Pacquiao vs. Marquez: Will Win Earn Dinamita Rematch with Floyd Mayweather?

With all the talk about what happens when Manny Pacquiao defeats Juan Manuel Marquez for the second time in three tries and how quickly a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. would come about in its wake, it’s easy to forget that Marquez might, you know, upset the balance of the universe and emerge victorious on November 12th. 

It’s not that far-fetched of a proposition. As obnoxious as it may be that Marquez insists that he “was robbed”, even to the point of wearing it on his chest at promotional events, the man has a pretty good point. After all, “Dinamita” fought “Pac-Man” to a draw in their first meeting back in 2004 and nearly held onto his WBC Super Featherweight title when the two fighters resumed their professional animosities nearly four years later, losing by a somewhat controversial split decision.

As such, a victory for Marquez is hardly beyond the realm of possibility. Granted, he’s still more than five years Pacquiao’s senior, which used to give Marquez an edge in experience but has since become a disadvantage for the 38-year-old Mexican icon.

Then again, time isn’t quite as cruel to boxers as it to most other athletes. Just ask Bernard Hopkins who, at age 46, is still the WBC Light Heavyweight champion.

Now, realistically, Marquez would be lucky to top Pacquiao, a man who, in the midst of his prime, is arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world today.

But what if Marquez does the “unthinkable” and nabs Pacquiao’s WBO World Welterweight title belt? Would Floyd Mayweather Jr. give Marquez the time of day, or even a second shot in the ring?

The answer to that question depends on the purse. Only once has “Money May” offered a rematch to an opponent. That came in 2002, when Mayweather defeated Jose Luis Castillo by unanimous decision on back-to-back occasions. The first fight had been controversially close on account of a torn rotator cuff in Mayweather’s shoulder.

The second fight left no doubt that Money May had triumphed amidst injury, making his success that much more remarkable.

There was no such controversy surrounding Mayweather’s win over Marquez. Money May flat-out dominated Dinamita in what turned out to be a one-sided affair between two world-class boxers.

It’s doubtful that Mayweather would offer a rematch out of charity, seeing as how he has nothing left to prove against Marquez.

But, if the price is right and the negotiations with Pacquiao’s camp too testy—and, of course, if Marquez pulls off the upset first—then it’s entirely conceivable that Mayweather would entertain another bout with Marquez.

Whether or not Marquez would actually want to subject himself to another sound beating is another story entirely.