Though he?s been eerily silent as of late, I think Floyd?s laying low like a Cobra, waiting to see what the Mongoose will do on November 23rd. I have to believe (or hope) that talk of Amir Khan is a complete smokescreen, for even his staunchest supporters would see the glaring contradiction of such a bout. This penultimate installment will focus on what I think would happen between this edition of Pacquiao and Mayweather, from another vantage point. Episode 1 of “Pacquiao/Rios: 24/7” on HBO is in the books, and it was a great one. But before I talk about what will happen between Rios and Pacquiao in the 11th and final edition next week, I’d like to talk about another fight were it to take place. Let?s look at what I believe is a real life episode from one of my favorite shows, Spike TV?s ?Deadliest Warrior?.
BRANDON RIOS VS. RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV
If you take the best moments from the late Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward?s classic trilogy and roll them into one, you?d just about have a fight between Brandon Rios and Ruslan Provodnikov. I correctly predicted the exact outcome of Rios vs. Alvarado I., and I somehow couldn?t miss in my assessment of what would take place between Provodnikov vs. Alvarado [click here for that. This was fun to write].
I don?t think I?d be that far off with this either.
Bruce Lee made history with ?Fists of Fury?, and I would borrow the mid-90?s classic ?Mortal Kombat? as the theme for this fight. These two would be like those old blue and red ?rock em/sock em!? punch robots on acid. In fact, you might swear you?re looking at some new video game from EA Sports and look around for kids with game controllers. It would not only eclipse the other fights I mentioned (including Gatti/Ward); it would rival anything Hollywood ever produced.
This is a total cliffhanger.
Rios is like that old Etch-a-Sketch game that used to drive me crazy. Nothing but straight lines- and that?s how he fights. He?s a powerful, combination-punching, two-fisted menace who doesn?t want to bend or give an inch. The Mexican warrior in him just won?t allow room for relent, and he?d seek to break down Provodnikov in a phone booth war.
?Provo? for his part, is a Siberian bull. One of the strongest super lightweights in the world- he attacks in ferocious waves- featuring a massive left hook, which he delivers like a sledgehammer. Rios, who believes in his power and in himself to no end, would stand through all of this while getting hammered, only to pull out his drills. In the end, it would come down to who had the most tools left in their bag and who?s hard hat would be more damaged than the other?s.
I think it would be Provodnikov?s.
Brandon is smarter than people give him credit for and he?s every bit as tough as you think he is. But he doesn?t bust up like Provo does and has a more varied arsenal and skill set. As a part of the promotion, the replay should show up in black n white with grain across the screen and the sound of film reel. What a classic.
Brandon Rios by 11th round TKO.
MANNY “PACMAN” PACQUIAO VS. FLOYD “MONEY” MAYWEATHER
One of the more interesting aspects in analyzing a bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, is that I?ve yet to see them face-to-face or occupying the same space. We do know of a phone encounter, which is somewhat dubious when trying to discern the nature of it. We have ugly and racist Twitter rants. Talk of needles and steroid accusations. Lawsuits and interviews from all over the world over a fight that?s been nothing but imagination.
To make imagination real – is to make a movie- and these two are walking cinema. As action movies go, you have a good guy, and of course, a bad guy. The good guy certainly faces his share of drama and hardship, but he usually prevails over his nemesis in the end. I’ll let you guess who the nemesis and bad guy is.
While discussing this fight with Racheal the other day, I asked her to send me a recording of a radio segment with 5RoundRadio she did a few months back. At right around the 60 minute mark (click here to hear it), one of the show?s hosts named ?Redman? chimes in on the prospect of a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.
He goes: ?I thought before he got knocked out he would present no challenge to Floyd. I think Floyd beats him worse than Leonard when he ?No Mas?d? Duran.? Then he said, “Manny has a better chance of winning a bronze in Female Gymnastics than beating Mayweather.”
Clever.
THE RELUCTANCE OF FLOYD MAYWEATHER.
Floyd Mayweather almost gives you the impression that he is the mighty Greek warrior Achilles re-born. He isn’t. We recently saw “GGG” attack and destroy essentially a super middleweight in Stevens, while challenging Floyd to a fight at super welterweight and agreeing to lose 6lbs. to do so. No one expects Floyd to agree to this, but that’s what the “world’s best fighter” is supposed to do- challenge monsters.
Or accept their challenges.
Pacquiao fought Antonio Margarito basically as super lightweight, even though he knew he was going to essentially face a super middeweight- and someone Floyd was afraid of. Maybe you don’t see where I’m going with this… I’ll help you.
“..And that is why no one will remember your name.”
Achilles, from “Troy” 2004
Achilles (played by Brad Pitt) utters the above remark in response to the child who was summoned to get him for battle.
The child said: “The man you are about to fight is the biggest man I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t want to fight him.”
Imagine Achilles imposing all types of terms on Prince Hector. He just wouldn?t. He has too much pride and belief in his supernatural ability that he would consider it an insult to present stipulations. His arrogance wouldn?t allow it. In practical terms, Pacquiao represents the biggest man Floyd would ever face- and he doesn’t want to do it. I cannot prove this, but I think the only reason why this fight has only happened in our imaginations is because Floyd hasn?t wanted it to. The last time I checked his nickname is “Money”, and there is simply no bigger money fight in the history of the sport.
WHY PACQUIAO WOULD DEFEAT MAYWEATHER
And to your point Redman, I think Floyd has a better chance of beating a field of swimmers that included the best version of Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte for Men’s Olympic Gold in the 100m Breaststroke, than defeating Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao has fought Marquez 4x?s, De La Hoya, Cotto, Bradley, Mosley, Margarito, Hatton, Morales 3x?s and on and on? None of them have acts of God to report. From the eyes of Mayweather, he sees a southpaw better than Cotto, Corley, Judah, Guerrero, and Ortiz. Of those 5, Guerrero is the slowest and struck Floyd the least. His feet are slow. Floyd was floored against Judah and on even terms until Zab?s stamina problems presented themselves. Corley, Cotto (who I mention because he was a converted southpaw), and Ortiz really struck him- a lot.
Most telling was the left hand that got him most often. Many make a big deal out of his struggle with Cotto, but I thought he beat him fairly easily. He wouldn?t have in say 2008, but he won 9 rounds. It?s just the way he was hit — against what I believe was a diminished Miguel– and how he looked after the fight. You?ve never seen Floyd more battered and bruised.
Which brings me back to Pacquiao.
You can be a flat-screen fight watching guru all you want and still not understand the nuances of what an advanced southpaw like Pacquiao presents to Mayweather. Pacquiao is faster, stronger, has more endurance, and more hand and foot speed than anyone on that list. He is also an even more damaging puncher than Cotto- who happens to be the best fighter on the list. The fastest was Ortiz. Before his meltdown, he landed more punches on Floyd in 3 rounds than I?ve ever seen him take in his life. Ortiz is a “B” fighter, Miguel a B+ at his absolute best, which he wasn?t in May 2012. Pacquiao is faster and stronger than both of them, and posseses the most dynamic footwork Floyd would ever face.
Pacquiao is a solid “A” fighter, with a strong disdain for Floyd Mayweather, and doesn’t possess even an iota of fear of him.
Mayweather?s favorite punch is his deadly sharp straight right. It would be a very effective punch against Pacquiao. But when he launches it – he gets himself right back in a defensive posture– because his mentality is defense first. What this does is take impact off the strength of the blow, because he doesn’t fully commit. Speaking of defense, his is designed to stop a right-handed attack for the most part. He’s still an all-world fighter against most southpaws, but he would not be able to stop Pacquiao?s offense because it changes his footwork, spacing and ring control. The way he’s used to positioning his left shoulder, slipping jabs and right hands- all of that changes against Pacquiao and to his detriment.
I am one million percent sure that Floyd Mayweather cannot beat Manny Pacquiao.
In Baseball terms, he?s in against an unorthodox left-handed pitcher that matches up well with his right-handed stance, and he would literally strike him out. Also, because of their ages (roughly 37 and 35 respectively were they to go at it in 2014) they would lose “just enough” to make it an action affair throughout. Catching Pacquiao with his vaunted right on occasion and landing the occasional head snapping jab, would not be enough to keep Manny off of him, who would be motivated like never before.
I think Pacquiao would break down, beat up, and halt Floyd Mayweather in the 11th round of a sensational fight that would more than live up to the hype. And I sure hope he decides to prove me wrong.
