Ocala, FL (My Sportsbook) - Dear Floyd,

Yo, Money - it's been awhile.

How's it going? I hope things are well.

Listen, as much as I'd like to just catch up on things and chat about nonsense for a bit, there are a couple things it seems like a good time to address.

I'm sure by now you've gotten a look at what went on at the MGM in Vegas a couple Saturdays ago.

That Pacquiao kid. Yes, him. He was in the ring again. Beat up Miguel Cotto for most of 12 rounds and looked good doing it. Damned good, in fact.

And even though most people sort of saw it coming, it was still pretty impressive.

So now, like it does whenever a guy within 10 pounds of welterweight wins a fight, the pack of wolves reticent to sing your praises is off and howling about how this one is the best in the business.

Not only in the sport today.

But in the discussion with guys like Duran and Chavez and Henry Armstrong.

Now I know what you're thinking, champ. You're bigger than all that. You've been a world champion for more than a decade. You whipped everyone they put in front of you. Including a guy that went life and death with him twice. And trust me, I agree with you. To me, you're clearly the best of this generation and among the best of any before it. No questions asked.

But even with all that, it's still a little troubling to watch.

Because the more he marches around saying he's the best, and the more the cable apologists smile and parrot it back -- just like they did when he beat a couple other cadavers from your closet -- the more the unsophisticated, "I get my opinions from ESPN" fan is going to believe it.

Perceptions have a way of becoming reality, especially with the short- attention span set. And now that he's beaten three made-to-order guys that everyone's heard of, it's being driven that much deeper. But there's one way you can head it off at the pass, champ. And that's really why I'm writing.

I want you to make the fight. I want you to call out Pacquiao.

Most of all, I want you to beat him.

It's not because he's a bad guy or anything. Heck, he seems decent enough. He was classy and professional during the run-up to Saturday's fight. He surely works hard and gets himself into peak shape. And he's definitely been entertaining to watch whenever I've seen him fight.

He beat an elite fighter in Cotto.

I thought going in that he'd win, but he was probably even better than I imagined he'd look. No question, he earned my respect by pulling off something I wasn't positive he was capable of and he'll surely be a tough mountain for you to climb, maybe the toughest you've ever considered.

But there's a big gap between an all-time good (him) and all-time great (you).

And you're the only one who can prove it.

I know what you're thinking, champ. In a perfect world, where analysts put personalities aside gave due to guys who'd earned it, your status would be secure. But we both know it's not.

And as long as he wears a crown at 147, the Filipino's sycophants will fire up their little blogs, draw up their own history and once again claim you protected assets by taking the paths you chose.

They'll say you reveled in the easy fights. They'll allege you ducked the hard ones. They'll insist the dominance you showed while racking up titles was more a product of limited challengers than it was the sheer brilliance of a premier champion. It'll tarnish your legacy. And as it does, it'll piss me off again.

So as much as anything, champ, I'm asking for this as a favor.

Ring up your publicists and ask them to release your statement. Say that you'll take the fight on whatever terms are offered. A down-the-middle purse split. Whatever brand of gloves he chooses. And heck, even let him take the ring walk last as if he's earned the honor you'd legitimately deserve.

Do whatever it takes for you to get your hands on him.

Then go out there for 36 minutes and show once again what you and I already know.

Video games come and go. Greatness lasts forever.

Best, Lyle

* * * * * * * * * *

This week's title-fight schedule:

FRIDAY WBC strawweight title - Thailand Oleydong Sithsamerchai (champion) vs. Juan Palacios (interim champion) Sithsamerchai (32-0, 12 KO): Fourth title defense; Three wins in 2009 (3-0, 0 KO) Palacios (26-2, 21 KO): Lost WBC title shot in 2002; One loss outside Nicaragua (4-1, 4 KO) Fitzbitz says: Palacios in 10

SATURDAY IBF super middleweight title - Quebec City, Quebec Lucian Bute (champion) vs. Librado Andrade (No. 1 contender) Bute (24-0, 19 KO): Fourth title defense; Beat Andrade by decision in October 2008 Andrade (28-2, 21 KO): Third title fight; Lost WBA/WBC title shot in 2007 Fitzbitz says: Bute by decision

Vacant IBF lightweight title - Quebec City, Quebec Ali Funeka (No. 3 contender) vs. Joan Guzman (No. 4 contender) Funeka (30-2-2, 25 KO): Second title fight; Lost only fight in North America Guzman (29-0, 17 KO): Former WBO champion at 122 and 130; Seventh title fight (6-0, 2 KO) Fitzbitz says: Guzman by decision

IBF mini flyweight title - Loreto, Mexico Raul Garcia (champion) vs. Lorenzo Trejo (No. 10 contender) Garcia (27-0-1, 16 KO): Fifth title defense; Thirteen-fight win streak (13-0, 6 KO) Trejo (30-18-1, 17 KO): Lost three title shots at 105, one at 108; Winless since July 2007 (0-2-1) Fitzbitz says: Garcia in 8

SUNDAY WBC flyweight title - Saitama, Japan Daisuke Naito (champion) vs. Koki Kameda (No. 3 contender) Naito (35-2-3, 22 KO): Sixth title defense; Unbeaten since October 2005 (8-0-1, 3 KO) Kameda (21-0, 14 KO): Former WBA champion at 108; Twentieth fight in Japan (19-0, 13 KO) Fitzbitz says: Kameda by decision

WEDNESDAY IBO cruiserweight title - Sydney, Australia Danny Green (champion) vs. Roy Jones Jr. (unranked) Green (27-3, 24 KO): First title defense; Former WBA champion at 175 Jones (54-4, 40 KO): Former champion at 160, 168, 175 and heavyweight; Ranked No. 5 at 175 Fitzbitz says: Jones in 10

Last week's picks: 3-2 Overall picks record: 146-55 (72.6 percent)

Lyle Fitzsimmons is an award-winning 21-year sports journalist, a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and a frequent contributor to sports radio talk shows throughout the U.S. E-mail him at fitzbitz@msn.com, follow him at twitter.com/fitzbitz and read more at fitzbitzonfights.wordpress.com.