Mayweather might win via UD or SD, but who knows? TBH, this fight is considered 50/50. Mayweather is fast as ****, but can he handle the in and out, unpredictable type of pressure from pac? Can Pac adapt to Mayweathers defensive tactics and counters? Well just have to wait and see.
I think PBF wins a competitive but comfortable UD. I don't see Manny being able to hit him often enough and if he does connect with the left I see Floyd taking the shots that unhinged Hatton and Cotto. Plus I think Floyd will punish Manny when he opens up as whilst Pacman's defence is much improved these days it's far from watertight. Speed will determine the outcome of this fight for me but I also think this is where the Pac-train stops. Both PBF and SSM beat Pacman but for a man rising from light-flyweight there really is no shame in this at all!
Sure he can. Don't know if he will, but he certainly can. Since I've done a couple of posts in the past about what I see as Floyd's weaknesses and specifically how Pacquiao could counter them, I'm just going to copy and paste. Floyd's weaknesses: How Pacquiao can exploit these/some tactics to use:
Totally different kind of fight. I think Mayweather was watching closely and can now see Pac has a legit welterweight punch. Floyd boxes carefully from the outside and can easily match Pacs speed. The only factor I see and the same one that Emanuel Steward pointed out was that Pac can punch in any angle and off balance with both hands and hurt his opponent. That makes it almost impossible to defend against. Pac is going to have to force the fight and get into an exchange with Mayweather and land one of those goofy angled shots that Floyd cant see. Interesting fight and see Pac getting really busted up but possibly making it a real fire fight in the late stretch. No way its an easy fight for Mayweather anymore.
Floyd UD - Pacquaio's defense still looks easy to tee off on and Floyd will land very flush with counters or potshots. Pacquiao is no longer a 1 handed fighter but hes still very reliant on the left and I see Mayweather taking away that punch from him. The speed of Pacquaio and the southpaw stance are big factors, hes seen them with Zab Judah who caused a few problems, Pacquaio while better overall than Zab is more predictable, 2 inches shorter with significantly less reach. Pacquaio is the same size as Ricky Hatton dimensions wise and this plays into the hands of Floyd whenever they are at range and I see him using distance and timing to dissect Floyd. Pacquaio will cause some problems but I see it as an 8-4 type verdict for Floyd, I'm sure some fans will cry robbery none the less
The fight is interesting because I feel each fighter is really stylistically suited to beat the other. I would pick Manny to beat Mayweather 55/45. He is an unconventional swarmer, historically the antidote to a pure boxer like Floyd. He also possesses attributes that have troubled Mayweather in the past. I think Manny's offense; consisting of an unconventional punching style/use of awkward punching angles, fast hands, high work-rate and blistering combinations all from a south-paw stance would prove much more difficult to evade than anything Mayweather has ever had to deal with. I don't think Mayweather has the activity or combination punching ability to find much success with his own offense. Basically to sum up my thoughts, I think Manny's offense trumps Mayweather's defense. He'll swarm Mayweather, walk through his punches, cut off the ring, and consistently apply educated pressure. Mayweather will be forced into a defensive shell throughout the fight and never have the opportunity or inclination to mount enough offense to score his own points. Even if Mayweather evades the majority of Manny's work, it will still be Manny scoring points with the judges. Some people may point to the Marquez fight as evidence Mayweather should be favored seeing as Mayweather, like Marquez, is a gifted counter puncher, but I believe the key difference between Marquez and Mayweather is that Marquez was an amazing combination puncher and he was much more aggressive than Mayweather is. He was able to get Manny's respect through his power and work-rate. Mayweather won't be able to, as I think Marquez hits harder P4P and also because I think Pacquiao's chin has improved as he has moved up in weight. So, I just spent an awful lot of time putting together that analysis. Do I sound like an ass?
Big key to the fight is Floyds jab. I think Cotto in one of the styles he tried, showed a little success with his jab. Mayweather could very well offset all of Manny's fury with his good snapping jab, which he will definitely use. Manny has to draw him into a slugfest, but easier said than done against Floyid who moves very quick on his feet.
I don't think that much to Floyd's jab tbh and the jab leaves you open to the southpaw right hook counter and left down the middle, Pacquaio like allot of southpaws is open to the straight right hand down the pipe though and Floyd does that well. Interestingly all of Pacquaio's last 4 he's looked so good against didn't have good straight right hands, neither did Barrera, Morales and Marquez did I think Mayweather should be well up for this fight, after all the critiscism and it being a mega fight to boot
Mayweather can snap his jab while on the backfoot or moving sideways. It will be a big weapon for him. He rarely throws it in his opponents range, I dont see how Pac could counter it. Mayweather does throw an excellent straight right which is the best punch against a southpaw, but the jab will keep Manny from applying tremendous pressure.
Mayweather will use the straight right hand to full effect, which is the punch Pac's best opponents he beat convincingly didn't have. Another thing, this will be the first time Pac is going to face an opponent he can't constantly beat to the punch; unlike Cotto, Hatton, DLH, Barrera x2, those guys couldn't get to Manny because they were getting beat to the punch; they didn't possess the hand-speed necessary to catch him, they couldn't get off first. Mayweather can. Add his great counter-punching ability, lateral movement, great defensive skill, I see this as a victory for the Pretty Boy.