Recent rumors swirling around the world of boxing have it that former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather jr. is in the gym and viewing a return to the sport as early as mid-July. The list of potential opponents have included everyone from 'Sugar' Shane Mosley, to Juan Manuel Marquez, to Andre Berto, to a host of others.
Knowing Mayweather, the only true source of motivation for a return is the winner of the well anticipated Hatton/Pacquiao showdown set to take place on May 2nd in Las Vegas. He may take an interim fight to knock off the dust, but there's no doubt in my mind that the end goal is to lace 'em up on a world stage against what would be potentially the largest name in the sport (aside from his own), which will be the case after the Hatton/Pacquiao fight is decided.
The global implications that bring about the mega bucks he's been known to crave would come in heavy abundance. A Hatton rematch would guarantee the British faithful, while a Pacquiao selection would similarly guarantee not only the nation of the Philippines, but the worldwide affection of fight fans all over the globe as well. Aside from that, there's the reality in which all three men know that there simply isn't a bigger match to be made for any of them, which makes the possibility a very likely one.
Ego Trippin'?
Whether or not there's a demand for the fight is a no-brainer, but when it all comes down to it, some question how simple it will be for such a fight to come to fruition, despite that demand. Granted, even with a win over Pacquiao, Hatton would not win the war at the negotiations table with Mayweather because Floyd has already defeated him; however, in the case of Pacquiao, it would be a case where the sports two most recent pound-for-pound kings get set to tango, and the resumes - (in terms of accomplishments) - are very similar, leaving much to debate, relative to who gets what.
If it came down to Pacquiao/Mayweather, both will have defeated Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, following literally the same blueprint to the collision course. Both will have a number of other accolades in their back pocket after a series of other mega fights as well. So who gets the nod when it comes to the biggest purse, etc?
Who's The Man?
This is where talks can quickly break down. Pacquiao, (some could easily argue), brings a world of supporters, literally, as he is well respected everywhere from the Philippines, to Germany, to the U.S., and so forth. This one truth will definitely give him a solid argument relative to his true worth in such a fight. The flipside of that argument is the fact that Mayweather has not only been the sports reigning pound-for-pound king before stepping away, but he's also been the man most loved to hate, which in effect has driven his PPV marketability to rarely seen heights, as most tune in just to see him lose.
Overall, as Mayweather once said, it takes two to tango. Neither he nor the Pacquiao/Hatton winner has enough individual drawing power to command big numbers without the big name opponent standing across from him. On the morning of May 3rd, one of these two 'little-big men' (Hatton or Pacquiao) will have a clear cut path to the man they call 'Money'. I can only hope that politics and greed doesn't strip fight fans of seeing such a showdown take place. With Mayweather reportedly back in the gym, this scenario may be closer to fruition than once believed.
