By Babatis Banda: When you are conditioned to hear and believe something over and over for a period of time, you are bound to believe and embrace it. This is also known as propaganda and it can also be referred to as hype, and the result is that it breeds fanaticism of the dumbest order.

This is exactly what boxing has witnessed in the past few years. It also seemed as if it was fashionable to move with the wave.

Due to the kind of character Floyd sometimes portrays, real or not, it helped the casual fan to be swayed into believing in the invincibility of Manny Pacquiao. Worse, Floyd has spent months off the squared circle in self-imposed retirements and lay-offs. He has come off long lay-offs and delivered to the satisfaction of real boxing lovers in amazing fashion. With Arum, clearly avoiding Floyd at this point in Manny’s career, it will only hurt Manny more and more. A fourth fight with Marquez will never prove anything at this point, even if Marquez is taken off the ring on a stretcher, the damage is already done.

With Floyd indicating that he would be fighting in February and May 2012, he is surely taking on all the lime-light. It would have been marvelous if the two fights were made of Manny and then Khan. Knowing that Manny would still be sore from the Marquez bout, he certainly cannot fight in February and the other way round would be the best, Khan in February and Manny in March.

Sometimes I feel that there needs to be a petition sent to Arum, not to sit on this fight any longer, what is happening with Arum is tantamount to criminal behavior, a mafia style at the least. I am sure there is no doubt at this point in time what would happen should a Floyd versus Manny bout take place, what a number of people could not realize all this long is out there, laid bare for all to see by Marquez. Deep down my heart, though Arum and Roach had reached a point of belief in their good job, I tend to feel they knew Manny was not in the same class with Floyd. Arum worked with Floyd and would have known better, and Roach being a renowned coach is even in a better position to know.

It would be sad to see Manny retire without fighting Floyd, but it would even be worse for his fan base if he did. There is no doubt that Floyd is the king of the ring, consistent and gifted. I would like to see Floyd become very active in the coming year, wipe the sport of dirty rugs and retire young and rich as the most efficient and unbruised boxer ever witnessed in the sport.