In the short term, yes. But in the fullness of time, Pacquiao’s political aspirations in the Philippines and his messianic desire to fight poverty in his homeland will paint his sporting life with a much broader brush.
Pacquiao has already embarked on a path which is allowing him to transcend the sport.
As a congressman in the Philippines, he is seen as a talismanic figure for change among millions of Filipinos. He is thinking seriously of running for a governorship when he retires in 2013. By the age of 40, he may even consider running for president.
In short, the non-fight with Mayweather will be a blip in the history of Pacquiao, seen as an on-off saga, which never materialised.
Ironically, it would most likely be the richest fight in history, likely to gross over $200million (?124m).
