Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez: Why a Marquez Win Would Cripple Boxing

Over the past decade, public interest in boxing has waned, while mixed martial arts has continued to rise. While boxing comes up with a marquee fight every once in a while, most feel that the entertainment value of MMA has surpassed boxing.

There may only be two true draws in the sport of boxing right now, and they are Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. Pacquiao will fight Juan Manuel Marquez for the third time on Nov. 12, and while that fight has generated some buzz, Marquez isn't viewed as a legitimate threat.

Ultimately, the one fight that can put boxing back on the map, and save the sport in a way, is Pacquiao vs. Mayweather. Issues such as Olympic-style drug testing and purse distribution still need to be sorted out, but I have to believe that both men are smart enough to know what a match between them would mean for the sport.

The one thing that can truly derail that, though, is if Pacquiao finds a way to lose to Marquez next weekend. I suppose that Pacquiao and Mayweather could agree to a fight anyway, but it would lose a lot of its luster since Pac-Man may not be considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world anymore.

More than likely, Mayweather would use a Pacquiao loss as a reason to not fight him. I don't necessarily believe Mayweather has been ducking Pacquiao as many do, but there wouldn't be a reason for him to risk his legacy should Pac-Man lose to Marquez.

Marquez could possibly position himself for another clash with Mayweather, but the drawing power would be negligible. The casual boxing fan doesn't care much for Marquez, and he simply isn't a very exciting fighter.

Pacquiao vs. Mayweather would undoubtedly be the most exciting fight in years. Not only would it have tons of underlying storylines, but the lead up to the fight would be epic because of Mayweather's penchant for trash talking.

To be perfectly honest, there is nothing UFC can throw out there that would match Pacquiao vs. Mayweather. Because of that, it would seem that such a dream fight is boxing's only hope to get back on top.

Aside from some negotiations, Marquez is the only thing standing in the way of that fight. While Pacquiao is the big favorite, Marquez has taken him to the brink twice, so he has the opportunity to play spoiler—and bury the sport of boxing in the process.