Floyd Mayweather: Does Being Undefeated Make a Fighter Legendary?

TMZ reports that the Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao fight is a done deal for May 2. While no official source has confirmed this to have happened (and many of us roll our eyes at TMZ breaking this story), this could be the fight that seals the deal as to whether Mayweather is truly the best ever.

Paulie Malignaggi seems to think he's the best. "I think Floyd beats everyone in history, and anyone who doesn't realize that by now is stubborn, blind, stupid or all three," he told NYFightblog. "He is the best ever." (h/t Michael Woods of ESPNNewYork.com)

Mayweather has an unblemished 47-0 record. His wins read off like the induction ceremony to the Boxing Hall of Fame. He is athletically gifted and works his butt off in the gym. Despite all of this, Mayweather falls just short of the pantheon of boxing legends.

What makes a legendary fighter? Is it a number of wins over losses?

Legends are less defined by their records than by their demonstrated ability to have memorable fights. They put themselves in situations where their grit is tested through pain and determination. And they do that on a consistent basis.

Too many fans put the value of a fighter on the numbers in his loss column. But it is the quality of the fights that fans remember most. They remember fighters who test themselves in the greatest ring battles in all of history.

Aside from his first fight against Jose Luis Castillo, Mayweather has rarely displayed those qualities in his fights. Sure, he may have overwhelmed his opponents with his blinding hand speed and his sheer talent. But Mayweather has never put himself in a situation equivalent to an Ali-Frazier, Hagler-Hearns or this: 

That's not to say that Mayweather wouldn't hold his own in a war. His work ethic in the gym definitely shows that he could probably hold his own if it came to it.

But ring legends seek out the challenges that could make them great. It doesn't matter what the purse is or who is promoting the fight. The best fighters will fight the best, anytime and any place, not after they've been worn down after a few wars.

Matthew Rhodes of the Guardian notes the few "asterisks" in his win column: 

"

The first Castillo bout could easily have gone the other way; Judah had just lost to Baldomir (who Mayweather subsequently beat); Oscar and Mosley were both on the downsides of their career (despite coming off impressive victories); the Hatton bout was at 147lbs rather than 140lb, where Hatton was more effective; Márquez handled the weight badly and Cotto was past his best.

"

He does note that the same critique can be used with any boxer's record.

But to determine what will make Mayweather a legend, one could just go ahead and ask some of the sport's greatest.

According to Rachelle Corpuz of the International Busines Times, Tommy Hearns states that Mayweather should beat fighters of a higher standard and that "he's winning massively and taking the fights he wants." He makes the point that Mayweather should fight either Pacquiao or Khan.

Per Riath Al-Samarrai of the Daily Mail, middleweight legend Marvin Hagler believes this as well: "We have got to see if he [Mayweather] retires and hasn't given Pacquiao or Khan a shot. There will be conversations that maybe he was afraid of them." (h/t Fashion Times)

Then, there are these guys:

Hopefully, we can wake up in a few days and find out that the rumors of a Mayweather-Pacquiao megafight are true. Is this fight years too late in the making? Probably.

But at least it can answer some questions about Mayweather's legacy.