Manny Pacquiao vs Prime Donald Curry @147

I have to favor Pac as Curry is neither a counterpuncher and lacks the ability to fight backing up. However, Curry has more than a punchers chance of winning.

@ 15 rounds I favor a prime Curry

 

Holy ****. Best hypothetical fight thread in a while. Pac's workrate is incredible, but Curry was lightning fast and brought some thunder. No way this goes the distance unless there is serious brain damage involved.

Maybe I remember the fighters of my youth too fondly, but I think Curry catches Pac coming in enough to score a late round stoppage (most likely by the referee).

 

One of those truly intriguing ones you would just have to see on the night to see how it played out...but I do think Curry has the tools to do it.

Pac today is far more well rounded and experienced than he was at feather..thing is the unrestrained aggression, mixed with speed and awkwardness he had at featherweight is exactly the kind of style that would upset Curry.

He sorta has to give ground and fight more tactical because this isnt his natural weight...even though good training and preparation he is certainly comfortable this high.

Certainly against guys like Margarito and Cotto this helped him...but I dont know against Curry.
Such a great technician who was masterful at exploiting the gaps his opponents even fleetingly gave him.

IMO Don is a better pure boxer than Marquez...less durable and steady for sure but he possesses the skill level that gave Pac so much trouble in those fights.

He can be a bit to technical sometimes though...a bit to picky with his shots..Thats good for a super fast whirlwind like Pac but Don did have a pretty good punch when he needed it to be called upon.

Could argue this one either way if you wanted...but I do know for sure that Curry would land a lot more on Manny than anyone has in a long time..thats why right now as Im typing this I see it for Curry.

 

Can we have him against the weight drained one.

 

Pac wins.

 

Is Donald Curry black? Yep so Pac would only fight him if he was washed up. Prime Curry wins.

 

ALERT! Idiots/Trolls on board! They can't contribute any analysis on the subject matter so they end up hating on the guy!

 

Mmmm. Manny has pretty much looked unstoppable when he has fought at the 147 limit and around it, yet he hasn't faced anyone of the same calibre of Curry at this weight who was both an athletic beast when he wasn't troubled with the weight and his technical skills were brilliant (experienced beyond his years after such a deep amateur career). He certainly looked like the heir to ray Leonard in his fights with McCory, Diaz and LaRocca.

Manny however also fits the bill of being an athletic beast, probably having the edge in footspeed and handspeed here, but a clear lack of power. He has also matured into a technically proficient fighter. However he still has a number of holes in his game, his defence not being too tight and I think he can be a tad predictable with his long combinations and his "right hook roll under" routine that Hatton infamously pointed out. Curry has the speed, power and timing to make Manny pay here.

Close fight, and so far I may look like I am favouring Curry but one thing sticks out quite badly. The Honeyghan fight and the trouble he had with Honeyghan's speed, something Manny has in heaps. I think you can probably expect a decision win for Manny, close UD or MD. I wouldn't be surprised if Curry manages to stop Manny however, his power was scary and if he manages to counter Manny with a shot he doesn't see you will see Manny in more trouble than we have ever seen him in (KO losses aside).

 

I would take Prime Curry. And for the person who says Curry was not a great counter puncher. Check the fights he had with Starling.

 

Yeah, he clearly wasn't in the fight against Honeyghan, the weight being the major issue and the fact that Honeyghan was an after thought. He should have moved upto 154 long before the Honeyghan fight but...ah well. Still you can unsee what you do see and it would make me wonder about how well Curry deals with Manny's footspeed and handspeed. Of course, Curry had some magnificent timing and countering skills which should make him more than capable of handling a fighter who jumps in, lands a combination then gets out, something Manny has developed to a very high standard. I don't think Manny would be able to pressure Curry to the extent that he forces a stoppage, but I do think if Manny shows he can survive, then the flashy combinations he does land will win him the fight on a decision. However I think Curry has the tools to hurt and could very well walk away with the stoppage.

I'm torn between a close decision in favour of Manny and the threatening possibility of a Curry stoppage at any round after 4/5.

Sorry, wasn't paying to much attention when I wrote that part. What I meant was in comparison to Curry I'd give Manny the edge on handspeed and footspeed but I think he is clearly lacking in power compared to the powerful curry, his KO of McCory is one of the best KO's you will see within the last 20 years.

 

Curry was a fantastic counter-puncher and excelled at maintaining distance.