Manny Pacquiao Has Little To Prove and Everything To Lose vs. Márquez

When Manny Pacquiao steps into the ring on November 12, he'll be facing the last man to give him a serious test.

Since his March of 2008 fight with Juan Manuel Márquez, Pacquiao is 7-0. He's won every one of those fights by knockout or at worst, unanimous decision.

But now, he's in what's maybe the worst position to be in. Pacquiao is not only the heavy favorite, also at risk is a potentially huge payoff with a future Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight down the line.

Now, I have said before that the best chance at a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight involves one or both of them losing. I still believe that, although I would be just fine being wrong there.

But in that scenario, the intrigue of the fight would be significantly lost. In turn, the payday for both men would be lost.

So, what does Pacquiao have to prove now? Absolutely nothing. By the way, neither does Mayweather. Honestly, neither man can prove anything positive about themselves without fighting the other.

Pacquiao is already one of the best fighters of all time. Yes, that's a matter of opinion, but it's based on fact. If you don't believe me, look at his record and how much diversity he's shown in weight classes. You would have to try really hard to prove that he's not one of the best to ever step into the ring.

In Márquez, however, Pacquiao is facing an opponent that can actually beat him. Don't get me wrong, Pacquiao should win this fight. He's five years younger than Márquez, and has beaten him before. Márquez has also fought Pacquiao to a draw, but that was before the Pacquiao's split decision win in 2008.

Pacquiao really needs this win. His legacy is set at this point, but there is one looming fight down the line that needs to happen. If I am right, and it only happens after one or both men lose, then the intrigue is just not there.

Right now, the ball is in Pacquiao's court. He's in a fight that he should and needs to win. That's a dangerous position to be in.

It's a good thing that he's still Manny Pacquiao. When the time comes, he'll take care of business.