Mayweather vs Pacquiao: Time Has Passed to Ever See Icons Clash at Their Best

There is serious doubt whether we will ever see a Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao bout, but one thing is for sure, we will never see a true super-fight between the two. Both men face situations that lead me to believe their best days are in the rear-view mirror. 

Mayweather is coming off an impressive bout with Miguel Cotto. He won, but he took more punishment in this fight than he had in his past five fights combined—unless you count the head butts from Victor Ortiz.

I can't take any credit away from Cotto, as he proved himself to be a world-class fighter, but I wonder if a younger Floyd would have been hit as often as the 35-year-old version was tagged.

To further the concern, Mayweather is currently sitting in a Las Vegas jail cell serving an 87-day sentence. I said prior to him reporting to prison that this could have a harsh impact on his career.

It appears that is the case only 13 days into the sentence.

Mayweather's lawyers are hard at work attempting to get Mayweather moved to house arrest for the remainder of his sentence. They cite deteriorating physical and mental condition as the reason, and also stated this predicament threatens Mayweather's future in boxing, via David Mayo of Mlive.com.

All of that certainly doesn't sound like a man who will emerge from prison ready to put on his best performance.

As for Pacquiao, he is free from tangible confinement, but I can't say that he is completely free.

He has religious conflicts and eroding skill as his major impediments. I will argue that Pacquiao has already lost what made him so special. He is not the same fighter who defeated Ricky Hatton and Cotto.

If he were the same, he would have knocked Timothy Bradley out. The 33-year-old Pacquiao was unable to do that. 

He is different mentally and physically, and who knows how much one aspect has to do with the other.

Even if this fight happens sometime in 2013, we have lost the chance to see the two icons clash at their best. The appeal is likely to remain based on name recognition, but this fight would be super in name only.

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