After Mayweather-Marquez: One Less Foe for Pacman

In a recent interview with British Sports Television, Floyd Mayweather Jr. calmly stated that he's not so interested anymore in being the popular boxing rating's top fighter. Accordingly, Manny Pacquiao may be the best fighter in the eyes of most people, but only of this decade. He, however, is one of the best of all time. 

I don't buy it.

In an interview with Brian Kenny, he was told that Pacquiao had just cemented his hold on the throne through his last three fights' accomplishments. It was obvious that Mayweather felt the need to assert himself again, verbally.

So what made Mayweather appear as calm as a morning sea breeze in front of British television this time? It's not acknowledgement that he was overshadowed. It was more of a ploy to cut him some slack. After all, who doesn't get tired of being tagged as a second fiddle, or a fraudulent No. 1? It gets to him emotionally, and the more people drill that thought into his head and hurt his insurmountable pride, the more he loses his composure

Mayweather have an upcoming fight with Pacquiao's arch rival and pound-for-pound second, Juan Manuel Marquez. The fight, accordingly, is battle for numero uno; but smells like second in the words of elite trainer Freddie Roach. The upcoming fight became possible first, by Marquez calling out "the real No. 1" referring to Mayweather, and second, Mayweather accepting the challenge all the while praising Marquez as the "best out there."

This is excruciating for a fan's head to absorb. Everybody's claiming to be the No. 1, or the best, or the hot shot, or whatever. Why can't just everybody respect and acknowledge the rankings as they are? Pacquiao is at the top, followed by Marquez, and then by Bernard Hopkins, and so on. Now, where would Mayweather be, considering that he used to be No. 1?

This is where I find the need for the Mayweather-Marquez fight to occur, despite the negative criticisms raining down on Mayweather for picking on the smaller Mexican. To begin with, the Mexican called on him. 

It can be recalled that Marquez had never accepted his loss to Pacquiao. The fight was so close and could have gone either way, but Pacquiao got the nod for a knockout over Marquez. Some factions were claiming Marquez was robbed, and that he's actually a notch better than Pacquiao. Mayweather is well aware of this, and by simply defeating Marquez, he's back on the limelight as somebody who defeated somebody close to defeating Pacquiao. He wouldn't feel the need to fight Pacquiao at all after that.

With those who do not acknowledge Pacquiao's reign on the top spot, he can just argue that he's back as No. 1. Never mind that the argument will never end, he's got the number tagged back to his name.

Marquez has his own reasons for taking on a fight with Mayweather. The Mexican's bent on proving himself to be the best out there.

He feels like Pacquiao is handing him false hopes for a third fight, like a carrot on a stick. In his mind, being No.1 can be achieved without having to really fight Pacquiao, whom he described as "afraid of him." By defeating Mayweather, he can argue solidly that he's defeated the No. 1 man in boxing, and his faction will no doubt proclaim him as such.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao is not bothered with these schemes at all. He's the legitimate No. 1. Rankings have his name on the top spot. Somehow he knew that for him to be overthrown, a challenge to the throne must be issued by way of notice for a fight. In his mind, he's got both Mayweather and Marquez after his throne, and he doesn't need to fight both of them one after the other.

The Mayweather-Marquez fight will eliminate one of them as a legitimate contender, leaving Pacquiao with one less foe to fight, and leaving the boxing sport one less claimant to the word "Best."