There is a sad, but inescapable fact in boxing. No matter how great a fight is, in order for it to be considered a great “event”, more often than not it needs to include an English-speaking, U.S. boxer.

Now before anybody gets all indignant about this, think about it… it’s true. De La Hoya-Mayweather was a sh*tty fight, at least when compared to the mega-hype that preceded it. And yet, it was a major “event.” Cotto-Margarito, on the other hand, is shaping up to be twice as good a fight, but somehow, the question is whether it will be a great “event.” What gives?

Everyone knows the answer to that question. The big bucks are in the U.S. The big boxing venues, the major TV networks… all are in the U.S. Yes, boxing is huge in other countries. England, Mexico, Puerto Rico to name a few. But for any aspiring young boxer… where does he eventually have to go in order to achieve global fame and recognition? The U.S., that’s where.

Look at the Calzaghe issue. Up until now, most of the criticism aimed at him was that he would not fight outside of England. Hadn’t set foot in the United States. He finally got the message and crossed the pond to meet Hopkins.

As a hardcore boxing fan, that’s why I’m ecstatic about the rise of someone like Pavlik. He’s someone the stateside fans can embrace and rally behind, which in turn obviously does a lot for boxing. Don’t get me wrong, I would be a Pavlik fan anyway. The guy’s good, humble, exciting, and a hard puncher. My kind of fighter. But what makes him doubly great from a fan’s point of view is that he’s the kind of fighter that will be greater for boxing than most people realize to this point.

So will Cotto-Margarito be a great fight? You betcha. Will it be a great event? Well… put is this way. Even if the millions aren’t watching in the States, I’m sure millions of us in Puerto Rico and many millions more in Mexico will be glued to the TV sets for this one!