Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
WBN Editor
Pound for pound king to fend for himself
WBA light-middleweight and WBC welterweight title holder
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is set to be relieved of any pressure to face rival Manny
Pacquiao following the Filipino’s stunning loss to Juan Manuel Marquez.
Mayweather, 35, has been linked to a money-spinning and
career-defining clash with the Congressman for as long as fight fans can remember
and will now be able plough on with his own targets after Pacquiao’s second successive
loss.
Eight-weight champion Pacquiao, 33, was laid out flat on his
back by a super right hand that may well have done the same to Mayweather
himself, and a fifth fight between the two is set to be screamed for after a
Fight of the Year favourite.
‘Money’ returns on May 4th on his ‘Cinco de
Mayweather’ promotion against either Robert Guerrero or Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez,
but may well find himself overshadowed by the build up to further dose of last
nights enthralling slug-fest.
Bob Arum, who promotes both Pacquiao and Marquez, waited for the two to fight an interim bout before making what turned out to be their best encounter so far and now
needs to move swiftly to secure the next episode to capitalise on the momentum.
If Pacquiao v Marquez 5 is announced by the New Year for May
or June 2013, then Mayweather would face being left behind in the
headlines as he battles what fans believe are lesser opponents in Alvarez and
Guerrero.
The five-weight title-holder may now be regretting not
accepting Pacquiao’s 55-45 split offer to fight in 2012 as Mexican legend
Marquez and the ‘Pacman’ take the mantle as the hottest fighters on the planet
on the back of their classic quadriloy battle at the MGM Grand.