Good guy vs. bad guy
It has been a very long time in the making, this bout. What if it’s a lousy one? Not so many punches connected, a fight led by caution. What if it ends in a first round knockout? What would that do for boxing? Yes, with Mayweather’s defensive abilities it seems unlikely Pacquiao could KO him early and with Pacquiao’s ability to move, it is just as unlikely Mayweather will KO the Filipino early.
But one cannot say with certainty it won’t end early, or be a lousy fight in some other way. Boxing is depending on 12 rounds, or close to it, of excitement. It’s depending on the superfight to be a super fight.
Here’s this: Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach insists the fight pits good guy vs. bad guy and it does. Roach’s guy, Pacquiao, 36 and with a record of 57-5-2, is a devoutly religious family man who is a congressman and a national hero in his country. He and his wife spend time and money helping charities in the Philippines and Pacquiao absolutely fits the good guy role.
Floyd Mayweather, 38 and 47-0, has convictions for domestic abuse and served two months for hitting former girlfriend, and mother of three of his kids, Josie Harris. He also questionable associations and flaunts his immense wealth and even insists that he is a better fighter than Muhammad Ali. Many find him unlikable and he certainly fits the bad guy role.
Superfight could be super fight
That good vs. evil is helping to sell the fight but it won’t guarantee it’s a great fight. There is plenty of reason to be hopeful it will be a great fight, though. After all, it pits Mayweather the tactician, who bides his time and never fails to win. He leads in most boxing statistics and hits far more than he gets hit, his punches deadly accurate. For someone who lives his life without boundaries, he has them in the ring. He is patient, he pounces.
That versus Pacquiao, the southpaw with the great wallop to his punches like no other fighter, good speed and he keeps moving for 12 rounds. He fights with his heart and is tenacious. Pacquiao has to be knocked down, he will not quit any other way. Tenacity and energy against defense and skill and both have punching ability.
All of that certainly sounds promising. Add to it the tremendous stakes — the bragging rights alone are a huge motivator — the three division titles on the line and the fact that it is a dream match-up that was talked about for years and you have the recipe for a great fight.
Trainers hype the fight
Boxing is known for fight hype but there was little between Mayweather and Pacquiao. They didn’t need it. The verbal sparring today between Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach and Mayweather’s trainer, his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., was minor. Roach complained the Mayweather camp still hasn’t produced the gloves Mayweather will use for inspection by officials. Mayweather Sr. responded by saying they were afraid of his son.
Roach said he’s been studying Mayweather for five years and has a “winning formula” for beating him. He is confident the fight will go 12 rounds, at least that’s what he says, and his guy will win. He could be playing possum, telling his fighter to hit hard and often early and go for the KO. He said it will be 12 rounds, but talks like they are ready to win early.
“That’s what my game plan is,” he said. “If (Mayweather) stays in the pocket too long, he will get hit. If he wants to run, we will cut the ring off. I know a lot about him. I think we have a winning formula.”
Mayweather Sr. says it won’t even be close and that Mayweather Jr. will knock out Pacquiao. “I don’t think it’s going to be much of a fight, the fight is already won, trust me,” he said. “It ain’t going to be no sucker punch. It’s going to be the real shot.”
Boxing counting on superfight
The entire boxing world, the sporting world, the celebrity world, much of the world at large, is talking about this fight and the largest pay-per-view audience in sports history will watch. The promoters and broadcasters, Bob Arum and HBO for Pacquiao, Lee Moonves and Showtime for Mayweather, did a superb job of signing the fight when interest was peaking.
Mayweather – Pacquiao will generate north of 3 million pay-per-view buys and between $300 million and $400 million. Will it bring boxing back, or at least push boxing in the right direction after two decades of decline? It is certainly possible it will, though things could go very wrong.
Like a knockout in round one.
