Floyd Mayweather vs. Sergio Martinez: Will Mayweather Upstage Pacquiao Again?
By Bleachersreport
January 21, 2012
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
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Floyd Mayweather (42-0, 26 KO) has stated in media that he doesn't want the Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KO) or Saul Alvarez (39-0-1, 29 KO) bout as previously rumored.
Mayweather did suggest that if a much-desired showdown with boxing king Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO) couldn't go down for May 5, Mayweather would take Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KO).
Martinez is the middleweight (160 lbs) Ring champion, while Mayweather is the WBC welterweight (147 lbs) world champion.
Mayweather and Pacquiao are the only two fighters universally ranked above Martinez on most pound-for-pound lists, and Martinez has stated numerous times that he wants to be No. 1.
To make a fight with either boxing superstar a possibility, Martinez has stated his willingness in the past to go down to a catch weight of 150 lbs to take on either man.
Mayweather appears to be receptive.
According to Ring Magazine, he had this to say about a Martinez fight:
"If Sergio Martinez can make 150, let's make the fight happen. Like I said, there are no excuses. I'm a little different than other guys. He's got a very, very impressive style..."
Pacquiao is reported to be likely finalizing a rematch against Cotto, the man he beat November 2009 by TKO in Round 12. The original fight was seen as a brilliant beatdown of Cotto by Pacquiao.
Why would anyone be interested in a rematch?
Juan Manuel Marquez Outclasses Manny Pacquiao in their third match
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
The answer could lie in HBO's 24/7; the program is a documentary series that highlights what makes a particular fight worthwhile.
In this case. Pacquiao's less-than-stellar performance against Juan Manuel Marquez (53-6-1, 39 KO) this past November will be highlighted as if to show that Pacquiao can be vulnerable.
And Cotto's revenge-TKO of Antonio Margarito (38-8, 27 KO) this past December at Madison Square Garden will be highlighted as if to demonstrate that Cotto can get his revenge.
Margarito handed Cotto his first defeat in 2008. Marquez lost a majority decision in a third fight with Pacquiao last November after dropping a split decision and a draw to Pacquiao in previous close fights.
Whether or not the public will buy Pacquiao-Cotto II remains to be seen, but Mayweather's intriguing fight against the pound-for-pound No. 3 fighter in the world is set to be a more interesting fight.
Mayweather fought Shane Mosley (46-7, 39 KO), the No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter in boxing, on May 1, 2010 in a fight that greatly overshadowed Pacquiao's March fight at Cowboys Stadium.
When criticized that Mosley was too old at age 38 for a 33-year-old Mayweather, a 34-year-old Mayweather faced 24-year-old WBC world champion Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO) September 2011.
After thrashing Ortiz in four rounds, the critics complained Ortiz was too green of an opponent. Despite the criticism, Mayweather's performance was received better than Pacquiao's against Marquez.
If Mayweather is able to figure out and out-class Martinez while Pacquiao just merely repeats or falls below the standard of his last victory against Cotto, then Mayweather will upstage Pacquiao again.
Mayweather already doesn't want a 50-50 split—a win against Martinez will only make it worse.