Floyd Mayweather Jr. is running out of time. His legacy is officially on the line.
Manny Pacquiao got the test of his career on Saturday night in Dallas, and for the most part, passed it with flying colors.
Pacman hit Antonio Margarito with a flurry of punches all night long en route to winning the unanimous decision in front of a sold-out Cowboys Stadium crowd.
Margarito put up a helluva fight, but it simply did not matter. Maragarito went the distance with Pacquiao, but the drastically undersized Fillipino champion prevailed in the end.
And now, it’s time for Pacquaio and Mayweather to finally throw down, and it’s all on Mayweather.
By defeating someone like Margarito in convincing fashion, Pacquiao proved that he is the man to beat in boxing. There is no one else out there, save for Mayweather, who Pacquiao could prove anything by beating.
“I don’t need [Mayweather], he needs me,” Pacquiao said in September. It was true in September, and following Saturday’s bout, it’s even more prevalent.
If Mayweather and Pacquiao can’t settle on logistics of a bout for seemingly the umpteenth time, it’s really no skin off Pacman’s back. He’s proven himself time and time again.
Mayweather, however, is a different story. Pacquiao remains on top of the boxing world, and the ball is in Mayweather’s court. He’s had a tremendous career, but if he never fights Pacquiao — something that, at this rate, wouldn’t be a huge shocker — people will always wonder “What if?” when looking back on Mayweather’s career.
Pacquiao has come as far as he can. Now it’s on Mayweather.
If nothing else, the two owe it to boxing fans. A Pacquiao-Mayweather bout would do more than anything in the last decade or so to put boxing back on the map, but that should be an afterthought for Mayweather. If he wants to be remembered as one of boxing’s true legends, not to mention make truckloads of money, he’ll have to fight Pacquiao. Fair or not, it’s gotten to the point that his legacy will take more of a beating if he doesn’t fight Pacman than if he gets in the ring and actually does take a beating.
Mayweather may retire undefeated, but that will be a moot point if that spotless record doesn’t include a triumph over Pacquiao.
His legacy hangs in the balance. It’s Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s decision now.
