Pacquaio vs. Marquez: Why Pac-Man Must Look Ahead to Money Mayweather

Right now, all of Manny Pacquiao's attention should be focused on his third bout with Juan Manuel Marquez, otherwise known as the only boxer in the world who can boast about having Pac-Man's number without sounding like a delusional cretin.

This fight, for the record, is fast approaching. Pac-Man and Marquez will do battle next Saturday in Las Vegas, and you can rest assured the fight is going to be worth the pay-per-view dollars.

As for what comes next for Pac-Man after the Marquez bout, there's really only one fight worth pursuing.

That fight, of course, would be the oft-dreamed-about mega-bout with Floyd Mayweather, Jr., he of the perfect 42-0 record. It's the one fight at the top of everyone's wish list, and it's a logical next step for both fighters.

Before I go any further, I must pause to offer an obligatory disclaimer. Top Rank CEO Bob Arum said (via ESPNLosAngeles.com) not too long ago that a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight will "never, ever happen." He'd have you believe that Money is too afraid of Pac-Man, which is a point that is awfully hard to argue against at this juncture.

But personally, I remain optimistic. There's certainly more than enough demand for the fight, and it is a fight that is appealing to both fighters for a variety of reasons. There is the obvious competitive appeal, and we're also talking about a lot of money to be made.

No matter how or when the fight actually comes to fruition, both fighters are going to be put to the ultimate test. Money would be out to prove that he's as good as his 42-0 record, and Pac-Man would be out to prove that he is indeed the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.

The point is debatable, but I think there will be more pressure on Pac-Man if the fight ever happens. He may be regarded as the baddest boxer in the known world, but there are those who say that he ran out of challenging opponents several years ago.

So as focused as Pac-Man should be on Marquez, he also needs to start thinking long-term. There will be plenty of time to get ready physically for a fight with Mayweather, a period that will likely include plenty of Rocky-style montages, but the time for mental preparation was yesterday.

Part of the reason I say this is because Mayweather might be better than anyone at playing mind games. He's as crazy as a loon, and he has used this to his advantage during his career. Most recently, he did a number on Victor Ortiz's fragile mind by stomping all over his rocky childhood.

True, Pac-Man is too experienced and too sage-like to fall for such tricks. That said, there are plenty of aspects of Pac-Man's life that Money can target. If he wants to target Pac-Man's various careers or hard upbringing, he will. Such tactics could very well prove to be useful.

As silly as all this may sound, keep in mind that the fight itself is going be weighing on Pac-Man's mind. A fight with Mayweather would easily be the biggest fight of his career, and you could argue that it would be the biggest fight of any kind in decades. These realities will come with a certain pressure, and even Pac-Man would have to feel it.

If Pac-Man can wrap his head around a fight with Mayweather ahead of time, he's going to be glad he did. Presumably, he'll be glad to punch Money's lights out, too.

But first, he has to punch Marquez's lights out. If he doesn't all of this is moot.