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Al Bernstein
September 16, 2009
Except for the three judges on “Dancing With The Stars,’ Floyd Mayweather Jr. has seldom faced a challenge he could not handle. And, most times he dispatches these challenges or challengers in such a workmanlike manner, that it seems, well…..matter of fact. The conventional thinking says that the same thing will happen on Saturday when Mayweather goes against Juan Manuel Marquez.
Not only is Mayweather coming in off a 20 month layoff, but his outside the ring dramas include IRS troubles, lawsuits, criminal investigations (though not directed at him) and the usual family Mayweather opera. Despite all of that, he is a 4 ½ to 1 favorite to win this match. That either a.) speaks volumes about Mayweather’s place in the boxing pantheon, b.)gives short shrift to Marquez, or c.) is a little of both. I vote for the c.
No one would debate that Floyd is an artist in the ring with astonishing skills, but given all that I reported above, the odds seem as little too long against Marquez. This fine Mexican champion is quite simply one of the top three most skilled fighters in boxing. He is the naturally smaller man and he is 36 years of age, but he also fought Manny Pacquiao to a standstill and has the two skills necessary to be competitive with Mayweather. First he is an accurate puncher and second, he can punch in combination. If you don’t have those skills you can’t even begin to compete with Floyd.
Ironically it is Mayweather’s power that may be the wild card. Juan Diaz hurt Marquez, and Mayweather punches harder than Diaz. Even though Mayweather is an almost always risk adverse fighter, I think this time he will have to take some risks and may become a power puncher in this match. I am not suggesting that Mayweather will become an unskilled laborer trying to win with brute force. That would be as out of character foir him as it would be for Sarah Palin to read Nietzsche. But, I believe he thinks he can knock Marquez out.
While many sugggest that Mayweather is by far the superior boxer, I think that gap is not as large as they think. Marquez is as well schooled as a fighter can be and there is no offensive skill he does not possess. This is not a cakewalk for Mayweather, and it may end up being a career defining fight, simply because of that. We have seen the improbable and even the impossible happen in this great boxing year. How much more of a stretch is it that Juan Manuel Marquez will seriously test Floyd Mayweather Jr.? To me, not that big a stretch at all.
September 16, 2009
Except for the three judges on “Dancing With The Stars,’ Floyd Mayweather Jr. has seldom faced a challenge he could not handle. And, most times he dispatches these challenges or challengers in such a workmanlike manner, that it seems, well…..matter of fact. The conventional thinking says that the same thing will happen on Saturday when Mayweather goes against Juan Manuel Marquez.
Not only is Mayweather coming in off a 20 month layoff, but his outside the ring dramas include IRS troubles, lawsuits, criminal investigations (though not directed at him) and the usual family Mayweather opera. Despite all of that, he is a 4 ½ to 1 favorite to win this match. That either a.) speaks volumes about Mayweather’s place in the boxing pantheon, b.)gives short shrift to Marquez, or c.) is a little of both. I vote for the c.
No one would debate that Floyd is an artist in the ring with astonishing skills, but given all that I reported above, the odds seem as little too long against Marquez. This fine Mexican champion is quite simply one of the top three most skilled fighters in boxing. He is the naturally smaller man and he is 36 years of age, but he also fought Manny Pacquiao to a standstill and has the two skills necessary to be competitive with Mayweather. First he is an accurate puncher and second, he can punch in combination. If you don’t have those skills you can’t even begin to compete with Floyd.
Ironically it is Mayweather’s power that may be the wild card. Juan Diaz hurt Marquez, and Mayweather punches harder than Diaz. Even though Mayweather is an almost always risk adverse fighter, I think this time he will have to take some risks and may become a power puncher in this match. I am not suggesting that Mayweather will become an unskilled laborer trying to win with brute force. That would be as out of character foir him as it would be for Sarah Palin to read Nietzsche. But, I believe he thinks he can knock Marquez out.
While many sugggest that Mayweather is by far the superior boxer, I think that gap is not as large as they think. Marquez is as well schooled as a fighter can be and there is no offensive skill he does not possess. This is not a cakewalk for Mayweather, and it may end up being a career defining fight, simply because of that. We have seen the improbable and even the impossible happen in this great boxing year. How much more of a stretch is it that Juan Manuel Marquez will seriously test Floyd Mayweather Jr.? To me, not that big a stretch at all.
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