Here comes a new challenger.
And it’s not Shane Mosley.
On May 7, Manny Pacquiao is going to fight Mosley in the ring, but the challenge comes from another fighter. Mosley is but a fighter standing on the other side of it.
The fighter holding the threat is Sergio Martinez.
Coming off yet another impressive win, the 2010 “Fighter of the Year” continues his run by becoming the first man to defeat Sergei Dzinziruk (now 37-1, 23 KOs). He adds Dzinziruk to his pound-for-pound credentials that already include previous middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik and erstwhile pound-for-pound fighter Paul Williams.
And no, Martinez isn’t going to fight Pacquiao anytime soon. That’s still a pipe dream. Instead, Martinez is knocking on the door at the top of the pound-for-pound ranks, and Pacquiao – currently the world’s best fighter – better answer.
“Personally, right now, I feel that I’m number two ahead of Mayweather. I feel that Manny Pacquiao is number one,” Martinez told Boxing Scene .
Floyd Mayweather, Jr., the sport’s former No. 1 pound for pound, has not fought since dominating the same Mosley in May of last year. After Pacquiao-Mosley, when there might be a significant change in the pound-for-pound lists, Mayweather is likely to get dropped from it altogether if he doesn’t secure a scheduled bout by then.
By virtue of that, and his recent performances, Martinez should move up to No. 2 on the pound-for-pound ratings, but it may not stop there.
“The thing is that if Pacquiao doesn’t have a great performance against Shane Mosley, and if he doesn’t beat Mosley the way that I beat Dzinziruk, then I’m right there,” continued Martinez. “If that doesn’t happen, then I should take the No. 1 spot. And, of course, if Mosley beats Pacquiao, then, of course, I’m definitely the No. 1 guy.”
There’s little question that Pacquiao, an odds-on favourite at 7-to-1, will be able to beat Mosley. And whether he’s going to have a great performance is really not that much of a concern.
But Pacquiao’s passive role in letting Mosley, who has only won two of his last five fights, be his next opponent may bite him on his behind. Few expected the 36-year-old Martinez to rise this fast (within
a year) this late (in his career), and he has put Pacquiao’s pound-for-pound status in jeopardy.
For now, Pacquiao still holds the mythical-but-prestigious pound-for-pound crown, and as long as he takes care of business like he usually does, he will beat the 39-year-old Mosley with little to no problem.
The only problem: Is Mosley enough of an opponent to warrant, or ascertain, Pacquiao keeping that distinction? This is the second opponent in a row for Pacquiao who is perceived to be undeserving of a fight with him, and Pacquiao may have to dazzle us even more without showing any sign of fading whatsoever to stay where he is, P4P-wise, against a fighter who may not offer much of a challenge. Given all that, to remain the best in the world, Pacquiao has his work cut out for him. And it pertains not to his training, but in the fight itself.
Against Mosley, he has a lot of work to do and little to work with.
Martinez, however, has done his thing and is just waiting. The ball is in Pacquiao’s court.
