Reasons Why Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao Will Be Disappointing
The fight world perked up with interest this week with news that a tentative deal has been reached between the camps of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao for the two to fight either in Las Vegas or Texas on November 13. Several media reports have indicated that issues such as drug testing and the fight purse have been resolved and that Pacquiao has agreed to the terms. According to Pacquiao’s manager and promoter, Mayweather has two weeks to agree to the deal or else they will move on to other possible opponents for the date.
If this fight happens, it has the potential to be one of the biggest fights - if not the biggest fight - of all time. It’s rare that two fighters who are considered the best pound for pound boxers in the sport square off against each other. You might have to go back to the Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns match in the mid-1980s to find a bout that has been this anticipated between two boxers at the top of the sport.
But while Hagler’s victory over Hearns was a wild encounter and is widely considered to be one of the most exciting fights in championship boxing history, there’s no guarantee that a bout between Mayweather and Pacquiao would be the same. While it might appear on paper that there is no possible way that this fight could disappoint, there’s always the possibility that it’s a dud. Even if it’s a fairly entertaining fight, that might not be enough to placate fans who have bought into the hype machine and are expecting an historic performance.
In theory, Mayweather and Pacquiao are about as evenly matched as two fighters could be. But as the old saying goes, bouts are fought inside a ring and not on paper, and it’s very possible that a fight between the two could be one-sided. Mayweather could use his superior speed and defensive ability to keep Pacquiao punching at air the entire fight.
While Pacquiao has been impressive in his recent fights, most of them have been against very willing targets (such as Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto). He didn’t have to work hard to find them and they offered little defence against Pacquiao’s relentless onslaught of punches. Mayweather is completely different fighter than most of Pacquiao’s recent opponents since moving up to welterweight. He is shifty and crafty and almost never gets hit. If Pacquiao tries to just move forward and attack, he’ll likely be missing a lot of punches and paying with counter shots.
Pacquiao is the more powerful puncher, which is why Mayweather will have no use for standing and trading blows in the centre of the ring. It’s much more likely that Mayweather will be content to stick and move and keep Pacquiao off-balance and unable to throw nearly as many punches as he is used to. Mayweather has been accused of “getting on his bicycle” and avoiding action during fights in the past. Critics say that he makes fights boring by refusing to engage while his fans contend that this is a sign of Mayweather understanding the situation and being one of the smartest boxers in the business.
Another factor which could lessen the excitement in the fight is the size difference between the two men. While Mayweather is not known as a huge puncher, he is naturally larger and possesses a great jab. It might be very difficult for Pacquiao to attempt to walk through Mayweather’s jab in order to be in position to deliver shots of his own. The fans might not like it if that happens, but it’s a perfect game plan for Mayweather to accomplish his ultimate goal and win the bout.
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