I had a blast when I visited Y101 FM last Friday to talk about the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight.
On board was the impeccable John M, my favorite voice on the airwaves who, after all, is a boxing man.
John M knows his fistic lore and is also affiliated with the Games and Amusements Board. Not only that, he also lends his articulate talents to boxing events as a ring announcer.
TOPICS. This fight is a minefield for myriad topics, and we hardly had the time to cover everything, but it was short, sweet and direct to the point- just like Manny?s left straight.
If I get the chance to visit again, you may call in so we can discuss your queries on air.
In my previous columns I believe I have tackled majority of the burning issues surrounding this fight, but when John mentioned about Freddie Roach having the best strategy to beat Floyd, I was not able to fully discuss this given our limited time.
Allow me to elaborate.
OSCAR. In the first quarter of 2007, Oscar dela Hoya was shopping around for a trainer in his upcoming fight against Mayweather scheduled on May 5.
Prior to this mega-fight, he had been trained by Floyd Sr, and the probability that the latter would remain in Oscar?s corner against his own son became a compelling side story to this event.
But it was not meant to be as Floyd Sr, demanded $2 million for his fee, while Oscar offered $500,000 plus an additional $500,000 if he won.
Floyd Sr. walked away and Freddie Roach got the job.
STRATEGY. At that time, Freddie already trained Manny Pacquiao but remember that in 2007 Manny was still a junior lightweight and the idea of fighting Oscar wasn?t even in stratosphere.
Oscar did well for the first half of the fight but once again, typically faded in the second. Nonetheless, the verdict was a split decision, which was deemed controversial.
I thought the Golden Boy did enough to win the fight as he was the aggressor all throughout.
Most of the rounds were close, but Oscar did damage whenever he was able to corner Floyd along the ropes.
Despite the loss, that fight proved that Freddie could be a formidable opponent sitting across the Mayweather corner.
PATHS. While Floyd Sr, did not train his son for that fight against Oscar, he would get a chance to go head to head against Roach when Pacquiao would fight Oscar de la Hoya himself in 2008.
Floyd Sr. talked a lot of smack in that fight, but none of his bluster and blurb could prevent a dehydrated, unresponsive de la Hoya- who looked shopworn and shot, from being decimated by a rampaging Pacman in 8 rounds.
Ironically, Roach got a measure of revenge against the Mayweathers for that de la Hoya loss, by being in the opposite corner in that fight against Oscar.
In 2009, Floyd Sr. locked horns again with Roach when his fighter Ricky Hatton fought Pacquiao.
We all know what happened. Pacquiao eviscerated ?The Hitman? in two rounds in a one-sided beatdown.
STRATEGY. As can be gleaned from the foregoing, Roach knows his stuff, especially when you examine his track record going against the Mayweathers.
As early as four years ago when the idea of this superfight was proposed, Roach has been openly quoted saying he has the strategy to hand Floyd Jr. his first career loss.
I have no doubt he is the best man in Manny?s corner and how the Pacman trains and prepares for this fight will already be half the battle.
But ultimately, when the bell rings, it?s all about execution, and this where the fighter?s physical skills and tools come into play.
Roach and Manny are set to dish out the biggest performances of their careers on May 2 and are ready to shock the world. I can?t wait.
LAST ROUND. It?s on Goldie Romarate-Delvo, who will be at ringside on May 2 for the superfight. Happy birthday and cheers!
