Kovalev’s Trainer Breaks Down Mayweather vs. Pacquiao

by David P. Greisman

John David Jackson, the former two-division titleholder now working as trainer to light heavyweight powerhouse Sergey Kovalev, believes that Floyd Mayweather will top Manny Pacquiao.

He still sees ways for Pacquiao to do damage and win.

“I lean towards Mayweather but Pacquiao, if Mayweather fights in that shell and tries to do that shoulder roll, Pacquiao will just beat the arm up,” Jackson said, before going into his advice for Pacquiao.

“Beat him up. Don’t worry about his head. Listen, Mayweather’s old, too. He looks young and fresh, but he’s not. Beat him up. Beat the body down for about the first five. Don’t worry about his head. Just beat him everywhere, make that shoulder sore, then he can drop that shoulder. Don’t worry about his head. You’re not going to hit Mayweather in the head right away.”

“I’m still picking Mayweather,” Jackson said. “If Mayweather boxes and boxes, he wins the fight. But if he sits in the pocket and does that shoulder roll stuff, Pacquiao’s smart, Pacquiao throws a lot of shots. Just keep your distance and let your hands go, you might break Floyd down. I’m still picking Floyd, but if he fights smart he might break Floyd down.”

Jackson doesn’t foresee Mayweather trying to walk Pacquiao down.

“He’s always been a defensive-minded fighter first,” Jackson said. “He’ll always revert back to that. He’s very good at it. If he gets clipped early, he might say ‘I’m going to box him. I’m going to take him to school.’ Boxing gives Manny trouble. He can give Manny a lot of trouble. But if he elects to trade with Manny, that’s what Manny wants. That’s what Manny needs. It’s whoever can impose his will on the other fighter. That’s who wins the fight … If he boxes and does what he needs to do and keeps Pacquiao turning, he’ll pick Pacquiao apart.”

Both fighters have fallen considerably from how they once looked, he said.

“Pacquiao’s slipped a lot,” Jackson said. “That’s why the fight is not as good as it once was. He’s been knocked out. He won the fight, but he lost to Bradley. A lot of the luster’s off him. Floyd’s been slipping a lot. He’s not looking the same as when he was younger, when he fought Diego Corrales years ago. He doesn’t box like that anymore.”

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