Floyd Mayweather Jr, the man who was dancing with the stars on the television show of the same name not too long ago, is said to be a bit less nimble these days. According to Freddie Roach, who will be receiving his fourth BWAA Trainer of the Year award on June 4, Mayweather has lost a step or two.
Roach has repeated in various interviews that he feels that Mayweather no longer has the speed and agility that he once possessed.
After watching Mayweather’s performance on May 1 against Shane Mosley, Roach told Boxingscene.com that he fully believes that Pacquiao will knock Mayweather out.
“He slowed down a little bit. He used to be a faster fighter. He doesn’t move like he used to,” Roach said “He’s more flat-footed. He changed his style because he can’t use his legs anymore.”
Roach is a masterful trainer, and his predictions often prove to be quite accurate. He’s highly skilled at developing an individualized game plan for every opponent his fighters face. He’s also a master of psychological warfare.
A boxing match often begins long before the first bell rings.
It’s undeniably true that Mayweather didn’t employ a great deal of footwork when he squared off with Mosley. It’s also true that he’s now 33 years old.
The master of fancy footwork, Muhammad Ali, was playing ‘rope-a-dope’ with Big George Foreman by the time he was 32. Ali was past his prime, but still great in comparison with all of the available oppostion of his era. By that time, Ali didn’t dance like he used to.
It’s probably safe to agree with Roach to some extent. It’s possible that Mayweather has slowed down a bit considering that he now fights at welterweight and is 33 instead of 23, but whether or not his legs are really gone remains to be seen.
If he squares off with Manny Pacquiao and stands in front of him, we’ll know it’s true. I believe this to be an unlikely scenario.
Joshua Clottey and Manny Pacquiao (AP Photo)
It appears that Mayweather wanted to silence some his critics by coming out and fighting in an aggressive, offensive style. Mayweather said he wanted to go toe-to-toe with Mosley and give the fans what they wanted to see.
Former martial arts practitioner, Dewayne Berry of Bloomer, Arkansas said:
“I think that was just part of his game plan. You don’t fight everybody the same way. You have to take advantage of weaknesses that other people might not see.”
Mayweather’s newfound moxie and obvious lack of respect for his opponent definitely intimidated Mosley. This new style got Mayweather in trouble briefly in Rnd. 2, but he quickly recovered and dominated every round thereafter. By the middle rounds, Mosley was nearly doing backflips at Mayweather’s feints.
If Mayweather-Pacquiao pushes through, I think we’ll see the return of the defensive-minded, backpedaling counterpuncher. Mayweather will not willingly stand in front of Pacquiao when he starts letting his hands go.
However, if Freddie Roach is right and Mayweather no longer has the legs to pedal away from Pacquiao’s flurries he’ll definitely be in for a hard night.
If Money can’t dance, he don’t stand a chance.
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I’m especially interested in connecting with Arkansas boxing fans, but wherever you are, If you love to talk boxing, don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected]
