Pacquiao vs. Marquez Purse: Who Should Floyd Fight Next?

Let's be clear: under no circumstances should Floyd fight Juan Manuel Marquez next.

It doesn't matter if Marquez leaps across the ring, BJ Penn-style, and clocks Pacquiao for an exciting two-second knockout, I still wouldn't want to see Floyd dismantle Dinamita again.

Losing to someone in the first meeting doesn't automatically disqualify a rematch in my book, but getting smoked for 12 rounds does. Especially when you were 36 years old when that fight took place—it isn't going to look much better at 39.

That said, it is important that Manny Pacquiao win the fight so boxing fans won't even have such a fight proposed to them. The Superfight is the obvious way to go for the edification of the fighters, the sport and the fans.

That is the easy question; the hard one is determining the opponent if Marquez pulls the intermediate-level upset.

I immediately point to Amir Khan. Khan is next in line as far as welterweights are concerned. He has publicly called out Mayweather, though he isn't technically a welterweight yet.

That means he'll probably have to have one or two more fights at 140, presumably against Lamont Peterson (whom he is scheduled to fight on December 10th) and Tim Bradley. That would push a Mayweather bout back as far as this time next year. 

I can't see Floyd waiting that long for an up-and-comer like Khan.

Would Sergio Martinez come down to 154 to fight Mayweather? Would Mayweather move up to face him?

A lot of ifs in those scenarios, luckily they won't matter. Pacquiao will TKO Marquez late, and the Superfight should take place in May.