Manny Pacquiao, 53-3-2 38 KO’s, is undoubtedly the best pound for pound fighter on the planet.
What is also undoubted is that the potential of a fight against Floyd Mayweather, JR., is probably the most boring non event in sport. But if the Pac Man is not going to get it on with the undefeated Mayweather who is he likely to face after his third battle with Juan Manuel Marquez.
With a draw and a split decision defeat already between the pair this is a very decent fight for both but the unusual nature of a third professional contest seems to suggest there isn’t a lot of decent competition out there for the best fighter on the planet.
Or is there just a lot of guys who could, perhaps should but just wouldn’t? After all Pacquiao will fight whoever is in front of him and a fight against him means worldwide coverage and potentially, should he win, riches beyond belief for the successful fighter.
There are contenders out there and the number of undefeated guys who could make up the numbers in the ruing is beginning to grow. The problem may be that they need to prepare to be ready for Pacquiao.
It would or could lead us into the same problem as the Heavyweights. There have been few if any credible contenders for years to the Klitschko’s and the pound for pound rankings has these two big guys in the top three says far too much about where we are and far too little about how we get out of there!
For Pacquiao it is a worry that he runs out of creditable opponents but is also a worry for the rest of us as Pacquiao may hang up the gloves, leaving us to reflect on his glory rather than salivate over another contest where this time may be the time he loses. So what is out there? There are a few. Here are the potential highlights!
What about Timothy Bradley?It would launch Bradley into a stratosphere. His name has already been linked with Pacquiao’s though he has denied that he was fighting him in the Fall. Amir Khan’s claims that Bradley ducked a fight with him leaves him seriously needing some credibility. Pacquiao may just achieve that for him! Unfortunately it has to be said that the Pac Man would be, at his stage in his career a step too far for Bradley. I would have Bradley down as a notch in the Filipino’s belt.
Andre Berto is somewhere down the list but this could be a good test for Pacquiao. Despite having lost his only fight to Victor Ortiz, the man Mayweather climbs into the ring with in September, last time out, Berto has a decent pedigree. He is a fighter, like Bradley who has plenty to prove and it should be fascinating to see who would come out in front.
Again Pacquiao may not break sweat over this but he needs a battle against a hungry guy. The Shane Mosley fight was the closest thing to a love in outdoors in the US for years…
Jan Savek is another up and coming pretender to the throne who would be putting his undefeated tag up for grabs against Pacquiao. His pedigree though spells more of European contests than World platforms. It may be to Europe that Pacquiao has to look as the opponents in America – North and South are fading from the scene as potential opponents.
Europe also has Amir Khan 25-1 17KOs but Freddie Roach has already said no to that particular contest. It’s a pity but Khan vs. Pacquiao in a year or so would be a fantastic contest. I would hope that Khan keeps Freddie Roach and Pacquiao dumps him if there was to be such a contest!
From that same land of his last European opponent – England – also comes the highly impressive Kell Brook. Brook fights again on June 25th and an assessment of whether he would be ready in 2011 or early 2012 can be made.
Around light welterweight there are few fighters that have not already been at the temple and returned disappointed. Would Pacquiao fancy moving another weight division or is his legacy already assured? Is he not a world champion already at a ridiculous number of weights so it would mean a step up which could mean a leaner and weaker Pacquiao? Funnily enough that hasn’t quite happened so far in his career.
Sergio Gabriel Martinez is a wild card due to the weight difference but stranger things have clearly happened. Pacquiao’s legacy may already be assured but the hunger we all have for more fights, better contests and ANYTHING that stops another press release, internet discussion forum or lengthy article on why Mayweather and Pacquiao should get it on is to be welcomed!
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