Pacquiao vs. Mayweather: Assessing Likelihood of Dream Fight After Pac-Man's Win

OK. The Manny Pacquiao-Brandon Rios fight is over. Pacquiao thoroughly dominated Rios in each round on his way to a 120-108, 119-109, 118-110 unanimous decision.

If there was any doubt Pacquiao is not back to form, it was erased in his bout with Rios. Not only did Pacquiao win via unanimous decision, he also pitched a shutout by winning every round and landing nearly twice as many punches by the time the final bell rang.

Pacquiao showed his familiar blend of speed, power and lethal combinations to show the boxing world he still has what it takes to dominate an opposing fighter.

Let's get down to the story likely on most fans' minds after watching Pacquiao return to form: Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather.

Since about 2009, this one fight has dominated the consciousness of boxing fans and experts alike. Almost everything each fighter has done was viewed through the prism of how it affects the prospects of this superfight.

With each win or loss, it was discussed whether we've gotten closer or farther away from the fight ever happening.

Face it, we're gonna see Pacquiao-Mayweather at some point in our lifetime.

The amount of money on the line is astronomical. A fight between the two guys could easily set pay-per-view records and bring in massive ticket sales. Even with all the money they've accumulated throughout their careers, it would be hard to turn down a record pay day if you're Pacquiao or Mayweather.

The fans will come.

By this time, many have come to believe that the fight will never happen, so they've stopped caring. The second this fight is confirmed, you can expect mass hysteria, and it will only get crazier in the buildup to the fight.

There's a saying in pro wrestling that when somebody is good, he could make a match with a broomstick interesting. In a way, that applies to Mayweather. He could hype up a fight with anybody and anything.

His fight with Canelo Alvarez did record numbers. No offense to Alvarez, but if Mayweather can help that fight net huge profits, what could he do with a bigger star like Pacquiao? "Pac-Man" has a huge following and will do his part to make this fight big.

Really, the only question surrounding this possible fight is will it be sooner rather than later?

Freddie Roach believes as much, via ESPN.co.uk:

"

Every big fight that was supposed to happen in boxing happens somewhere along the way, I just hope this one isn't going to happen too late when they're both washed up and not the same. Then they're just doing it for the money, anyway.

I still have hope. Mayweather's in the same position [Pacquiao] is. You've only got eight fighters in the world that can sell on pay-per-view and make money. That's why I give it a shot.

"

Speaking to an Australian radio show, Bob Arum tried stoking the fire, per Ronnie Nathanielsz of BoxingScene.com:

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Arum said, “The only major impediment is that Mayweather now fights for Showtime and Manny for HBO” but cited precedent “when they had the same situation years ago where Lennox Lewis was an HBO fighter and Mike Tyson fought for Showtime.”

He noted that the two networks “came together and shared responsibilities of promoting the pay-per-view and it worked out really well.”

Arum feels that “if Manny demonstrates that he’s back and there’s a public outcry, we should be able to get it done.”

"

It's interesting that Arum draws the parallel to the fight between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson. That was one of the last real superfights of the heavyweight division. Both guys were the best at one time.

But by the time they finally met, in 2002, Lewis was light-years ahead of Tyson and knocked him out in the eighth round. The pre-fight press conference was more notable than anything that actually happened in the ring.

Although it made a ton of money, those in boxing circles wouldn't hold it up as the holy grail of fights. Fans don't want to see another Lewis-Tyson. That could be the future if Pacquiao and Mayweather wait much longer.

Fans who want to see this fight in the worst way possible could well get their wish.