By James Slater: If superstars Floyd Mayweather Junior and Manny Pacquiao cannot agree to get a fight on between one another, the next available mega-fight for either man could now be a catch weight fight with reigning middleweight king Sergio Martinez. Why? Because, unlike in earlier interviews, the Argentine hero has said he IS willing to drop down as low as 150-pounds if it will get him a massive fight with either “Money” or Pac-Man.
Dan Rafael, who recently had an in depth talk with “Maravilla” ahead of his upcoming fight with Britain’s unbeaten Darren Barker, writes how the gifted southpaw “is willing to go to 150 for Pacquiao or Mayweather or up to 164 to fight a top super-middle.”
It is the idea of Martinez going in there with either of his fellow Pound-for-Pound entrants that excites the most of course. Mayweather and Pacquiao have both fought as high as 150 before – Floyd in his 2007 light-middleweight clash with Oscar De La Hoya, Manny in his more recent light-middleweight title fight with Antonio Margarito. There is no reason then, why either guy should turn the other way when talk of a possible Martinez fight comes up. But will either star agree to risk his greatness by fighting the dangerous, hard-hitting southpaw?
Neither Pac-Man nor Mayweather’s greatness is in any doubt, but to really, really reach immortal status, Floyd or Manny could give the boxing world a massive thrill by agreeing to fight Martinez. Imagine Mayweather testing his sublime skills with those of the middleweight king? Imagine Pacquiao trying to take down the much taller fighter!
If either fight happened, and if either Mayweather or Pacquiao managed to defeat Martinez (who himself wants to be known as the P-4-P king) they would seriously have to be looked at as one of the best-ever fighters in history (even more so than they are now) – maybe being worthy of a place amongst the top-ten of all-time. Does either great crave history enough to risk losing, and losing badly, to Martinez, though?
Mayweather says his legacy is very important to him. We all know his “0” is also of huge importance to him. Will the 34-year-old show any interest in a catch-weight showdown with Martinez? Pacquiao leaves the decision making as far as who he fights to promoter Bob Arum. Will Arum see a fight with Martinez as a step too far for his number-one attraction?
Martinez has said he will “risk his health” to get the fights he wants. He’s proved he is willing to make a sacrifice in order to achieve greatness. Will Mayweather or Pacquiao prove they are willing to risk their greatness?