Pacquiao doesn't need a fight with Mayweather but Boxing does

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Kobe didn't need to win a fourth ring to prove that he's a winner. Lance Armstrong didn't have to win a seventh straight Tour De France title to establish his greatness. Derek Jeter didn't have to break Lou Gehrig's all-time hits record to be considered a Yankee legend.

Winners though, know no limitations. That's probably what separates a man like Manny Pacquiao from his peers. Recently, my fellow Examiner from Dallas Matt Stolow wrote an article saying how Pacquiao does not need a Mayweather fight for his career to be complete. Honestly, I agree. You won't get any arguments on me on that one. Pacquiao will go down as one of the greatest of all time with or without fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Actually, Pacquiao doesn't even need to fight Cotto. Just like he didn't have to go up in weight and test the waters at 147 in a fight against the much bigger and taller Oscar Dela Hoya nor did he have to fight the undefeated champion at 140 in Ricky Hatton.

Pacquiao could've simply stayed at 135 had he wanted to and cleaned up that division and still be considered a legend of the sport. Why couldn't he when people consider the likes of Barrera and Morales as greats when those two have not won a title north of 130?

But that's what makes Pacquiao so special. He isn't your typical guy who will be content in saying "I don't have to". He will if he can. That's why he gives when a lot of people say he needs to stop. That's why he's where he's at while those who were once ahead of him have long been forgotten. Pacquiao is the type of man who aspires for greatness, and greatness to him knows no limits. Why do you think he wants to run for public office? Yes, he wants to help his people, but part of it is the prestige of becoming a politician from being simply an uneducated street kid growing up. No, he doesn't need to fight Mayweather but does he want to? Yes. Because he knows its what the people want and it will be perhaps the final test to his already stellar career.

And that's what real fans of a sport get attracted to- the pursuit of greatness. Some people will get fooled by hype but real recognize real. Just like how millions have followed Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan's pursuit to be the best. And to me, that's really the difference between Pac and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Similar to their fighting styles, Floyd plays it safe- which is smart, I have nothing against that- compared to Pacquiao who lays it all on the line and fights until he has nothing left. In his own words, "I just want to make people happy", and as he told his opponents and aspiring conquerers, "Knock me out, then you win," because chances are, if you don't knock him out, he will. Unless you of course will run for your life, but is that really what you call a fight?

True, boxing is a sweet science. I'll tell you this though, without a Manny Pacquiao and if the world indeed is filled with boxers like Floyd Mayweather Jr. and as he claims to be the "cash cow" of boxing, that cash cow will soon be dried up of any milking, because truth be told, the world might have bought Money Mayweather's recent fight out of curiosity and the hype, but sooner than later, his running defensive style gets old. If Dana White truly wants to send Boxing a death wish, all he needs to do is train Mayweather-type of fighters all at the same time to dominate boxing. Maybe when that time comes, they'd have ringside beds instead of seats because truly, fighters like Mayweather can put even insomniacs to sleep.

So yea, Pacquiao doesn't need Floyd and neither does Floyd need Pacquiao. They have carved their own legacies and have indeed polarized Boxing's definition of greatness. But for the sake of the sport, we need this fight to go down, unless of course if Pacquiao gets an ugly beat down on November in the hands of Miguel Cotto.

There's so much money to be made and the world is dying to see it. I will put on my Nostradamus Halloween costume as early as today and say that if Pacquiao beats Cotto and faces Mayweather next, it will the biggest fight in boxing history and will set a record that will not be broken within the next couple of decades. Believe that. The stage has been set, and if you really think Pacquiao and Mayweather does not need to happen, then I guess you truly aren't a boxing fan.


(TO BE CONTINUED)

Source: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-10947-Indianapolis-Fight-Sports-Examiner~y2009m9d29-Pacquiao-doesnt-need-a-fight-with-Mayweather-but-Boxing-does-part-1