Manuel Marquez last November.

Mayweather held up his end of the bargain, despite the controversial ending; he waxed an unsuspecting Ortiz after Ortiz delivered a filthy leaping headbutt. Though Mayweather was not 100 percent sportsman-like, Ortiz should have protected himself at all times. 

Any way you cut it, "Money" Mayweather's skill leaving the ring, after starching Ortiz, was still unquestioned and whole. He moved like the wind, and defied and deflected any and all pressure Ortiz was able to muster.

He left the ring unscathed as usual.

Manny, on the other hand, went toe-to-toe with J.M. Marquez for 12 rounds. At times he had some strong pockets of aggressiveness, but for the most part, Manny delivered first, and J.M.M. countered.

This back-and-forth continued throughout he bout and at the end of the day, Pac-Man narrowly escaped with an unimpressive majority draw. 

Manny quite simply looked good, nothing more.

Now, factor in "Pretty Boy" Floyd's near-shutout domination of Marquez when the two did battle in September 2009, and you start to wonder.

Is Manny in Floyd's class?

Universally, before their respective last bouts, the answer was yes. If polls would have been taken last September of media and fans alike, we would have been looking at a 50-50 pick 'em.

However, on the heels of Pacquiao's uninspiring outcome in the ring against Marquez, the polls now look more like a 75-25 percent landslide in Mayweather's favor.

So ask yourself, if you are Top Rank's Bob Arum, do you make this fight now, or do you wait until Manny looks impressive once again and can command some attention from the court of public appeal?

Clearly Floyd garnished enough machismo from watching Manny's last bout to go all out in his call-out of Manny Pacquiao. Surely he was never aggressive like this before. 

That might have been because Manny was busy obliterating opponent after opponent, including Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya.

Styles make fights, and J.M. Marquez clearly makes Manny look human.

So, Manny might move on and once again obliterate opponents like Timothy Bradley or/and a Lamont Peterson. However, regardless of the momentum gained, he will still have to face a quicker, stronger and smarter fighter, who is cut from the same counterpunching cloth than Marquez when, and if, he faces Mayweather.

Six months ago, I would have given much to see Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao. I only hope that in six months from now, I will once again crave the fight I once did.