After Saturday night's destruction of Paul Williams, there is little doubt that Sergio Martinez is, at the very least, the #3 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. That victory set him clearly atop the middleweight division, where he was already world champion, and provided a spark that could catapult him into being a pay-per-view headliner.
We're at a special place right now, a situation where the top three boxers in the world could meet each in superfights. This is reminiscent of the 1980s, when we had Leonard, Duran, and Hearns all fighting each other. What makes this age different, however, is that we have the top two fighters unwilling to face each other.
With Martinez's victory, Floyd Mayweather has been given a very attractive alternative to fighting Manny Pacquiao. Sergio Martinez offers a challenge beyond anything that Mayweather has faced in his career thus far. It's the opportunity to face a world champion who is top 3 pound-for-pound, in his prime, just as quick, physically bigger, and most importantly, holds the coveted undisputed middleweight championship of the world.
Another attractive aspect of fighting Martinez is his willingness to face Floyd on Floyd's terms. As evidenced in my previous interview, Martinez would be willing to comply with all of Floyd's demands because he considers it an honor to fight the best in the world. He would be considered more than just a dangerous underdog, as he brings power, speed, and stamina to the ring against Mayweather. The fight would be viewed as a legitimate challenge and Mayweather's legacy would greatly increase with a victory, as he could lay claim to a middleweight championship just like Ray Leonard.
From Martinez's point-of-view, fighting Mayweather would offer the best possible exposure to casual fans while testing his skill against the best technical boxer on the planet. A win would make him a mainstream star and he would then have stronger bargaining power towards getting Pacquiao in the ring. Nobody in the higher weight classes offers such exposure with the mainstream sports public.
Since Pacquiao seems content to only face Top Rank fighters, Mayweather should pounce on the opportunity to face Martinez. It's a win-win for both fighters; a chance to make serious money while fighting the best pound-for-pound fighter available to them. We as fans can only hope that both fighters will seriously consider this option.