This guy has been talking strategy non-stop, ****yzing Mayweather for 5+ years, studying him, watching his fights and he has faced Floyd before. Given Pac and Floyd are so close in raw talent and skills, Roach may be the x factor here, giving Manny the edge. This is what he's said recently: ''That would be about the greatest thing you could accomplish in this job, right?'' he asks. ''The way Manny is training right now, he can do anything I can put in front of him. He knows exactly what we want to do and how to do it. He wants this more than anything in the world, but you know what? So do I.'' 'They ask me why I'm not letting anyone into the gym to film sparring or mitts, and I say it's because our game plan is vital,'' Roach said. ''I used to be more lenient, but this fight is so big, the adjustments we made need to be a little bit more of a surprise. We've got stuff he hasn't seen before.'' http://sports.yahoo.com/news/roachs-dream-master-plan-pacquiao-beat-mayweather-214533212--box.html I think Freddie is taking this much more seriously than Mayweather's dad and uncle, Floyd Jr's trainers. Floyd is smart in his own right but i think its helpful to talk strategy with your trainers, study your opponent and work hard at devising well thought out strategies. It seems to me Freddie is doing a much better job than Floyd Sr. at devising strategies, studying his opponent. All i sense from Floyd Sr is overconfidence and all i hear are simpleton tactics. Manny will enter the ring with a plan he feels good about, something him and roach have been fine tuning for months. This, IMO, gives a fighter an edge.
If Pac were to beat Floyd due to Roach's strategy specifically and not just because Pacquiao is the best in the world at being Pacquiao, then he would be right up there with his trainer Eddie Futch.
If Pacquiao beats Floyd it will be mostly due to Pacquiao, obviously. A limited fighter has no shot at Floyd even with the best strategy. Manny has skills in abundance, his athleticism, strength and speed rival Floyd's. They are so close in skills and physical attributes that i think strategy will be more key than ever. What i sense from Roach is that he has been putting in a lot hard work studying Floyd and devising strategies, for different versions of Floyd. This may give Pac the edge... Even when the strategy itself doesn't quite work out perfectly, going into a fight feeling confident and believing in a game plan is a psychological advantage, IMO.
To think this way is a mistake! Here's why.. Indeed, Freddie may have a great plan on paper. But fight at the time they are happening take on a life of their own, and may change from the Role you had planed. A static plan in many cases may back fire, especially if their is no plan B I believe Floyd dose have a plan, but leaves his plans more dynamic until access situation of what his opponent is doing, and then formulate a plan B.. Big problem I see with Freddie's mystery plan is if Floyd Figures it out, then what ? Because lets face it, many fighter lose to floyd because they went into the fight with one course of action, based on his previous performances. Only to face something totally different .
but there is a plan B and C and D. Freddie has stated many times that they will be ready for all versions of Floyd. He said he thinks Floyd might try to go go for early KO, and has a plan B for it. He also said Floyd may run for 12 rounds, plan A. Also, Freddie has said that strategies are agreed to by both, he let's Manny have an input. If Manny doesn't like something Roach has devised, Roach said they alter it. I believe strategy in boxing is extremely important. Look at Wladimir, he was so weak early on until Manny Stewerd showed him how to employ big man tactics, he has been nearly unbeatable by simply tweaking strategy. Maidana's successes against Floyd was all to do with strategy because as robert Garcia himself admitted, Maidana is a limited fighter. Garcia's strategy was simply to smother Floyd, imagine if strategy had been 'try to box him' LOL... So, Freddie and Manny are working TOGETHER on plan A, B, C etc... and even if Manny has to improvise, studying your opponent helps... a fighter can be two completely different fighters with different strategies, the right ones definitely can make a difference.
Problem with that is he lost both times. The second time he lost because they thought they had figured Floyd out. Floyd has said on many of his earlier interview, his style is built on deception and keeping his opponent off balance. Every thing I heard come out Roach's, convinces me he and pac will get beat. Why because it sound like he doing what the other 47 opponents did, they under estimate Floyd. So far his plan been if Floyd shows up old. Which is the same plan he chose against Marquez.. Another fighter Freddie underestimated >
he lost both times but he made it close and he's a limited a fighter. When his own trainer admits Maidana is 'very limited' it speaks volume. Yet, a very limited fighter was able to give the best of today a huge struggle? Showtime's own Al Bernstein had it a draw! think about that... Without a good strategy, Floyd would've embarrassed Maidana, shut him out for 24 rounds. By second fight, they didn't think they had figured him out, they just knew they only had one way to have a chance , same way they fought him first time. Speaking of strategy, did you see changes Floyd made? he resorted to running more and holding Maidana 70 times. as far as Pac and Roach, they never underestimated Marquez, Roach has always stated he's smart and difficult for Pac. Pac gave JMM hell too, people forget that.
Unless Freddie plans on jumping in the ring too I don't see him being able to get Manny over the line. But 3 to 5 years ago it may have been a different matter.
Not really .. Ali lost to a man who didn't start boxing until he was over 21. no big deal ! Norton was just Physically strong dude you used brute strength to push and out hustle Ali. second floyd has always had problems with fighters who use their size, to be physical in the ring. Maidana was over 165 against floyd and he used that weight to bully floyd to the ropes. Pac fights nothing like Maidana. Pac will not try and use his weight to bully floyd against the ropes! not going to happen.. Physically I think Floyd is the stronger fighter between the tow. So that means Roach will try to out smart one of the smartest fighter in the game. Personally I think Floyd Foot work is better educated then Pac's mechanics wise. So to compare Maidana to Pac is like Apple and Oranges .. One fighter uses brute strength the other Speed. Floyd is a finess fighters who like to control the tempo. The only problems he shown to have is with bigger stronger fighter who like to bully on the inside (Wrestling) So unless Pac going to come in at 165 or higher and ruff floyd up against the ropes, this fight come down to a chess match. So Im very interested to know just how Roach is going to use these plans against a fighter he obviously underestimating. What you called holding in boxing is called disrupting a fighter rythem. After floyd would tie Maidana up, Maidana would have to reset himself. This resulted in Maidana getting frustrated, and making more mistakes. You notice in the first half of the fight, Maidana was able to avoid floyd's right hand, even beat him the mark on a set pull, which floyd does beautifully. But after getting frustrated with Floyds tactics Maidana resorted back to his old ways of wading in with his head up, and after that floyd had no problem finding the target. At that point floyd was able to hit Maidana with double right hands at will. Its little adjust like this on the fly the most fighter and fan don't have a understanding of .
