One loss doesn’t mean the end of a career, but a knockout loss sure feels like one. Maybe that’s why Manny Pacquiao is looking for some redemption in the form of another fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

And as some people might imagine, don’t be so sure it’s Manny Pacquiao’s idea. He says he does want to fight again, but there’s a good chance that the usual puppet master, Bob Arum, is pushing him for one last squeeze, one last chance to get a million PPV buys before it’s too late, in a Pacquiao vs Marquez V, taking place during Mexico’s Independence Day weekend. Quite interesting when you think rumors say that Floyd Mayweather is planning his fight with Saul Alvarez on the same weekend.

Forget about the integrity of the sport and what a lot of people say is pushing this rivalry to the edge, and it’s all downhill from here. The fourth fight was another financial success, so why not get a fifth one? Marquez’ popularity is going to be even higher in September, and Manny Pacquiao is still a big name, despite losing his last two fights.

Why does Marquez need it, and what does he have left? In the history books, it’ll be written that Marquez was the dominant one in this rivalry. Manny Pacquiao may have two wins, but both by points, and one of them extremely controversial. Marquez got a huge sixth round knockout, to end all speculation and doubts. Who knows about how they’ll be measured individually, but at the moment, the nearly 40 year old Marquez is the better fighter.

The problem is fighting the emptiness. Many feel that what drove Marquez forward this late in his career was getting the win against Manny Pacquiao. After getting that knockout and putting all the questions in the past, all answered, is there anything left to push Marquez forward? Maybe the money and the opportunity to make it statistically even is enough.

There are the rumors of Pacquiao on the verge of retirement. His family definitley wants him to put boxing behind him. After two losses, regardless of the circumstances, maybe it’s time to put an end to a wonderful career. Some even say Pacquiao is showing early stages of Parkinson’s disease, although everyone close to the fighter and to Marquez have denied those rumors.

Maybe Pacquiao made a mistake by not going after a rematch with Bradley. It might have taken a bit of time, with Bradley recuperating from a broken leg, but it would have been the logical move. Not financially, but in terms of how the public views boxing. Still giving title belts some kind of importance. First get your championships back, then pursue the “pleasure” fights.

Maybe this will be another financial success, but it won’t really matter. The moment Pacquiao got sent to the canvas and didn’t move for a long time, his career took a shot it couldn’t bounce back from. No hopes of a Floyd Mayweather fights, and no real hope of mattering as much as he did in the past, not too long ago.

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