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As promised, the second part of my Last Man Standing series. Some of you may have read my piece on Lennox Lewis, if not, you can find it here: http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=684994
This is the conclusion of what I always meant as a two parter, linked to another fighter and another career. Another last man standing.
It’s May 2nd, the date millions of boxing fans around the world had hoped for, for half a decade. Millions more were tuning in, pulled in by the gravity of the situation and the force of the two personas involved. There is Manny Pacquiao, a once raging typhoon, now a domesticated drizzle. Opposite him stands the wealthiest prize fighter that has ever lived, a defensive genius, even in the 39th year of his life. The bell rings and the collective breath that had been held for so long is unleashed in a long, wistful sigh. It’s on.
Fast forward nearly two months and the memories of that night will go one of two ways, Mayweather fans will call it a masterpiece, a perfection of execution and maybe it was. The rest, boxing fans or casual observers alike will shake their heads and say, “It could have been more, it should have been more”. As a PPV extravaganza, Mayweather/Pacquiao is the greatest of them all but as a legitimate contest of skill, wits and guts, it doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what boxing can and has offered; yet one man was left standing victorious for the 48th time.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. the son and nephew of perennial title contenders, was born into boxing. The gym has been his home for most of his life and that dedication to the athlete’s life has made him probably the fittest fighter over the age of 35 that there has ever been. His only real rival in the age stakes is Bernard Hopkins but even he had to struggle against younger, fresher opponents. Barring the odd night, Mayweather hasn’t had that struggle.
On May 2nd Mayweather was the last of his cohort to stand as a true, undeniable world champion. His story runs parallel in many ways, to that of Lennox Lewis. He, the undisputed heavyweight champion, Mayweather the number one welterweight at the start of 2015. Lewis rose through the ranks, taking on a plethora of top level names in a depleted heavyweight division. More times than not, he won. Mayweather, over the course of a decade, has done the same at welterweight without ever tasting defeat.
In November of 2005, Mayweather started his lengthy and celebrated run in the 147lb division with a convincing victory over the tough but vastly outgunned Sharmba Mitchell. In the next 12 months, Mayweather could add the IBF and WBC crowns to his waist, along with the ever coveted, increasingly mystical, lineal crown. In a brief span of time, Mayweather had shown the world that his slick skills could translate to the heavier division. All that was left, was a marquee name.
Oscar De La Hoya, the then blockbuster king, called and Mayweather answered. The fight was set to be a PPV attraction, at a higher weight, which would make Mayweather a champion in a 5th weight class. The intrigue was there, as was the money. The fight itself felt flat at times, with the once Golden Boy pushing the action for most of the first 6 rounds. The second half of the fight was dictated by Mayweather’s superior back foot action. A split decision victory was called for in favour of the man labelled “Pretty Boy” who was now all about the “Money”.
This is the conclusion of what I always meant as a two parter, linked to another fighter and another career. Another last man standing.
The Last Man Standing Part II
“All Roads lead to Floyd Mayweather.”
It’s May 2nd, the date millions of boxing fans around the world had hoped for, for half a decade. Millions more were tuning in, pulled in by the gravity of the situation and the force of the two personas involved. There is Manny Pacquiao, a once raging typhoon, now a domesticated drizzle. Opposite him stands the wealthiest prize fighter that has ever lived, a defensive genius, even in the 39th year of his life. The bell rings and the collective breath that had been held for so long is unleashed in a long, wistful sigh. It’s on.
Fast forward nearly two months and the memories of that night will go one of two ways, Mayweather fans will call it a masterpiece, a perfection of execution and maybe it was. The rest, boxing fans or casual observers alike will shake their heads and say, “It could have been more, it should have been more”. As a PPV extravaganza, Mayweather/Pacquiao is the greatest of them all but as a legitimate contest of skill, wits and guts, it doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what boxing can and has offered; yet one man was left standing victorious for the 48th time.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. the son and nephew of perennial title contenders, was born into boxing. The gym has been his home for most of his life and that dedication to the athlete’s life has made him probably the fittest fighter over the age of 35 that there has ever been. His only real rival in the age stakes is Bernard Hopkins but even he had to struggle against younger, fresher opponents. Barring the odd night, Mayweather hasn’t had that struggle.
“Everybody is blessed with a certain talent…you have to maximise it and push it to the limit.”
On May 2nd Mayweather was the last of his cohort to stand as a true, undeniable world champion. His story runs parallel in many ways, to that of Lennox Lewis. He, the undisputed heavyweight champion, Mayweather the number one welterweight at the start of 2015. Lewis rose through the ranks, taking on a plethora of top level names in a depleted heavyweight division. More times than not, he won. Mayweather, over the course of a decade, has done the same at welterweight without ever tasting defeat.
In November of 2005, Mayweather started his lengthy and celebrated run in the 147lb division with a convincing victory over the tough but vastly outgunned Sharmba Mitchell. In the next 12 months, Mayweather could add the IBF and WBC crowns to his waist, along with the ever coveted, increasingly mystical, lineal crown. In a brief span of time, Mayweather had shown the world that his slick skills could translate to the heavier division. All that was left, was a marquee name.
Oscar De La Hoya, the then blockbuster king, called and Mayweather answered. The fight was set to be a PPV attraction, at a higher weight, which would make Mayweather a champion in a 5th weight class. The intrigue was there, as was the money. The fight itself felt flat at times, with the once Golden Boy pushing the action for most of the first 6 rounds. The second half of the fight was dictated by Mayweather’s superior back foot action. A split decision victory was called for in favour of the man labelled “Pretty Boy” who was now all about the “Money”.
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