By M.Malik: It is safe to say that the level of interest that once surrounded the fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao has considerably diminished. Pacquiao’s performances in his recent bouts have made Floyd Mayweather Jr. the favorite in fans eyes. Therefore, the interest that once hovered around the possible fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao is much lower. With that said, it is still the most intriguing fight in boxing at the moment.
So, can the fans expect to see these two lock horns in the ring anytime soon? I would have to say No! The recent rant by the founder and CEO of Top Rank, Bob Arum, at the Manny Pacquiao versus Timothy Bradley 2 press conference, ensured that no deal is likely between the two rival promoters (Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions) anytime soon. As we all know, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has only 4 fights left on his Showtime contract. He is fighting Marcos Maidana on May 3rd, and that leaves the room open for 3 more opponents.
Nothing is certain, but more than likely, you will see one of these 3 opponents step in the ring with Mayweather Jr. in the future. The list includes: Amir Khan, Danny Garica, Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, Lucas Matthysee, or a rematch with Miguel Cotto. The sad truth is that none of these fighters present a real threat to Mayweather Jr. I believe he will comfortably win all of his remaining fights. Keith Thurman could give him the toughest challenge, but he is yet to fight and beat an elite fighter. He has obviously looked great against the B and C level fighters, but the question marks remain over his true ability. On the other hand, it is tough to predict what the future holds for Manny Pacaquio.
A second loss to Timothy Bradley could certainly put an end to his career. However, I do believe he will get the win, and it is no secret, he would then want a 5th fight with Marquez regardless of who prevails between Mike Alvarado and Juan Manuel Marquez on May 17th. It is still tough to say how long Pacquiao will carry on even if he wins both of these fights. I mean who would be left for him to fight. We could see him fight Ruslan Provodnokiv, but at this point in his career, what would that really prove? I believe, in the best case scenario, Pacquiao hangs around for another 3 fights, before announcing his retirement.
People will just have to accept that one of the biggest fights in the history of boxing never came to fruition. Floyd Mayweather Jr. will be sitting on 49-0, and rest assured, criticism for not fighting Manny Pacaquiao, will continue to loom over his head. You will likely see him lose his cool in his post retirement interviews. We will continue to argue over who was ducking who. I say, in a year or two after retiring; it will become clear that their chapter will not close without a fight. Their records will be forgotten, and people would just want them to settle the score once and for all.
Most importantly, can you imagine the level of interest at that point? It will certainly surpass the level of interest from 2009-10, and it will clearly set up one of most lucrative fights in boxing history. I truly believe their teams are well aware of what lies ahead. They know the interest is not where it should be, understandably, and it only makes sense to wait until it becomes the last, and more importantly, the best option.
The contractual obligations may not be there in few years, and that means, more negotiation power and more money in their pockets. So, do I think the fight will happen anytime soon? The answer is No! But we all hear over and over: “Boxing is a business”, and at the end of the day, there is too much money out there for this fight not to happen.
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