Mayweather v. Pacquiao: If You Are Scared Say You Are Scared

I began watching boxing as a young child and have always enjoyed the sport.  I remember watching Mike Tyson fight when I was a young child and when he was in his prime.  People hosted “fight parties” and everyone would be excited to attend.  However, if you arrived at these parties “fashionably late” you were bound to miss the fight because Mike Tyson knocked his opponents out in two to three rounds.  During his prime, Mike Tyson combined the strength of a heavyweight, the speed of a middleweight and the tenacity of an enraged lion.  I also enjoyed watching Roy Jones Jr. fight because of his skill, showmanship and hand speed.

My latest post is inspired by a conversation I had with a family friend.  He and I were talking about boxing and more specifically, who our favorite fighters are.  My favorite fighter currently is Floyd Mayweather but my favorite all time fighter is Muhammad Ali.  My father talked to me about Ali’s skills and some of the strong political stances he made during the volatile era of the 1960’s.  Mike Tyson is also one of my favorite boxers but his problems with the law are well chronicled and ultimately led to the end of his career.  The family friend I spoke with told me he used to be a boxer and that at one point in his career; he was the number one ranked amateur in the nation.  This was really interesting to me because I have talked to him many times and never knew how much he loved the sport of boxing. 

As we continued to talk about boxing, I asked him if Mayweather was afraid to fight Pacquiao.  He responded by saying he does not believe Mayweather is afraid to fight Pacquiao.  He believes the reason they have not fought is because the two sides cannot come to terms regarding the payday for the fight.  He also believes Pacquiao ingests some type of performance enhancing substance.  He said that he has been around the sport of boxing for 20-25 years both as a boxer and as a trainer, and he has watched Pacquiao’s career very closely.  He said the way Pacquiao seems to gets stronger and become faster and more energetic as the fight progresses is not normal.  In fact, the notion that a boxer can become more energetic over the course of a fight is contrary to the way the human body functions. Although I am not a boxer, I have played basketball and football my entire life and I know your body experiences fatigue as the contest progresses.  According to reports, Mayweather is requesting that Pacquiao submit to Olympic style drug testing before he agrees to a fight with him.  I am of the belief that Mayweather is a shrewd businessman and he realizes the importance of promoting a fight and creating controversy.  My family friend and I both believe the fight will happen before the two fighters retire.  I also believe the purse for the fight will be the largest in the history of professional boxing.

There is no doubt in my mind Mayweather is the best fighter in the sport of boxing today.  He has a professional record of 41 wins and 0 losses.  He has been fighting as a professional since 1996.  Although he has an undefeated record, he has certainly had his share of controversial moments, including his first bout with Zab Judah.  During this contest, which he ultimately won, his trainer/uncle Roger Mayweather took offense to a low blow thrown by Zab Judah and engaged in an altercation with members of Judah’s camp.  He continued winning fights and even took 21 months off from boxing.  Upon his return, he fought Juan Marquez and beat him like a drum for a seemingly easy win.  Shortly thereafter, he fought and dominated Sugar Shane Mosely.  Although these fights were impressive, everyone wants to see the Mayweather v. Pacquiao fight.  Some believe Pacquiao will win the battle, while others believe Mayweather will win the fight.  I believe Mayweather will beat Pacquiao because of his impeccable defensive techniques.  I watched Pacquiao fight a few times and he seems to have one style and that is aggressive and in-your-face.  I think this will bode well for Mayweather because he rarely, if ever, takes direct power shots.  Mayweather’s defensive abilities and hand speed are two of his best qualities and I believe these qualities would propel him to a victory over Pacquiao.  Who do you think will win the eventual fight?

 

Peace