By Babatis Banda: Watching the Manny Pacquiao versus Juan Manuel Marquez fight gave me some goose bumps, not because the fight was thrilling as was expected, but because the implications of a Marquez win would have been chilling, at least to some of us still hopeful of Manny fighting Floyd.

This would have almost thrown away the possibility of the two fighters ever meeting, but again, the turn of events may have just as much, made things even more difficult.

It is difficult for me to see Arum and Roach eager to put Manny in the ring with Floyd considering the visibly below par performance that Manny exhibited. Like that, believe me, Roach understands better than anybody else what Floyd would do to the Pacman. I feel particularly sorry for Marquez, but I have no qualms with the result. Manny, though on the receiving end, was pressing the fight and was the champ anyway. This decision could also be a judges decision to keep the biggest fight in the history of boxing alive.

My only worry for now is that, Roach and Arum will be comfortable in wanting to make a Marquez/Manny IV, because it will definitely sell and still presents very little risk to Manny. If it ever happens, this means we still have a long time to wait before the two can ever square it up in the ring and put the stupid rift to rest. A Manny/Marquez IV is most likely to produce the same result, a thin margin in favour of Manny.

I am happy, though I know this will not make the fanatic, Manny fun base come to senses, but deep down their minds and hearts, they understand reality better now and may be seeing the picture in greater colour than before. For Bob Arum, Freddie Roach and Alex Ariza, the gravy train needs oiling or else, it is coming to a squeaky halt. Those kinds of predictions and boasting should be supported by honesty in making the fights that matter and with that performance we saw, you risk losing the gravy train in a serious derailment.

For Floyd, I advise that he should fight Pacman with or without the testing protocol. He will have history on his side if goes ahead and gets the test himself and beat-up the Pacman in greater fashion, which he is capable of doing any time of the week. Ironically, even when asked, Manny never shows the hunger to fight Floyd, he always leaves things in the hands of Arum, who has a bone to chew with Floyd.

Before the train is derailed by somebody else, allow Floyd the privilege of doing it because he is the greatest boxer alive, and Manny will honorably retire knowing, it could only be the very best that had to punctuate his career.