?Floyd Mayweather would beat Manny Pacquiao because the styles that African-American fighters ? and I mean, black fighters from the streets or the inner cities ? would be successful,? Bernard Hopkins told Fanhouse.com.
When asked to clarify the fact that Pacquiao defeated Joshua Clottey of Ghana earlier this year, Hopkins replied, ?Clottey is ?black,? but not a ?black boxer? from the states with a slick style.?
While the future Hall of Famer?s statements were obviously foolish and not well-though out, his point is valid.
Since Pacquiao?s meteoric rise to the mythical spot atop boxing?s pound-for-pound list that began in 2008, Pacquiao has fought a specific style of boxer, and the word ?slick? does not fall into their respective resumes.
Pacquiao?s last fight with a boxer that most closely possesses a style that might arguably be categorized as ?slick?, was his March 15, 2008, life-and-death split decision victory over brawling counter-puncher Juan Manuel Marquez. While most observers felt that Marquez should have gotten the nod in the fight, Pacquiao?s record still reflects a win. Since Pacquiao?s fight with Marquez, he moved up in weight, making a quick stop in the lightweight division to pummel David Diaz before hopping all the way up to welterweight to fight Oscar De La Hoya. After a quick stop in the jr. welterweight division to rip Ricky Hatton?s title, Pacquiao went back to welterweight for two fights with Miguel Cotto and the aforementioned Joshua Clottey. Pacquiao?s last and most recent fight saw him make another jump in weight against jr. middleweight newcomer, Antonio Margarito.
The trait common to Diaz, Hatton, Cotto, Clottey, and Margarito, is that they are all defensively-limited, forward-marching and slow-footed punchers; the style that is tailor-made for Pacquiao?s style. De La Hoya is the exception to the rule, but he made the critical error of overestimating his ability to make the welterweight limit, and was visibly dehydrated and thus unable to handle Pacquiao?s speed.
When Pacquiao rose up in weight in search of the payday that comes with being named Oscar De La Hoya?s opponent, he strategically passed over many viable contenders in the lightweight and jr. welterweight divisions. While one can understand the logic in passing over boxers that brought little to the table, such as Nate Campbell, Joel Casamayor, Joan Guzman, and Timothy Bradley, the fact of the matter remains; Pacquiao and his handlers elected to fight the slow-footed punchers that brought little to the table, such as David Diaz and Joshua Clottey.
Today Pacquiao is the star, the shot caller, and the one that holds all of the cards. When Pacquiao?s handlers elected to fight Joshua Clottey in March, they passed on Yuri Foreman, a fast-moving slick boxer that stands 5?11? tall. Freddie Roach claimed Foreman?s height advantage put Pacquiao in an unnecessarily difficult position. Last weekend, Pacquiao took on the slow-footed and stationary 5?11?, Antonio Margarito.
While Bernard Hopkins? comments were racially-insensitive, the point lost in the controversy is valid, and the proof is on record. Manny Pacquiao has not fought slick boxers with the mobility to make him find his target. He has fought fighters that are easy to find, and will stand in front of him. At thirty-nine years of age and with diminishing skills, Shane Mosley is not the answer to Hopkins? challenge. As I?ve said before, Floyd Mayweather would be the perfect answer, with Paul Williams or Timothy Bradley coming in a close second.
