I think Floyd out-boxes Manny, convincingly but not easily. It would be a struggle for both fighters but I'd say Floyd comes out on top. It wouldn't surprise to see Mayweather on the canvas once or twice within the first 3 rounds like Hatton and Cotto were against Pacquiao. Floyd's quickness likely carries him to a UD victory, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Pacquiao win this fight. He's much more battle ready for a fight like this whereas Mayweather is just recently coming out of retirement.
The easy pick is Floyd by UD, but I'm going with Pacquiao by late round TKO, because I desperately want to see Floyd have to fight for a win.
Floyd should comfortably outbox Pac, though as I said before I could definitely see Pac taking a few rounds off him and making things more difficult than they've been in a long time.
Mayweather has been so uninspiring for so long, so who knows for sure.Maybe he's just been coasting in 3rd gear for a lot of fights, i'd sure like to see him move his hands more if he was fighting pac. Floyd coasting is still imo a superior fighter to anyone pac has ever fought, and i shudder to thnk what he would have done at his best to the mexican trio, especially Morales and Marquez, had he been campaigning at the same weights as the versions pac fought. ON the other even the raw Pac that fought Ledwaba and Barrera is a better matchup for potentially taking the play away from a technician like Floyd, so i'm not filled with confidence about this inactive, aging version doing what i may have favoured him to do years ago.Quick straight punches and workrate are the way to go against a defensive specialist and Manny can bring that, but his so-so defensive skills will be an issue if he lets Floyd settle into a groove. It's an interesting fight imo.
This is a good post. Remember Judah landing early with the quick stuff you mentioned? That was Pacquiao's bread and butter before he 'improved'. I do actually believe he has improved, it's blatant.
I just wonder what's going to happen when Floyd's forced to fight. He's not going to be able to pot shot Manny for the entire fight, if that's his plan. More than whether or not I want Manny to win, I'd be happy if he managed to push Floyd to the limit for 7-8 rounds. Course if Floyd does win, we're all going to hear about how great he is and that he's the best p4p fighter ever!! I can almost hear his comments already.
How do you know he can't potshot Manny? Well, obviously not the way he did Baldomir, but i can see him land single clean punches with a combo here and there, while neutralizing most of Pac's offence. We saw how extremely good Mayweather is against a come forward fighter against Hatton. He works those elbows not according to the rules, but it's effective... i believe he learned a lot from those Castillo fights. Pac is going to have to be in absolute top shape, because i think the best way to bank rounds is by outworking Floyd, and giving that he will probably not land more than 20-30%, he's going to have to double Floyd's output. He did throw something like 60 a round during his recent fights (except for Cotto), so there's some hope there. But overal i see him losing a decision.
Manny will beat Floyd, despite a few misgivings that some of you may have had during the first two rounds Saturday night. Manny takes a round or two to find his rythym and gauge his distance and timing. One he does, he's perilous. To be sure, he is not the formidable fighting machine that Duran was in Montreal (and that Duran would reduce Floyd to a smoking slack). He is not nearly as technically sound, nor is he as tight defensively. Manny leaves windows open and there are spots where he is right there in range and off balance. But styles make fights, and Manny is as ferocious, well-conditioned, relentless, and agile as Duran was that night. He has the technology to deal with a stylist like Floyd particularly because it is bizarro technology. Floyd has a beautiful style that is rooted in great fundamentals. He's a savant in there. He may get lucky and catch Manny during one of those early moments when Manny is nervy but if he waits and tries to solve Manny, he'd be better off taking an exam in Chinese math after no sleep. Compared to Manny, he is not experienced. Floyd's most glorious wins are over De La Hoya, who he decisioned and Manny stopped, and the impressive KO of Hatton. Manny's KO looked like the work of Frank Nitti, Capone's enforcer. Then Manny has the gall to further offend Floyd by fighting a man he should have fought already, but didn't. And he destroyed him. None of that is important beyond the fact that it proves that Manny can handle men bigger and stronger than Floyd. While it is true that Manny needs a round or two to warm up his jets and gauge his equipment, Floyd spends half the fight with his own calculations. And here's the kicker.... Manny cannot be read. Roach spends half his year finding habits -he's smart enough to ensure that Manny's natural heterodoxy is magnified. Manny is a code that Floyd can't break. Meanwhile, he has the power to hurt Floyd and is more than willing to attack from thirteen angles. There is a way to beat Floyd. I know I know it, and Freddie Roach claims that he "knows how to fight Floyd." I believe him. I'm not worried about Floyd's speed -HBO commentators forgot that Manny fought buzzing flyweights for crying out loud.
