Marquez vs. Fedchenko: Root for Fedchenko If You Don't Want Marquez-Pacquiao IV

Chances are, if you're not a hardcore boxing fan like myself, you've probably never heard of Sergey Fedchenko. I've seen him fight twice, and he's a solid fighter with an overblown 30-1 record.

I call it "overblown," because Fedchenko has rarely fought outside of his native Ukraine and never in America. He does not possess much punching power, as he has stopped only 13 of his 31 opponents.

That said, if you're like me, you'll be rooting like hell for Fedchenko to win.

It's not that I have some mysterious affinity for the little-known Ukrainian Super Lightweight, but it's because I can't bear to watch another Marquez-Pacquiao bout.

If Pacquiao defeats Tim Bradley on June 9 and is subsequently unable to agree on a bout with Floyd Mayweather, he may turn back to Marquez. He'll want another big payday, and at that point, it's possible that bout could represent the biggest one.

If Fedchenko upsets Marquez, it would be very hard-pressed to see promoters able to sell a fourth Marquez-Pacquiao bout to the public.

Don't get me wrong, all three of the previous Marquez-Pacquiao bouts were entertaining, but the action doesn't figure to continue impressing. Pacquiao is 33, and Marquez is 38, so conventional wisdom suggests that both are heading downward in their respective careers.

Compound that with the moral struggle Pacquiao is trying to convince us he's fighting, Marquez's severe lack of personality and the fleeting desire to see Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, and a fourth fight is without appeal for me.

I don't mean this as a knock on Marquez. He's been nothing but a true warrior, and his career is worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. That said, even the best fighters and their rivals can get boring after awhile.

I'd say that's where I am with Marquez-Pacquiao.

It's funny how so many subplots can lead to me rooting for Fedchenko, but that is my line of thinking. I acknowledge that—unless there is a tremendous falloff from Marquez—Fedchenko's chances are slim, though.

Still, for the betterment of the major boxing landscape, I'm rooting for the Ukrainian.