I would like to know this too, unfortunately after the early rounds, every single round after that only showed Floyd's corner. So we (or anyone watching the fight) never saw Roach talking to Manny in between rounds. It was extremely bizarre that only Floyd's corner was shown in between rounds. Would have liked to see Freddie talking to Manny down the stretch to see what was said. it was as if after the 7th and 8th round everyone just packed it in as if Floyd winning was a foregone conclusion. It was truly bizarre.
Who knows the limitations of Manny Pacquiao better than Freddie? Once he saw how fleet of foot Mayweather was still, I'm sure he knew they were in trouble and their game plan(s) were out the window. Roach gambled on Floyd's legs being shot and ****ped out. I respect Roach as a trainer, but he's a bit overrated.
Oscar and Maidana are both taller than Pacman with greater reach. That was definitely a factor in the fight. In the centre of the ring, Floyd was able to land the jab to head and body from a good distance out. Pac had to try and get inside more and couldn't. Many's best chances were against the ropes but Floyd nullified most of Manny's work with either shoulder rolling or clinching him and the occasional counter right.
Gneus7, Manny's renowned for his engine, and it would have impressed the judges. I think I could only give Manny 2 rounds all night. Yes, but it wouldn't have been a worse strategy. Out of any strategy they could have put together, the one they implemented was the worst. Manny's smaller in height, smaller in reach, and not as skilful. Yet for the majority of the fight, he tried to outbox Floyd in the center of the ring. It was ridiculous. Maybe, but I just didn't see any other options. I think the keyword there is 'hope'. I think you're right. They just hoped that Manny would catch him. But I think they had more chance of knocking him out, after first breaking him down on the ropes, and going to the body etc, and roughing him up. I'm not saying it was likely, but it would have affected Floyd's confidence and his output. It was certainly more likely than just winging away, more in hope than judgement. As the rounds went by, Floyd just grew more in confidence. If that had've been a 15 round fght, I think Floyd would have been clowning around for the last couple.
Manny fought in a way that some people who weren't caught up in the hoop-la of this event knew he would fight. People mentioned Manny's unrelenting pressure and Mayweather's legs no longer being the same. However, if this were true then that would indicate a fight between a Manny of five years ago and Floyd today. The explosive Manny who could fight for three minutes of every round has not existed since the Margarito fight. And, whilst Floyd was more static in the Maidana fights, the first one especially, this was more out of choice as Floyd said he wanted to prove to people that he could stand in the pocket and not "run". This was further evidenced by Floyd holding a hell of a lot less in these fights than he normally does. Due to Floyd still having a decent amount of gas in the tank of his legs, so to speak, and Manny not being the unrelenting, explosive pressure fighter of the past, it was inevitable that there would be more instances of both fighter's being on the outside. Something we have seen more of in Manny's fights of late. Therefore it wasn't to much of a stretch of the imagination to assume that this would play favourably in to Floyds hands. I always thought Manny would get some success in those spots where he does leap in and let his punchers go, but, ultimately, due to his lack of consistent pressure these days I also knew that this would be more of a boxing match than a pressure fighter Vs counter puncher match. This is ultimately why Floyd won. As a boxer, Manny has some flaws that a true master counter puncher can exploit. He leaps in with his punchers, which against slower, lesser fighters he can get away with. However, against a cautious, talented, lightning quick counter puncher who is superb at judging and controlling distance, Manny struggles. Manny also rarely throws feints. He moves his head and upper body a lot on the outside, providing a moving target and looking for openings, but he rarely feints. Feinting breaks up the timing and rhythm of a fighter and can create openings and counter punching opportunities. Not feinting against a counter puncher is practically giving the fight away. Add in the fact that Floyd, smartly, decided to hold in this fight, unlike the Maidana fights, and you have the reasons why Floyd dominated this fight. He and his team had studied modern day Manny and devised the perfect game plan to thwart him.
I know this. But put yourself in Freddie's shoes. What gameplan would you have drawn up? Pressuring him against the ropes, was his only realistic chance of success, unless he'd have caught him with a lottery punch.
:good I'd have been outraged if I'd have paid $100 for that. Paying £20 was bad enough. I hope to God that after the dust is settled, there isn't any talk of a rematch.
:good I can't remember what rounds they showed Manny's corner, but Freddie seemed to be just quietly talking to him, without any emotion. That's what it seemed like. Maybe they just thought it was a lot cause, and they were there just to pick up the cheque?
I don't know. I never bought into the theory that Floyd's legs had gone. And I believed Freddie saying that was just to play mind games through the media. But he may have truly believed it. But if that was the case, where was plan B when what they were doing clearly wasn't working? Floyd was great, but Manny and Freddie looked like amateurs in there.
Good points, and I've taken all of that into consideration. But Floyd didn't really nullify Manny when he was on the ropes, because apart from the odd occasion, Manny never pressed him while he was there.