Floyd Mayweather vs. Larry Merchant: Manny Pacquiao Must Make Commentator's Day

Larry Merchant is more of a man than Floyd Mayweather will ever be. Merchant snapped at Mayweather after Pretty Boy Floyd threw a tantrum, but the old sports commentator is just a little too old to threaten the undefeated boxer. Manny Pacquiao on the other hand should shut Mayweather’s mammoth-sized mouth.

After knocking out Victor Ortiz on a classless swing, Mayweather nearly shed a tear when HBO boxing commentator Larry Merchant didn’t give him a “fair shake."  Money Mayweather went off cursing at the 80-year old Merchant, but the grandpa refused to back down saying: “I wish I was 50 years younger and I’d kick your ass.”

Merchant may not be youthful enough to put Mayweather in his place, but there’s one fighter on the planet that has the ability to do so: Manny Pacquiao. The two legendary boxers have been dodging each other for years. Pac-Man is 32 years old while Mayweather is 34 so they’re running out of time.

More than their actual record, a boxer’s legacy is judged by the level of competition they faced and defeated in the ring. Looking back at Pacquiao and Mayweather’s careers, both will have a huge asterisk next their names after dodging each other. A matchup between the two looks unlikely, but it’s not like the motivation to fight isn’t there.

It has been over a year now since Mayweather’s infamous, racist rant where he dissed Pacquiao saying (via ESPN):

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“I'm on vacation for about a year, about a year.  As soon as we come off vacation, we're going to cook that little yellow chump.  We ain't worried about that.  So they ain't gotta worry about me fighting the midget.  Once I kick the midget ass, I don't want you all to jump on my (explicit).  So you all better get on the bandwagon now.  Once I stomp the midget, I'll make that mother (explicit) make me a sushi roll and cook me some rice.”

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Since the rant, Pacquiao has taken out Antonio Margarita and Shane Mosley in unanimous decisions. The Filipino hero is scheduled to fight Juan Manuel Marquez this November so a battle with Mayweather won’t happen in the near future.  Mayweather’s latest controversy though will bring a fight with Pacquiao back into the dreams of boxing fans.

Pac-Man must do Merchant and the rest of the world a huge favor by dethroning the 42-0, arrogant Mayweather.

David Daniels is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a Syndicated Writer. Follow him on Twitter