By Dennis McCarthy: For 3 years now, fight fans have been excited at the prospect of the ultimate defence vs the ultimate attack, Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao.

Last night, all excitement vanished as Manny Pacquaio was shown up as a faded former star smasher. Juan Manuel Marquez won the fight, make no mistake about that. Pacquiao slumped off to his corner as Freddie Roach looked on with a sense of depression, while Marquez took the plaudits for a fight beautifully won. I Had a feeling that Pacquiao was going to be given the verdict despite losing by up to 3 rounds. When the first judge scored the bout a draw, a Pacquiao victory was nailed on. Even my cat sat up and looked at the tv when the verdict came through

Now what awaits us is a match up between the two biggest draws in boxing today. They’re plan was simple, make everyone wait a few years to really build it up, with both fighters taking on the same opponents to get us talking about who did better against who, and who would win when they finally met up in the ring. With both fighters blowing most opposition away, their stock rose and the amount in the mega fight pot was rising all the time.

The trouble is, over the last year fans have began to get fed up with the whole Pacquiao/Mayweather experience. Pacquiao in particular has failed to show us the form of 2008/2009, when destroying the likes of De La Hoya, Hatton and co. “How would Mayweather beat this man who just doesn’t stop throwing punches? How would Pacquaio break through the invincible shield of Mayweather”? Both thrilling questions that nobody knew the answers to. The fight should have been made there and then. But no, it’s dragged and dragged and with Pacquiao being soundly beaten yesterday, the questions have been answered, and the excitement has gone. Pacquiao has absolutely no chance of beating Mayweather. He will get picked apart and subsequently flattened late in the fight. Even Manny’s most devoted fans will be squirming at the thought of this fight now, whereas in the last few years a loss for their hero would have been inconceivable.

No way does this fight deserve to make anywhere near as much as it would have a few years back. $100 million they talked about then. No chance. Al they deserve no is a bag of crisps each and their bus fare home. Stick it on some undercard.

I sound bitter, I am. This fight, and the Haye fight against one of the robots was the 2 fights that had everyone gripped, not just boxing fans. With that fight proving to be such a big flop, this was going to be the fight that rejuvenated boxing. It has failed to materialise, and when it does, it won’t matter.

Mayweather had the chance to become known the greatest of all time had he taken care of Manny himself last night, and even though it will happen and happen soon, it’s been tarnished.

Well done lads. Great business heads.