Manny Pacquiao – Floyd Mayweather, JR: Is the Fix Already in the City of Las Vegas?

By “Big” Bill Bradshaw

When David faced Goliath in the Valley of Elah, the PPV numbers weren’t an obstacle to making the bout happen. I suspect that, had TMT signed Goliath before the event, David’s pedigree would have been called into question. His lack of quality Philistine opposition would have been an issue and they would have claimed that his slingshot fell short of regulation standard. They would, no doubt, have insisted that he agree to use theirs. But, had David benefited from a Bob Arum, he would have shamed the big guy into battle and the greatest fight in biblical history would have been signed regardless. Stone tablets of the day would have reflected the opinion of Philistines that David “didn’t know shit about slingshots” and his supporters, the Israelites were “Haters and dumb ass motherf**kers”. But we all know how that encounter ended. Manny Pacquiao won’t need to hurl stones to take down Floyd Mayweather, JR, on May 2nd and here’s the insight of just a few pundits who agree.

Kelsey Mc Carson: Pacquiao by decision

Pacquiao is a power puncher with unworldly speed. He devastates his opponents by hitting them both hard and often. In essence, he’s a volume puncher who hits with force and rapidity, something that has made him one of the better offensive fighters in boxing history.

Rafe Bartholmew: Pacquiao by decision

Pacquiao is such a dynamic and creative offensive fighter that when he decides to throw everything in his arsenal at Mayweather, something will work. Pacquiao will get the knockdown or two that he needs to edge Mayweather on the cards. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll get a stoppage.

Bernardo Pillati: Pacquiao by decision

It will be a tense, highly technical and caution-filled fight in the early rounds. Pacquiao will begin to loosen up from the fifth round, will show great explosiveness and aggressiveness, apply the best shots and dominate the battle for a clear unanimous decision.

Carlos Narvaez : Pacquiao by decision

We are facing the most difficult fight in the career of Mayweather. Pacquiao is presented as the toughest test for the pound-for-pound king because of his speed, counterattack and stamina. “PacMan” also has punching power and can be as slippery and elusive as Mayweather himself, whose energy we have already seen begin to wane in late rounds when pressed.

Ian Murphy: Pacquiao via SD

“Pacquiao wins due to pressure, offensive volume, and aggression. Mayweather will not be able to pot shot and run his way to victory like in the past when he fought slower opponents. Manny has more speed and firepower than Floyd is used to seeing and will have trouble finding his rhythm due to constantly being on the defensive. Mayweather will pull off some moves but will get caught more often. If Maidana can hit him, Pacquiao will certainly find him.

Brian Campbell – Pacquiao by split decision

Throughout the five-plus years of this soap opera, I would have predicted a Mayweather victory each time. Through 2013, his speed, defense and ability to counter remained unparalleled in the sport. Meanwhile, Pacquiao suffered a pair of 2012 defeats that removed the shine of any invincibility he carried with him in previous years by daringly moving up in weight.

But things have shifted in the past 12 months. At 36, Pacquiao has inexplicably kept his top-shelf speed. And despite retaining his pound-for-pound stranglehold on the sport, Mayweather showed in two 2014 fights with Marcos Maidana that he has slowed just enough entering his 38th birthday. The key question for me is this: When was the last time you saw Mayweather face anyone with Pacquiao’s speed or his combination of movement and power?

And while Floyd is the master at shutting down traditional offense, Pacquiao still disguises his punches well by throwing from awkward angles. In a fight that I believe is destined to be close on the scorecards, look for the judges to favor Pacquiao’s aggressiveness late.

I have my own opinions on the fight. I think that Manny Pacquiao will win for a variety of reasons but I have concerns about the lack of a rematch clause. I think a Las Vegas fight is fraught with danger for Pacquiao. Unless he clearly outpoints Floyd, I fear the judges will buy the brown envelope and grant a poor decision to Mayweather. Pacquiao will need to win overwhelmingly to get a decision where Castillo, De La Hoya and Maidana did not. I read an article during the week that suggested Pacquiao would need a few 10-8 rounds to shame the judges into giving the bout to the man from the Philippines and I tend to agree with that. But I think there is one commanding issue with regards to this fight….confidence. I wrote an article recently stating that Floyd only took this bout because he was cornered into taking it…that Manny Pacquiao is the last fighter on the planet that he wanted to share a ring with and that article was met with both support and derision. I am going to quote a comment that was made by the great Skip Bayless of ESPN in support of my assertions

“Finally, after Manny Pacquiao campaigned for this fight for five long years. After Manny offered every compromise on Earth for five long years. After Manny publicly dared and dared and dared Floyd may or may not weather to take this fight. Floyd Mayweather,JR. finally quit running because he was shamed into taking this fight, and I want to thank you, my brother, my ‘First Take’ partner, my better half, if you will. I want to thank you for helping me shame Floyd may or may not weather into taking this fight because in the end he had no choice. You finally came around over the last month or so, couple of months, and you finally started saying, ‘Floyd is looking worse and worse.’ Obviously his credibility and his legacy were beginning to teeter. So, in the end Floyd Mayweather, he was going to be damned if he did or damned if he didn’t. He was facing a couple more easy fights finishing 49-0 and retiring with a big, bad asterisk on his record because he ran and ran and ran from Manny Pacquiao. Or he could go ahead, suck it up, and fight the fighter that he clearly is still afraid of, to me. He could fight Manny and face 47-1, which is what he’s about to experience.

He is still afraid of Manny Pacquiao, and I can tell you via a source in Manny’s camp, Manny is still extremely extremely confident he cannot just beat Floyd Mayweather; he can knock him out. So in the end, Floyd knows in his heart of hearts what’s coming, but Floyd had no choice. He had to fight him or risk tarnishing forever his legacy.”– Skip Bayless ESPN

Skip would have been in David’s corner in The Valley of Elah and we would have shared a bucket of popcorn. Roll on May 2nd and let the winner be heralded for generations to come….providing it’s a fair result.

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