So, Who’s Next?
It’s that time again. Floyd Mayweather has just cruised his way to another victory and the question of who’s next for the pound for pound king is popping up. Truth be told, Mayweather’s options for a true superfight are very small. So small, in fact, that one name and one name only fits the qualifications: Manny Pacquiao.
I know, I know, you’re sick of hearing about a potential matchup between Manny and Floyd. Mayweather seems bored with the conversation himself – which means the fight’s not going to happen. It also means Mayweather is probably going to have a question mark hanging over his legacy, but no matter. He clearly feels greatness can be defined by a lack of defeats and that’s all there is to it.
With that sad thought in mind, then, it’s time to move on. Many seem to feel that Amir Khan is the next logical choice for a Mayweather battle. I could be wrong about this, but I get the distinct feeling Floyd will be happy to lave Amir at the altar over and over again. Why this is, I don’t know. Perhaps Khan’s speed makes Mayweather a bit nervous.
Or perhaps Mayweather just feels Khan won’t connect with his fan base here in the Western Hemisphere (if that’s the case, he might be right). Whatever the true reason is, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Khan being left high and dry yet again once all is said and done.
Keith Thurman is certainly someone who excites people. Yet his fan base isn’t all that big yet. He’s also still growing as a fighter (though that may be all the more reason for an aging Floyd to want to face him in the ring). Ultimately, though, Thurman’s name just isn’t ready to be in lights yet, and that will probably take the man out of the running.
Of course people are now talking about the rejuvenated Miguel Cotto rematching Mayweather at some point down the road. That’s a possibility, of course, but a slim one. For one thing, Cotto will probably be battling Canelo Alvarez around the time of Mayweather’s next fight in the spring. For another, Cotto looked so good against Sergio Martinez that Mayweather may want to see if Cotto’s sudden growth spurt as a boxer is legitimate or just a fluke. And that may take one or two more Cotto bouts to decipher.
Frankly, I could imagine both Kell Brook, and Danny Garcia being in Mayweather’s sights. Garcia has been so coddled as of late, one would think he was a protected class of citizen. What’s more, the man is enormously popular, ready to move up to welterweight and…perhaps most important of all, is infinitely beatable. A Garcia-Mayweather match would probably look a lot like the Mayweather-Alvarez fight. And that may be exactly what Mayweather’s hoping for right now.
As for Brook, I can easily see him getting the call to meet Floyd next spring. He surprised the boxing world by beating Shawn Porter (though it shouldn’t have been all that big a shock), which means a Mayweather-Brook bout would be a title unifer. What’s more, the Cinderella angle can be played with Brook – something that can’t be played with Khan. And, last; though perhaps certainly not least, Mayweather would beat Brook easily.
Of course in the end Mayweather could surprise everyone. I gave him credit for rematching Maidana last Saturday. Say what you will, the Argentine is never going to be an easy opponent for anyone. If Mayweather was a coward, as some foolishly accuse him of being, he would have moved on to a softer target after the first Maidana bout. The fact of the matter is that Mayweather is far from a coward. He just tends to be too cautious in his choice of foes. And that’s too bad.
For the guy is something else when he’s plying his trade in the ring.