Manny Pacquaio Raised Pressure on Floyd Mayweather with Chris Algieri Victory

Floyd Mayweather Jr. holds the keys to deciding whether the world will ever see him go up against Manny Pacquiao, but pressure is undoubtedly growing on the brash American following the Filipino's win over Chris Algieri on Saturday.

Pac-Man defended his WBO welterweight title with a stylish unanimous-decision win in Macau, and a 2015 bout against "Money" Mayweather is all that's on his mind, according to ESPN's Dan Rafael:

On so many occasions, the fight has seemed within reach only for hopes to be dashed by a lack of common ground between the two camps, whether due to purse agreement or other misgivings.

However, the stars are as close to aligning as they have been for some time, and Pacquiao is still showing extreme quality, as the scorecards showed in his masterclass beating of Algieri:

As the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Mayweather can of course still afford to take his pick of opponents in the remaining time he has in the ring before retirement.

He's the undisputed draw—the jackpot every other fighter chases—and that power allows him to cherry-pick his future.

The undefeated veteran announced after his victory over Marcos Maidana in September that he would be hanging up his gloves in 2015. That gives him a two-fight countdown in which to make a Pacquiao bout come to fruition.

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Speaking to Showtime (h/t Sky Sports) ahead of his most recent win, Money added a new sense of urgency in making such a fixture happen. "I have only got two more fights after this. As of right now my focus is on Maidana," he said. "I can’t focus on the two fights after this. I can’t say who the next two opponents will be, but they will be exciting fights. My next fight is in May and then September. A year from now will be my last fight."

Mayweather has been selective in choosing his opposition as his career has progressed—perhaps even cautious to some—and it may seem unlikely that he would put his unbeaten career on the line at such a late juncture.

However, his legacy is important to him. Risking retirement while the wider public believes he ducked his greatest rival wouldn't sit well with Mayweather.

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Others may not see Pacquiao as a major threat. Since suffering back-to-back defeats against Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, there's an argument to say the 35-year-old isn't the same talent he once was and that Mayweather should aim higher.

But who else (out of the men Mayweather hasn't already beaten) carries the sheer hand speed and power that Pacquiao displayed against Algieri? 

Lyle Fitzsimmons spoke with Bleacher Report's Stephen Nelson to discuss this potential clash after Saturday's result in China:

Both Pacquiao and Mayweather are nearing the end of their careers, and this would be a meeting to rubber-stamp a legacy—a final showdown to put a full stop on one of boxing's great mysteries.

Who's the better fighter?

Of course, fans may wish that answer had been provided some four or five years ago, but after Pacquiao showed he can still maul a highly rated fighter like Algieri, now is as good a time as any to find a solution.

Pacquiao has moved quickly to sound out his would-be opponent following the demolition of Algieri, and the time has come for Mayweather to put his record on the line and sign a contract.