Mayweather is one of the most accurate punchers in the sport based on recorded statistics of his most recent major fights. His average punching accuracy is 45 percent while Pacquiao’s average is only 34 percent based on statistics compiled by Boxing Scene.
Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach has yet to address the wide disparity of the fighters’ percentage of punching accuracy.
But Roach may have second thoughts on Mayweather’s dominance in the punching accuracy level because no one in his most recent fights has the foot and hand speed of Pacquiao. In fact, it will be Mayweather’s first time in his pro career that he will be dealing with an extremely fast opponent.
Mayweather should be able to test Pacquiao’s speed in the early rounds on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
To do this,he needs to engage Pacquiao in a brief exchange but it would be a dangerous thing to do for the unbeaten champ because Pacquiao will waste no time in throwing power punches in a rapid and unrelenting fashion that will surely get him disoriented and overwhelmed.
Mayweather has very little choice but to engage Pacquiao otherwise he will find it difficult to make the needed adjustments as the fight progresses.
In his fight against Cotto in 2009, Pacquiao allowed Cotto to land clean shots at his body to gauge his punching power. Roach scolded Pacquiao for allowing Cotto inside the pocket but it allowed Pacquiao to launch his massive attack knowing that he can take Cotto’s power punches.
If Mayweather can survive a furious attack by Pacquiao the moment he engages the Filipino star in brief encounter, he would be able to make the needed adjustment in the succeeding rounds.
Mayweather’s camp may have already figured out how to deal with Pacquiao’s hand and foot speed but they aren’t sure if Pacquiao would have his usual speed that he showed during his fights against Brandon Rios, Timothy Bradley and Chris Algieri.
Pacquiao’s Strength and Conditioning Coach Justin Fortune may have discovered that Pacquiao can still improve on his speed,knowing that it is his best weapon against boxing’s most accurate puncher.
Fortune and Roach agreed that Pacquiao’s stamina has been attained as the training progressed. Now they want Pacquiao to improve on his speed.
“He doesn’t need it anymore,” said Roach as he supervised Pacquiao’s sparring session with Kenneth Simms and Gibson Keandri ath the Wild Card Gym on Tuesday. Fortune agreed, saying speed is what Pacquiao needs to improve now.
