Floyd Mayweather: "Money" Flirts with His First Defeat

As one of the most polarizing figures in boxing's modern era, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has been loved and hated by boxing fans for many years.  

At the moment, Floyd "Money" Mayweather is in a position to produce one of the largest fights in boxing history with Manny Pacquiao, but he cannot do it alone.  His inability to make this fight happen may shape more of his legacy than his undefeated 42-0 record.  

There are those who feel he has nothing to lose if it simply passes by such a fight, but there are also many who believe he is merely one win away from the perfection he feels he already deserves.

The difference seems to be in the eye of the beholder.

Do people prefer to see a spotless record and savvy boxing business management, or believe that that the true quality of a boxer's legendary status is shown by taking on all of the greatest opponents of his time?

The former seem to focus on the rewards of fame and maximizing status in the history books.  

The latter are more likely boxing fans who simply want to see the best boxers in the world display their hearts and talents and put everything on the line as long as their prime allows.

Either way one leans, most boxing fans agree that if Floyd "Money" Mayweather fails to make one of the biggest boxing matches in history a reality, he will have lost the largest payday ever seen in boxing.  

As for me, I further believe he will have cemented his first professional defeat.