COMMENTARY | It’s a bit of an oversimplification to say that, in boxing, the best should always fight the best. In an ideal world and when all the planets line up perfectly, the best available opposition is also the biggest available opposition.
But what happens when a fighter has become the best, but simply can’t secure a bout with his closest, most logical ring rival?
Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, two fighters who have a lot more in common than many would care to admit, are in that odd position right now. Both are talented and destined for first-ballot entry into the Hall of Fame, but both seem likely to miss out on the one legacy-defining bout that could truly make them an all-time great.
Whether it was ego, business, or a little of both that killed the Mayweather-Pacquiao super fight, the fact is that it’s dead. Another two facts, whether one chooses to accept them or not, is that Mayweather needs Pacquiao on his resume to complete his legacy and Pacquiao needs Mayweather for the same reason.
Both elite-level fighters have continued fighting the best other opposition available, but at the end of the day when records are being tallied and resumes examined, each will be forever asked about the other. There will always be that one nagging question mark separating them from the fighters who did manage to conquer their nemesis.
Undisputed super middleweight champ Andre Ward may also find his legacy diminished by the lack of one major, defining victory over a competitive super rival.
In Ward’s case, though, this gaping hole on his resume won’t be coming from an unwillingness to negotiate with a hated rival. The Olympic gold medalist’s problem may be that he was too prolific too soon and managed to decisively beat the best of his generation with half of his career still to come.
Victories over Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler in the Super Six super middleweight tournament earned Ward his No. 1 spot, but with time diminishing the impact of those wins and no real threats left in his division, Ward is beginning to feel the snarky comments usually reserved for those accused of cherry-picking their way to easy title reigns.
Of course, when it comes to Andre Ward, nothing could be further from the truth. Looking back on things, Ward has faced the best of his era but now sits in a position where the only foes left are retreads, second-tier challengers, and matchups with fighters above or below his 168-lb. base.
In Ward’s case, all he can really do is dig around for the biggest names who can deliver the biggest paydays. Former middleweight champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. would be ideal as someone who can generate major publicity. Competitively, though, Chavez wouldn’t be much of a challenge and neither would any of the other reasonable, possible HBO-friendly opponents out there at the moment.
So, all Ward can do is keep fighting and beating the best of the rest, much like the Klitschko brothers, who have ruled over a weak heavyweight division with four iron hands and the four belts to prove their dominance, yet will never face one another in the only true test of No. 1 and No. 2 in the heavyweight division.
Consider guys like Ward and the Klitschko brothers to be victims of circumstance. Through no fault of their own, they may never have that one legacy-defining war against their most dangerous rival.
Mayweather and Pacquiao have the ability to settle matters once and for all, but have let ego interfere with their work. Floyd and Manny will just keep moving forward, facing the best available opposition but not each other.
The fans will remember this big distinction and react appropriately. Ward and the Klitschkos will get cut the proper amount of slack and be regarded as the untouchable talents they are. Mayweather and Pacquiao, however, will always be followed around by cries of “What about Manny?” and “What about Floyd?” Judgments regarding their overall greatness will always be tempered by that one opponent they could never manage to face.
