Who takes home the title of best Mexican – Marquez, Barrera or Morales? Will Pacquiao vs. Mayweather happen this year? Would you favor Mayweather over any fighter? Are you upset about Bradley-Maidana falling through? These topics and more discussed on this week’s Fact or Fiction!
It was quite the Saturday night in Las Vegas and as the dust is settling we can’t go through this week’s Fact or Fiction without touching on the big fight and what may possibly come later this year. Joe Roche and Ramon Aranda tangle this week to discuss Mayweather, Mosley and Pacquiao as well as some other topics related to a trio of Mexican greats, a canceled fight and some cocky sons of bitches.
Patrick Cassidy steps in this week to be the referee in charge so let’s get to it!
Round 1: Given how easily he manhandled Shane Mosley on Saturday, you’d favor Mayweather against any other fighter in the world in and around his weight class…including Manny Pacquiao.
Ramon Aranda: Fact – Had you asked me that same question last week, I might have taken longer to answer and I could have probably said Pacquiao just as fast. However, Mayweather continues to amaze me and his one sided drubbing of Shane Mosley only solidified how talented he truly is. It’s one thing to be good at what you do, but to be brilliant…well that’s a whole other story. Mayweather toyed around with a future hall of famer and while Pacquiao is just as good at slapping his opponents around, the fact remains that Mayweather’s still perfect. Until he’s proven otherwise, I’d have to give the slight edge to Floyd. As for any other opponent; it’s not even a question.
Joe Roche: Fact – The stunning thing about Mayweather on Saturday night wasn’t that he beat Shane Mosley, hell I wasn’t even surprised that he did it so easily (seriously folks listen to 3 More Rounds). What surprised me about Mayweather was how much bigger then Shane he looked and how much stronger he looked (and was). Maybe Manny is faster then Shane, but Mayweather to me showed new wrinkles in his game that we didn’t know about before (being able to fight offensively so well for starters) and when you add in the fact that he looked to be so physically strong I just feel that Floyd is a terrible match-up for anyone at his weight class and that includes Pacquiao.
Scorecard: 1 for 1
Round 2: This time around, Pacquiao vs. Mayweather will get made.
Ramon Aranda: Fact – I know I’m REALLY going out on a limb here given how the previous attempt at making the fight came crashing down in monumental fashion but really, who else is left? Sure someone like Paul Williams is a credible threat but no one wants to fight him and I’m willing to bet Pacquiao and Mayweather steer clear of that one. Aside from Paul, there just isn’t anyone at welterweight that’s a viable opponent. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t say no to a fight with someone like Berto or Bradley if he moved up in weight but these two guys need to face each other. Honestly, the winner can retire after that fight and leave with a huge smile on their face. The fans need the fight, boxing needs it and so do they.
Joe Roche: Fiction – I honestly just don’t see how it happens — Floyd is going to get the returns on this pay per view and they’ll be much better then Pacquiao-Clottey and Floyd will use that to strengthen the argument that he doesn’t have to negotiate with Pacquiao, Pacquiao needs to negotiate with him. If Pacquiao wants the fight he knows how to get it — but I honestly think we’ve reached the point where the two guys are at logger-heads and I’d be stunned if either of them budges this time around. If I was Andre Berto and/or Antonio Margarito I’d keep my phone close to the bed.
Scorecard: 1 for 2
Round 3: You’re pretty bummed about Bradley vs. Maidana getting canceled.
Ramon Aranda: Fact – When I found out this afternoon, I was pretty bummed out, sure. I quickly called Gary Shaw to get more details about it and he wasn’t sure just yet who would replace Maidana. Though I was picking Bradley to win; I mean really he’s a much more complete and accomplished fighter but let’s face it, Maidana is a rough and tough customer who will slug it out with you until there’s only one man left standing. Bradley is quicker and more active but what a brawl this couldn’t turned into. Here’s hoping Devon Alexander gets the call!
Joe Roche: Fact – This story has some holes huh? I didn’t think Maidana had much of a chance to beat Bradley, but it was definitely going to be a good fight that I was looking for too – it was a chance to see Bradley on HBO, it was a chance to see Bradley against a tough guy puncher who could catch him and hurt him, and it was a chance to actually see Bradley in the ring this year. Bradley has been out of the ring since he scored a unanimous decision over Lamont Peterson in December of 2009. Bradley is in the prime of his career, he should be fighting 3 times per year — with the Maidana fight he wasn’t going to fight until July and now that is on the ropes — we might only see Bradley once this year, a seemingly wasted year for the 26 year old king of the 140 pound weight class.
Scorecard: 2 for 3
And now for the championship rounds
Round 4: There’s no reason to believe that the rematch between Juan Diaz and Juan Manuel Marquez won’t be a really good fight.
Joe Roche: Fiction – Actually to me there is no reason to think that a rematch between Diaz and Marquez WILL be a really good fight. Diaz has lost two of his last three fights and really lost three of his last three fights — Marquez is coming off an ass whooping at the hands of Floyd Mayweather and we’re reaching the point with Marquez where it’s likely that he’s past his prime. Maybe the two have deteriorated together and they’ll be able to slug it out like they did a year ago, but I doubt it. I’m just not excited for this fight, especially on HBO PPV. Marquez has 56 fights and a LOT of rounds under his belt, Diaz has only fought 38 times but he’s fought 33 TOUGH rounds over his last three fights and frankly I’m a bit concerned that we’re going to see a toned down, less physical, less exciting version of their first fight which doesn’t sound very entertaining at all.
Ramon Aranda: Fiction – OK hear me out. I’m not saying this can’t be a good fight and hell it probably will be once again. However the question asks if there’s “no reason” and quite frankly there is. I need only point out the back and forth war between Michael Carbajal and Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez. Their first fight was a thing of legend but in the return bout, they had so much respect for each other that we got more boxing and less brawling. The fight was still decent but nowhere near the slugfest of the first one. This is my one fear of Diaz-Marquez II. It will probably be epic but there’s still a shadow of a doubt and so I go with fiction on a technicality.
Scorecard:3 for 4
Round 5: Had Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez all fought each other twice during their primes, you think Marquez would’ve had the better overall record.
Joe Roche: Fact – I’ll try to do this logically I think there is an argument to be made that Barrera is 2-1 against Morales and the two wins came during the fighters prime I mean shit Morales beat Pacquiao after losing to Barrera. Meanwhile Marquez is 1-0 against Barrera. If you assume that Marquez would beat Barrera twice and nothing that I saw from their meeting makes me think that isn’t true then I can’t see any scenario where Marquez doesn’t at least split with Morales and goes at least 3-1 against the other two. Barrera might go 2-2 and Morales goes 1-3 in my fantasy world where I discount Erik Morales for no real reason.
Ramon Aranda: Fiction – Wow that is one hell of a question. We’re talking three all-time greats and a trio of Mexico’s best (Chavez and Sanchez aside). We know Barrera got the best of Morales and Marquez beat Barrera. I wouldn’t say the Marquez win was Barrera at his prime, in fact it wasn’t but he was close to it. Morales and Marquez never fought and that would’ve been fantastic. Another naturally aggressive fighter in Morales albeit more technical and willing to box, against a counter punching machine in Marquez. To be honest, you could have three different outcomes if you had this little round robin three times. If you forked over fifty grand and told me I HAD to make a pick (since I’d get a piece of the pie), I’d probably drop the cash on Barrera. Again, he got the best of Morales and though he lost to Marquez it was very, very close. Hell, the swing in points during the round in which he dropped Marquez but was ruled a slip and subsequent point deduction changed the entire fight. He may have won that fight otherwise. Morales-Marquez could go either way but in the end, I’d say Barrera eeks it out.
Scorecard: 3 for 5
Round 6: Hector “Macho” Camacho, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Prince Naseem Hamed and Roy Jones. They are probably four of the cockiest bastards in recent memory. Out of this list however, you’d say Hamed was the worst offender!
Joe Roche: Fact – One million times fact. The difference between the other three and Hamed is that often times you questioned whether Prince Naseem cared about anything other then making a spectacle of himself and that included his actions outside of the ring (Chris Eubank gets a fact or fiction shout out). Camacho was a showman but it was a different type of show then Hamed, and Jones Jr. and Mayweather both came from a place where they were so superior to their competition that they had to find other ways to make themselves interesting — plus they were spoon fed fame from an early age so it was tough for them to not be cocky and arrogant.
Ramon Aranda: Fact – For all intents and purposes, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is probably the most annoying when it comes to talking about himself but Hamed also had the gift of gab and you’ve never seen Mayweather ride in on a magic carpet to a fight. While Mayweather feels God is on his side, Hamed KNEW it was his destiny to be the greatest. Of course that didn’t pan out but the Prince was about as cocky as can be. Camacho was just a loud mouth with a horrendous wardrobe while Jones oozed confidence to the point of putting his hands behind his back and playing basketball before a fight. Still…a magic carpet guys! C’mon!
