Mayweather Is Money; a Showdown With Pacquiao Looms Large

Last night in Las Vegas, Floyd Mayweather Jr. dominated Shane Mosley in what was supposed to be the toughest fight of his career against a man in Mosley who is a sure-fire hall of fame inductee.

The most interesting aspect of the way the fight played out wasn’t that Mayweather cruised to a one-sided technical victory. It was that Mayweather was the aggressor and decimated a man who we’re not used to seeing get beaten about the way he did.

The aura of Mayweather in the ring last night was that of invincibility. In the second round when Mosley landed the biggest shot of the night and followed with another knee-buckling right shortly thereafter, Mayweather fought through it and not only looked stronger, but did so with a hostility that was portrayed by a sneer and pin-point punches that would have felled a normal challenger. 

In the third round he exacted immediate revenge by landing ultra-fast, hard over hand rights and went on to control the next nine rounds until the fight ended with Mosley still on his feet…but just barely.

Immediately after the demolition of Mosley, the boxing world turned its attention, as it should, to what would be the biggest fight in years: a showdown with Manny Pacquiao. 

This is the biggest fight that can be made in boxing, bar none and would be the highest grossing, most watched fight in the history of the sport. It’s an event that could bring boxing back to prominence and land record paydays for both fighters.

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is a fight that must happen.

But will it?

Both camps are adamant with their collective stances.  Mayweather is still demanding Olympic-style drug testing and Pacquiao has steadfastly refused to bend to Mayweather’s will. 

The truth is, also, that both fighters have valid points. One could make the argument in Mayweather’s favor that if Pacquiao has nothing to hide, then why not give the blood and urine as requested? However, from Pacquiao’s point of view, why should he let Mayweather dictate standards that go above and beyond that of the Nevada Boxing Commission? 

They are at an impasse that threatens to kill the biggest, most grand event that the sport could produce in the past 20 to 30 years and for next 10 years to come. It would be the biggest disappointment the sport has known in quite some time.

If it doesn’t happen, then what is next for either fighter?

The prognosis seems to be more favorable for Pacquiao. Antonio Margarito has already been named as a possible future opponent. Add that with the fact that Top Rank promotes both fighters and that they are willing to stage a fight in the amazing new Dallas Cowboys' stadium, and it seems like that would be an easy fight to make that would also prove to be very lucrative. If for whatever reason that fight didn’t take place, it wouldn’t be inconceivable to think that Pacquiao would take on an Andre Berto, Timothy Bradley or Devon Alexander.

Mayweather’s future is a little cloudier, and quite frankly dependent upon a fight with Pacquiao. The reason is, after he beat Mosley, the man who was regarded as the champion of the welterweight division and in the fashion he did so, what’s left for him there? 

Mayweather only fights in big fights. There is no one left for him to fight in the welterweight division, other than Pacquiao. With what he did to Mosley, I shudder to think what he’d do against Berto or Miguel Cotto. There is no junior welterweight who could step in and challenge him and there isn’t a fighter around with a big enough name in those two divisions that could bring the dollars to make it worth it for Mayweather.

So what of the super welterweight division? The most obvious fight would seem to be with Paul Williams, but that just plain won’t happen. It’s too much of a risk with not enough reward for Mayweather, and besides, both men are managed by Al Haymon.  That’s a fight that he’ll never let happen. Admittedly, it’s a fight in which prior to last night I would have favored Williams, but of that outcome, I’m not so sure anymore. 

That leaves, in my opinion, a fight with Sergio Martinez for the middleweight championship of the world. Martinez doesn’t bring the biggest star-power to the table, but it’s seemingly the only fight that would go a long way to enhancing Mayweather’s legacy outside of a showdown with Pacquiao. If he added the middleweight championship to his resume, he would cement his name, if it’s not already there, along with the all-time greats such as Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, etc.

Martinez is no pushover and would prove a worthy adversary, but seriously, is there anyone willing to pick against Mayweather right now?  Even in a fight with Pacquiao?

Boxing needs Mayweather vs. Pacquiao sooner rather than later.  If it’s not the next fight for both fighters, it should be.