Freddie Roach suspects Floyd Mayweather Jr.?s decision to fight left-handed Victor Ortiz on Sept. 17 is a strong indication that Mayweather intends to fight Manny Pacquiao, the southpaw star Roach trains, next spring. ASSOCIATED PRESS Manny Pacquiao, left vs. Shane Mosley last month, has a challenge in Juan Manuel Marquez. ASSOCIATED PRESS Manny Pacquiao, left vs. Shane Mosley last month, has a challenge in Juan Manuel Marquez.
For argument?s sake, let?s assume Roach, who?s usually as suspicious as anyone of Mayweather?s motives, is correct.
Let?s presume Mayweather realizes he has to finally fight Pacquiao to strengthen his legacy, that most rationale boxing observers will respect him more if he loses to Pacquiao than if he continues avoiding what could become the most lucrative event in the sport?s history. Those are some audacious assumptions given Mayweather?s recent history, but let?s suppose Pacquiao and Mayweather are on a collision course to meet May 5 in Las Vegas.
Well, even then it?s far from a guarantee that we?ll watch boxing?s raging pound-for-pound debate settled in the ring. Pacquiao and Mayweather have difficult fights ahead of them, not mismatches simply designed to sharpen their skills and fatten their wallets as they get ready for the biggest fight in boxing.
While we?d all much rather see a Pacquiao-Mayweather match, Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) deserves credit for embracing a real fight in his return from what will then be a 16-month layoff.
Ortiz is young, he?s strong, he?s left-handed and he?s confident coming off the biggest win of his career.
Fighting Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs) should be tougher than Mayweather?s last comeback bout against Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1, 38 KOs), the Hall of Famer that Mayweather dominated in September 2009. Ortiz, of Oxnard, Calif., isn?t as accomplished or skilled as Mexico?s Marquez, but in addition to his punching power, he?s 10 years younger than Mayweather (Marquez is 3 1/2 years older than him) and Ortiz is a legitimate welterweight, not a lightweight looking for a huge payday.
Marquez moved up two weight classes to fight Mayweather and looked completely uncomfortable against a bigger, faster fighter who won almost every round.
Granted, Ortiz, 24, is just six months removed from a majority draw with Lamont Peterson (28-1-1, 14 KOs). In his last fight, however, Ortiz overcame two knockdowns to win the WBC 147-pound crown from previously undefeated Andre Berto by unanimous decision April 16 in Mashantucket, Conn.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, isn?t in for an easy night against Marquez on Nov. 12 either.
Though Mayweather dominated him, Marquez?s style seemingly will always give Pacquiao problems, even if they?re fighting at a higher weight than the divisions in which their first two fights were contested.
Marquez also has a mental advantage against Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) that he didn?t have against Mayweather, confidence that stems from their draw in May 2004 and Pacquiao?s narrow win in their March 2008 rematch.
Marquez survived three first-round knockdowns to out-point Pacquiao on two of three scorecards over the final 11 rounds in their draw, a featherweight fight in Las Vegas. And since his last loss to Erik Morales in March 2005, no fighter has come closer than Marquez to defeating Pacquiao, who won their junior lightweight rematch by split decision (115-112, 114-113, 112-115) in Las Vegas.
Marquez might not fare as well in their third bout because he?s 37 and it?ll be contested at a catch weight of 144 pounds. But just like Mayweather?s fight against Ortiz, it?s hardly a tuneup for Pacquiao.
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