Regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, a loss by Mayweather will not diminish his popularity and will continue to be marketable if he stays active in the sport.
Top Rank Promotions owner Bob Arum, who promoted Floyd Mayweather for several years, said a loss to Pacquiao could even boost his popularity and marketability.
“I really don’t think it will change at all,” Arum said. “I think it will make him more human and maybe increase his marketability and popularity. I always thought that idea — now, you don’t want to lose — but the fact that he would lose was not the death kind of thing that he thought it was, that he thinks it is. I mean, all the great ones lost.”
For his part, Mayweather said he hasn’t really thought of a situation that he would lose in a fight, saying that losing is “really not my focus.”
“I just feel like when you get to this level, you’re making nine figures in 36 minutes, you have to be a winner,” Mayweather said. “If a fighter lost before, losing is in the back of his mind. For me, all I’ve done in my career is win, so winning is always in my mind.” he added.
But boxing analysts and observers say Mayweather is afraid of losing because it will diminish his marketability
“Mayweather is afraid of losing,” said HBO Boxing Analyst Larry Merchant on ESPN’s First Take episode in 2013. Merchant also believes that Mayweather won’t be happy if his career record becomes tainted with a loss as he has been successful in marketing himself as an unbeaten fighter.
Pacquiao’s longtime trainer Freddie Roach shared Merchant’s analysis saying people would see him differently once his immaculate career is tainted with a loss.
“His whole identity is that zero,” Freddie Roach said. “He’s still a great fighter if he loses, but people will look at him completely different, and especially at his age, I don’t know how he would come back from that,” Roach added.
While Merchant and Roach seem to have painted a grim scenario for Mayweather in a losing situation, Arum’s prognosis would likely depict Mayweather’s post-fight scenario in a situation where he will lose to Pacquiao on May 2.
A loss by Mayweather would likely trigger a rematch and depending on how it will play out — the second fight need not be massively promoted as fans would be looking forward to a win by Mayweather, which would eventually result in a trilogy.
A third fight would be crucial because it will determine who between them is the better fighter. Again, Mayweather’s marketability will be a non-issue because the fight seems to have been intended for a series of fights.
Roach’s assertion that Mayweather will have difficulty in promoting himself if he is defeated will only apply if he is beaten twice by Pacquiao.
Getting back on top after losing twice to Pacquiao would be an uphill battle for the unbeaten champion.
