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How the Pacquiao-Mayweather Psychological Warfare Aspect Changed – Or Has It?
How the Pacquiao-Mayweather Psychological Warfare Aspect Changed – Or Has It?
November 18th, 2011
By Scoop Malinowski
After watching Manny Pacquiao’s disappointing performance against Juan Manuel Marquez last weekend, a perception has altered in the boxing universe. Many ring observers now feel Floyd Mayweather will defeat Manny Pacquiao.
This is based on the evidence that Mayweather dominated Marquez with his counter-punching excellence and if Pacquiao struggled with Marquez, the judgement is that he will surely lose to the far superior Mayweather.
It is a known fact that Mayweather is the one who blocked the biggest fight in boxing history from happening this year and last year. And get this, before the Pacquiao-Marquez fight even happened, Mayweather’s team was actually trying to pursue a bout with the faded former star Erik Morales. This indicates that before last weekend, duck and dodger extraordinaire Mayweather wanted no part of Pacquiao yet again.
What is also very interesting about the handpicking of Morales is that Pacquiao had accepted to face Mayweather in a winner-take-all scenario (on the Jimmy Kimmel Show) – a suggestion that was completely ignored by Mayweather and his team.
Even after the Pacquiao-Marquez 3 fight, Mayweather has artfully avoided committing himself to facing Pacquiao in a couple of interviews at fighthype.com, while also mentioning an interest in taking another meaningless tune-up in February of 2012. But, also interestingly, to the contrary, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer and Mayweather advisor Leonard Ellerbe have pushed hard in the media for Floyd to face Pacquiao next, pressuring Arum to abandon his initial intents to make Pacquiao vs. Marquez 4. Is this just a ploy or bluff by Schaefer and Ellerbe to capitalize on a chance to make Pacquaio look like the ducker?
A curious aspect of this is Mayweather’s behavior, he is not expressing vehement and adamant position towards forcing Pacquiao to fight him. Floyd is not saying, “Okay Manny let’s do it winner take all.” Remember, when Floyd wants a fight, it’s 10o% clear and obvious. Remember his famous, “Make the ****** fight” order to Ellerbe after Hatton challenged him on HBO? You just knew Floyd wanted Hatton. But I’m still not getting the sense Floyd really wants Pacquiao now, even after how he saw him struggle vs. Marquez, though he denied watching the fight.
I believe there are many reasons why Floyd actually dreads the task of boxing Pacquiao:
First, Mayweather will be the villain of the promotion, almost everyone will be supporting Pacquiao, even here in America. Like Ali and Foreman in Zaire and Lewis and Tyson in Memphis, the intensity of the crowd support will adversely affect Mayweather, who is a sensitive soul and not the arrogant punk he likes to portray.
Second, Pacquiao vs. Floyd is basically a 50-50 fight right now and that is not a “smart business decision” or a wise percentage play for Mayweather to put himself in such a risky situation. Yes, Pacquiao looked subpar vs. Marquez but that could be based on several reasons: it was a bad, off night, numerous distractions took a toll, Pacquiao had a letdown in killer instinct, passion and excitement for the challenge of Marquez which was, once again, a B fight compared to the big one that he’s been desiring for two years. “Great fighters have trouble getting up for mediocre fights,” is the way Angelo Dundee once put it.
Third, Trainer Freddie Roach and fitness coach Alex Ariza made the mistake of putting too much pressure and expectation on Pacquaio by saying he would KO Marquez early.
Fourth, Fighting an amped up Pacquiao is a very difficult and unenviable task, especially for a guy like Mayweather who is accustomed to having everything his own way. Pacquiao is not going to put his hands down and give a free KO, he has an entire nation of people fervently behind him and uplifting him. He’ll be the hero to Floyd’s heel. It will be uncomfortable and agitating for Mayweather to do the press conferences and answer all the questions about Pacquaio, a fight he clearly ducked for two years. Mayweather does not like to talk about Pacquiao now when he’s asked, imagine the discomfort he’ll suffer during three or four months of media hype and questions about all his trash talk and the racist rants. Erik Morales will be a much easier and simpler situation for Floyd to deal with.
Fifth, There is a theory by a few people that Pacquiao held back his power so as to lure Mayweather out of his reluctance. This idea is unlikely but it can’t be disregarded completely. I’ve heard too many stories about the subconscious eccentricities of fighters to completely ignore this or any possibility. Here’s an example: A light heavyweight title challenger in the 1960′s was going to have a rematch with the champ after giving him a tough close battle lost on points. The week of the rematch, the challenger had a dream that he got knocked out and told his manager about this dream which was freaking him out. The manager desperately tried to calm and assure his fighter that it was just a silly dream and that everything would be okay, he would win. But the fighter could not overcome the panic and indeed ended up getting knocked out just like the dream showed him!
Six, “The humble shall be exalted and the exalted shall be humbled.” This is a very powerful Biblical prophecy and you don’t have to figure out who will get humbled and who will be exalted in this battle between the force of good vs. the symbol of bad.
So despite the widespread perception now that Mayweather is, despite his fading drawing powers, the one in the position of power, in psychological terms, over Pacquiao, this assumption could be a huge error.
With the unsatisfying performance vs. Marquez, Pacquiao surely will be extremely motivated to redeem himself – and to show an A plus night of work in his next fight. I think Mayweather can sense this too, hence the interest in a February handpicked tune up and the Erik Morales option. A February date for Mayweather would not leave enough time to promote a May showdown with Pacquiao. By picking February for his next ring appearance, Mayweather could be cleverly killing the planned May date for Pacquiao.
My personal opinion is still that Pacquiao will destroy Mayweather if the fight is made for 2012. One subpar fight doesn’t change everything. Pacquiao was not exposed last weekend, he still won the fight. The fact that he brutalized Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya and Antonio Margarito – four fighters Mayweather either ducked or struggled with – can’t be forgotten.
Mayweather is still, in my opinion, still very reluctant to take on the Pacquiao challenge, as evidenced by the lack of conviction in his words this week. Floyd did NOT SAY: “Manny Pacquiao, you’re next.” Nor will he.
And there’s a huge reason why he won’t. Floyd doesn’t want Manny Pacquiao. He wants Erik Morales in February.
Read more: http://www.*************.com/columns...#ixzz1e77V0iTO
November 18th, 2011
By Scoop Malinowski
After watching Manny Pacquiao’s disappointing performance against Juan Manuel Marquez last weekend, a perception has altered in the boxing universe. Many ring observers now feel Floyd Mayweather will defeat Manny Pacquiao.
This is based on the evidence that Mayweather dominated Marquez with his counter-punching excellence and if Pacquiao struggled with Marquez, the judgement is that he will surely lose to the far superior Mayweather.
It is a known fact that Mayweather is the one who blocked the biggest fight in boxing history from happening this year and last year. And get this, before the Pacquiao-Marquez fight even happened, Mayweather’s team was actually trying to pursue a bout with the faded former star Erik Morales. This indicates that before last weekend, duck and dodger extraordinaire Mayweather wanted no part of Pacquiao yet again.
What is also very interesting about the handpicking of Morales is that Pacquiao had accepted to face Mayweather in a winner-take-all scenario (on the Jimmy Kimmel Show) – a suggestion that was completely ignored by Mayweather and his team.
Even after the Pacquiao-Marquez 3 fight, Mayweather has artfully avoided committing himself to facing Pacquiao in a couple of interviews at fighthype.com, while also mentioning an interest in taking another meaningless tune-up in February of 2012. But, also interestingly, to the contrary, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer and Mayweather advisor Leonard Ellerbe have pushed hard in the media for Floyd to face Pacquiao next, pressuring Arum to abandon his initial intents to make Pacquiao vs. Marquez 4. Is this just a ploy or bluff by Schaefer and Ellerbe to capitalize on a chance to make Pacquaio look like the ducker?
A curious aspect of this is Mayweather’s behavior, he is not expressing vehement and adamant position towards forcing Pacquiao to fight him. Floyd is not saying, “Okay Manny let’s do it winner take all.” Remember, when Floyd wants a fight, it’s 10o% clear and obvious. Remember his famous, “Make the ****** fight” order to Ellerbe after Hatton challenged him on HBO? You just knew Floyd wanted Hatton. But I’m still not getting the sense Floyd really wants Pacquiao now, even after how he saw him struggle vs. Marquez, though he denied watching the fight.
I believe there are many reasons why Floyd actually dreads the task of boxing Pacquiao:
First, Mayweather will be the villain of the promotion, almost everyone will be supporting Pacquiao, even here in America. Like Ali and Foreman in Zaire and Lewis and Tyson in Memphis, the intensity of the crowd support will adversely affect Mayweather, who is a sensitive soul and not the arrogant punk he likes to portray.
Second, Pacquiao vs. Floyd is basically a 50-50 fight right now and that is not a “smart business decision” or a wise percentage play for Mayweather to put himself in such a risky situation. Yes, Pacquiao looked subpar vs. Marquez but that could be based on several reasons: it was a bad, off night, numerous distractions took a toll, Pacquiao had a letdown in killer instinct, passion and excitement for the challenge of Marquez which was, once again, a B fight compared to the big one that he’s been desiring for two years. “Great fighters have trouble getting up for mediocre fights,” is the way Angelo Dundee once put it.
Third, Trainer Freddie Roach and fitness coach Alex Ariza made the mistake of putting too much pressure and expectation on Pacquaio by saying he would KO Marquez early.
Fourth, Fighting an amped up Pacquiao is a very difficult and unenviable task, especially for a guy like Mayweather who is accustomed to having everything his own way. Pacquiao is not going to put his hands down and give a free KO, he has an entire nation of people fervently behind him and uplifting him. He’ll be the hero to Floyd’s heel. It will be uncomfortable and agitating for Mayweather to do the press conferences and answer all the questions about Pacquaio, a fight he clearly ducked for two years. Mayweather does not like to talk about Pacquiao now when he’s asked, imagine the discomfort he’ll suffer during three or four months of media hype and questions about all his trash talk and the racist rants. Erik Morales will be a much easier and simpler situation for Floyd to deal with.
Fifth, There is a theory by a few people that Pacquiao held back his power so as to lure Mayweather out of his reluctance. This idea is unlikely but it can’t be disregarded completely. I’ve heard too many stories about the subconscious eccentricities of fighters to completely ignore this or any possibility. Here’s an example: A light heavyweight title challenger in the 1960′s was going to have a rematch with the champ after giving him a tough close battle lost on points. The week of the rematch, the challenger had a dream that he got knocked out and told his manager about this dream which was freaking him out. The manager desperately tried to calm and assure his fighter that it was just a silly dream and that everything would be okay, he would win. But the fighter could not overcome the panic and indeed ended up getting knocked out just like the dream showed him!
Six, “The humble shall be exalted and the exalted shall be humbled.” This is a very powerful Biblical prophecy and you don’t have to figure out who will get humbled and who will be exalted in this battle between the force of good vs. the symbol of bad.
So despite the widespread perception now that Mayweather is, despite his fading drawing powers, the one in the position of power, in psychological terms, over Pacquiao, this assumption could be a huge error.
With the unsatisfying performance vs. Marquez, Pacquiao surely will be extremely motivated to redeem himself – and to show an A plus night of work in his next fight. I think Mayweather can sense this too, hence the interest in a February handpicked tune up and the Erik Morales option. A February date for Mayweather would not leave enough time to promote a May showdown with Pacquiao. By picking February for his next ring appearance, Mayweather could be cleverly killing the planned May date for Pacquiao.
My personal opinion is still that Pacquiao will destroy Mayweather if the fight is made for 2012. One subpar fight doesn’t change everything. Pacquiao was not exposed last weekend, he still won the fight. The fact that he brutalized Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya and Antonio Margarito – four fighters Mayweather either ducked or struggled with – can’t be forgotten.
Mayweather is still, in my opinion, still very reluctant to take on the Pacquiao challenge, as evidenced by the lack of conviction in his words this week. Floyd did NOT SAY: “Manny Pacquiao, you’re next.” Nor will he.
And there’s a huge reason why he won’t. Floyd doesn’t want Manny Pacquiao. He wants Erik Morales in February.
Read more: http://www.*************.com/columns...#ixzz1e77V0iTO
cool story bro
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