By Troy Ondrizek

It is a wonderful time to be a boxing fan.  Manny Pacquiao has the mainstream media still talking, weeks after he destroyed Ricky Hatton’s career.  Floyd Mayweather Jr. has announced that he really never left the sport and has recently been seen arguing, again, with the respected Brian Kenny on ESPN’s Sportscenter. Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey are about to battle it out for the right to be called the best welterweight in the world, and even the heavyweights are creating substantial buzz with former cruiserweight champion David Haye invading Germany to take on top heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko.

It truly is a joy to have my co-workers and other random people show interest in the pugilistic arts.  I have felt for some time that being a fan of boxing has been my dirty little secret.  In search of other boxing fanatics I was relegated to boxing forums and ironically, the boxers themselves.  Now, I can speak of boxing in public without others mocking me for following a dead sport.  A large part of the recent surge in popularity has come as a rare benefit of the economic downturn.  Fighters are forced to face the biggest and best, in and around their weight-classes, to receive the highest financial rewards. The way things used to be - and the way they should continue.  Fighters like Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao, Paul Williams, Timothy Bradley, and Juan Manuel Marquez have done just that and their popularity and bank accounts have grown exponentially as a result.

No one can dispute the skill of Floyd Mayweather Jr.  In fact that is a big part of why his detractors are so vocal.  Floyd should be mentioned with the likes of Harry Greb, Willie Pep, and Pernell Whitaker in terms of boxing skill.  And in another era he would be better accepted for them.  In this era, they are the reason we still watch him. 

The one gripe on Mayweather has been his lack of desire to face all of the top contenders in or near his weight class and for merely boxing his way to victory instead of fighting his way to the end. To be honest, this isn’t a completely fair judgment.  Floyd fought the best at 135lbs outside of Joel Casamayor and he dominated his foes.  Many believe he lost his first fight with Jose Luis Castillo, but it was a close bout and could’ve gone either way.  he second go around between the two saw Mayweather dictate the fight from the onset and there was no doubt who was the victor at the end of the day. 

The true money and fame for Floyd came at 147lbs.  The welterweight division was loaded with talent and big names.  Men like Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto, Zab Judah, Paul Williams, Joshua Clottey, and Shane Mosley made their living at that weight.  Of those names, Floyd only fought Judah and that was after Zab had lost the welterweight crown to Carlos Baldomir.  Mayweather defeated Judah in what was actually a stern test that was filled with controversy resulting from low blows and trainer fisticuffs.  That fight preceded a whooping that Floyd put on Baldomir to capture the WBC welterweight title that we never saw him defend. 

There were so many good opponents and fights to be had; only to be denied by ego that was masked as greed.  As good or great as Floyd Mayweather Jr. was/is, he is even more frustrating.

Floyd is facing off against Marquez July 18th.  He is attempting to recapture his throne and stake his claim as the sports best.  Floyd told Brian Kenny that he never relinquished his top spot, but retirement means otherwise.  Juan Manuel Marquez is a worthy opponent for someone of Floyd’s caliber, but the disparity in weight has some people asking why this fight is taking place.  Marquez is the 135lb champion and as he has showed in numerous fights, including his two phenomenal wars with Pacquiao, that he is willing to give it his all against any who dare to oppose him.  I don’t give too much credence to the weight issue, when you’re as smart a fighter as Juan with the warrior mentality he possesses, then weight is an obstacle and not a barrier. 

With all this said being said, what if Marquez won?  I mean realistically, what would happen in the boxing world if “El Dinamita” cashed out “Money Mayweather?”  The arguments of whether Marquez is worthy of the hall-of-fame would be put to rest.  A third bout with Manny Pacquiao would be of utmost importance and relativity.  The search for the next American superstar would begin; with Chad Dawson, Paul Williams, and Kelly Pavlik being the leading men. 

I bet you the sport would gain a greater measure of credibility amongst the skeptical mainstream audience.  Floyd would then be able to focus on more pressing measures, like, the welterweight division.  His demand, monetarily, would be forced to come down and the likeliness of bouts with fighters like Andre Berto, Miguel Cotto, and Paul Williams could be feasible.  Mayweather fans might actually respect fans of other fighters, and Mayweather “haters” could finally respect the great talent of the man they revile so much. 

However, we could possibly lose one of the brightest stars to illuminate the boxing landscape in many years.  The entire Mayweather family has disturbingly entertained us for so long, and Floyd, despite the persona he created, is actually a very generous man when it comes to his community.  For as great a fighter as Juan Manuel Marquez is, he can’t bring the same type of personality that Floyd can to the media table and is unable to attract a large portion of interest from the American consumer like Floyd can. 

Remember this, the average Joe still loves to watch every move Mike Tyson makes.  They don’t love him for the fighter he really was, but the personality that he became.  That is what attracts the average fan to Mayweather. 

There are a lot more pros than cons for the sport if Mayweather loses, but is that the utopia we really want? I prefer that fighters fight for legacy more than a paycheck, but I understand that money is the only real reason any of us do anything.  So my perfect world of Marquez winning (how unrealistic it is) is right for me, it might not be the best for you or the rest of the sport.  In short time we will see where Floyd takes all of us, hopefully to places a skeptic like me could never dream of Floyd going.