Exactly one week ago tonight, Manny Pacquiao once again mesmerized us with another dominating performance against a world class opponent in Miguel Cotto. The first six rounds of the fight were wildly entertaining as both men took turns battering one another, with Pacquiao scoring knockdowns in round three and four. Over the second half of the fight the Filipino superstar took complete control of the action and turned the fight into a one-sided affair. Referee Kenny Bayless stopped the action in the 12th round, as Cotto was obviously completely out of the contest.
Immediately following the fight chants of ‘We want Floyd’ echoed throughout the MGM arena as it became clearly obvious who the fans wanted to see Manny face next. Those same sentiments were shared at the post fight press conference, as both Freddie Roach and Bob Arum made it known that a bout with ‘Money Mayweather’ is one they would welcome for their charge.
A match between Pacquiao and Mayweather is the biggest fight in the sport, one that people don’t just want to see happen, they feel it needs to happen. Pitting Pacquiao’s relentless style and recent heroics inside the ring against Mayweather’s bravado and undeniable skills would be something nearly everyone would love to take in.
Floyd Mayweather’s early greatness
On October 3rd, 1998, Floyd Mayweather showed his first signs of greatness on a grand stage. Going up against respected and battle tested Genero Hernandez, Mayweather was just 21 years old at the time and said by some to be too young and inexperienced to swim in the championship ranks. But over eight one side rounds young Mayweather showed just how much potential he had in picking apart his older foe. It was a vintage performance and as he wept in the ring you had a good feeling we were going to be seeing much more of the Grand Rapids fighter in years to come.
Mayweather was immediately in the spotlight and in the following years he would rack up impressive victories against a variety of opponents, from fellow champions to hardened veterans and contenders alike. Along the way Mayweather showed incredible ring savvy and skill that was unparallel for his weight division. His January 2001 drubbing of Diego Corrales showed that just how dominant he could be on the biggest of stages.
Mayweather would eventually move up and capture titles in the Lightweight and Jr. Welterweight divisions, beating the likes of Jose Luis Castillo, DeMarcus Corley, and Arturo Gatti in the process. Still young and undefeated, everything seemed to be going according to script for Mayweather, but soon things would change.
2006 seems to be the year where Mayweather started catching much criticism from fans and boxing insiders alike. In April of 2006 Floyd fought Zab Judah, who had just lost his WBC Welterweight title to Carlos Baldomir three months prior. Many criticized Floyd for fighting the Brooklyn southpaw instead of the champion who had just dethroned him. Mayweather would end up getting into a heated debate with ESPN’s Brian Kenny shortly thereafter in regards to his competition and standing in the sport. Once and undefeated and blossoming belt holder, Mayweather was starting to rub many the wrong way.
Mayweather would end up facing and dominating Baldomir but over the past few years there have seemed to be more questions that answers concerning the ultra-confident fighter. Wins over Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya added to Mayweather’s bank account but many were dying to see him in the ring with the likes of Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto, and Paul Williams instead. Mayweather’s ‘retirement’ from the sport in 2008 only added to the confusion, as he was away from the game actively for 21 months before returning this past September to dominate Juan Manuel Marquez over twelve lopsided rounds.
Whether people like it or not, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is back. The problem seems to be that somewhere along the way he lost the plot. When I think of Mayweather’s first sign of greatness I look back to that October night against Hernandez when he won his first title and showed the desire and emotion that came along with it. When thinking of Mayweather these days what instantly comes to mind is a man who is far too braggadocios to root for like years past and someone who hasn’t found a way to face the opponents we all have wanted to see him face.
A battle with Pacquiao is something that Mayweather is either dying to make happen or perhaps something he is slightly uncertain of. Pacquiao’s recent destruction of opposition has been impressive enough to put a little dose of fear into any future opponents but nobody except Mayweather himself knows fully what is going on inside of his head. Cut it however you want it, but this is just a fight that needs to happen.
The continuing improvement of Manny Pacquiao
When Manny Pacquiao introduced himself to the American public in June of 2001 with a sixth round demolition of Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, fans were instantly intrigued. The fighter from the Philippines had a reckless style and attacked with both speed and power. It was a rare combination but one that produced great drama at the end of the night.
In November of 2003 Pacquiao would take his career to another level with a battering of the great Marco Antonio Barrera in San Antonio, Texas. On this night Pacquiao showed that he could be just as deadly against world class competition as well and in the following years the fighter from General Santos City has left quite an impression.
What stands out most about Pacquiao in my eyes is the fact that he is a fighter who still seems to be improving. In his initial battles against Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez there was plenty to hold on to, but we still saw a fighter who was wild and reckless at the same time. He overcame his mistakes through sheer aggression and will, but you had to wonder just how long he could keep it up.
What we’ve seen in recent years is that Pacquiao is a student of the game. He hasn’t let his newfound fame get to his head and seems to be getting better from one outing to the next. In the last year Pacquiao has produced incredible stoppage victories against the likes of bigger men in Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto. Going into every contest there were plenty of people doubting Pacquiao but at the end of the night he found a way to win impressively and convincingly.
The only real fight that seems left for the new WBO Welterweight champion is a much desired matchup with Mayweather. Years ago such a showdown wasn’t even discussed, nor even thought of for that matter, but today you can’t find a bigger potential fight in the sport. It’s a fight that both men hopefully can make happen and if they do find a way to meet in center ring you can rest assured that all of these lingering questions will somehow be answered.
Letting the beat build
It seems almost out of place to constantly bring up a fight that hasn’t even been finalized but a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is simply so big that people can’t seem to stop talking about it.
In the coming weeks you can expect much more analysis of this potentially great showdown that will include insider’s perspectives and analysis of the contest from all angles. If these two do end up meeting it is a fight that is still months away, and all we can do now is keep our hopes up and let the beat build…
