One of the most anticipated fights in history will finally take place Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) puts his unblemished record on the line against his most dangerous opponent to date: Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs). Mayweather vs. Pacquiao
Will the Mayweather riddle finally be solved, or will Floyd — the betting favorite — silence his critics and win a fight that took nearly six years to happen? To win the battle, Mayweather has to stick to the following key factors: 5. Stick, move and counter
Mayweather surpasses Pacquiao in height and reach. The Filipino will be aggressive and create pressure to close the distance — perhaps in an undisciplined manner — and expose himself to his opponent’s counter. In this scenario, the job will be easier for Floyd. He needs to first control the fight with his jab. When Mayweather overcomes this first barrier, he has to move to fool Pacquiao and use the speed of his counter shots to do damage. 4. Move to the right
Against a fast, aggressive southpaw like Pacquiao, Mayweather will always have to move to the right of his opponent. But not just any move will do. His turns and torso have to move that way, too, just like his sidestepping — a resource he often draws on in fights. Doing so will hinder Pacquiao’s attack, and it will also put his right hand in the right position to throw power punches. 3. Punches and more punches
It’s no secret Mayweather always wins based on his impenetrable defensive technique, his speed and his pinpoint accurate punches. The amount of clean punches landed usually influences the mathematical reasoning of the judges, who tend to favor fighters who throw more and receive less. This time, however, he’s up against a guy in Pacquiao who tallies more blows per round, even though he connects less. That’s why Floyd should increase how many punches he throws. If he doesn’t, this time the scorecards might tell a very different story compared to previous fights. 2. Pick up the pace early
It’s one thing to say something and another to actually do it, but a Mayweather victory inevitably depends on the need to be focused early in the fight. The recent past has shown he’s a fighter who needs four or five rounds to adjust his strategy and then overcome his opponent in the second part of the fight. That’s how it was in the first fight against Marcos Maidana, where he lost the first four rounds. With Pacquiao, he can’t afford that. If he doesn’t pick up the pace early, he may be done early. 1. The surprise plan
Mayweather’s fights are a carbon copy of each other. Floyd utilizes impenetrable defense, speed, incredible footwork and the necessary intelligence to tally points with each punch thrown. Pacquiao knows it, and may have a possible antidote. Mayweather can counter this possibility by radically changing his plan to make it more aggressive. Why not? That’s how Sugar Ray Leonard surprised Thomas Hearns. He knocked him to the canvas in the third round, set the tone for the rest of the fight and was victorious. Floyd, too, could surprise everyone with a change in style.
