Manny Pacquiao Appreciation Thread

If you don't think Pac will give Mayweather all he can handle, then Imma have to quote my man Roger and say "you don't know **** about boxing". Manny is faster and more technical than Mosley, and he's gonna be swinging for all 12 rounds. May's gonna win it, but it's not gonna be a schooling. If you can't appreciate the SKILLS that Pacquiao has, you don't know boxing as well as you think you do man. Manny has a great straight left hand. His right hook is great. His left hook is lethal, ask Hatton. His jab has improved. His uppercuts are good, ask Cotto. His defense is much improved, and his head movement on the inside is very effective. His timing is top notch, watch him time Cotto's jab. His in and out movement, and ability to spin out of trouble and create angles is second to none.

As for Cotto, if you think he's just a hype job....there's nothing more I can do for you man. He's not as athletically gifted as May or Pac, but his photo should be in dictionary by the word boxer. He's tough, fights everyone, and has only lost twice, once to a cheater, and once to probably the best fighter (other than Mayweather) since RJJ. Don't hate on my man Cotto.

 

Pacquiao has no timing to speak of? :huh

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui-7QZLuDD0&feature=related[/ame]

Is he not timing Cotto's jab beautifully there? Also look at his head movement, and his hands are always up. You don't have to fight like Mayweather to have good defense. Of course Pacman can't keep his opponents to a 17% connect percentage, because he is a go forward fighter. If Mayweather fought off the front foot all the time, he wouldn't be as elusive either.

If Pacquiao were nothing more than a skill-less, but tough and athletic brawler, he simply would not have made it this far in the sport. He has some of the best footwork today, pinpoint accuracy (he landed 20% against a guy who had his hands up for 12 rounds, where the heck do you get terribly inaccurate from), can be out of the pocket in a moment's notice. He can also take away an opponent's weapons, like he took away Cotto's jab.

I also see Floyd winning, but if you think it's an easy win you're kidding yourself. I see the greatest fight of our era being played out between 2 legit ATGs. I see Pac starting early, scoring with fast combinations. May will adjust and start dominating the fight by the early middle rounds, and build up a solid lead past the halfway mark. Late in the fight, humiliated in front of his crowd (thousands of screaming Fillipinos, Fillipino politicians in the crowd) the great champ will stage a late rally testing Mayweather more than anyone else has in his career, leading to a legendary last few rounds. May will handle it, and possibly stop Pacquiao if he gets too desperate, but it will be a display of the best that boxing has to offer this generation, skills, will, talent, heart. If you think Pacquiao's speed, angles, movement, power and heart won't give Mayweather fits, I gotta evoke Roger again.

As for Cotto, you're halfway right about the amateur career stuff. He was never a top amateur. He was eliminated early from the olympics. He fought too much like a pro, which you can't do at the amateur level where they score on punches landed, not hard, effective punching. You have to keep your distance, move in only to land flurries and get out before your opponent can get off, to avoid taking points, and he just doesn't fight that way, he never did. However, Cotto is solid as hell. He beat 2 common Mayweather opponents, Judah and Mosley. He beat the **** out of Judah while May only got the UD. He also beat a younger Sugar Shane, not as convincingly however. Losing to Pacman and Mr. Concrete doesn't take too much away from him in my eyes. For having short arms, not that much natural speed and athleticism, and not the greatest chin in the world, his technique and skills have done quite well for him.

 

Pacquiao connected 57% against Hatton, and landed 62% of his power punches.

I can't find the compubox for Mayweather Hatton, but May did NOT land 57%.

Actually, in his fights with Cotto, DLH and Hatton, Pacman has averaged a 42% connect percentage. May has averaged 51.5% since his comeback. That's pretty damn close considering one guy throws about 800 punches a fight, and the other guy waits for the openings and only throws at the perfect moment. Pac is inaccurate?