Fantasy Factors for Boxing Fights between April 30 and May 2
Featured Fight(s): Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao
The fight that everyone has been waiting for is finally here....Mercito Gesta vs. Carlos Molina. Just kidding (although that will be an exciting fight). Floyd "Money" Mayweather puts his undefeated record on the line against the PacMan Manny Pacquiao. We are really looking forward to seeing how our players draft these fighters. Here are the Fantasy Factors for all 9 fights in the game.
April 30
At Las Vegas (ESPN2/ESPN Deportes): "ESPN Boxing Special"
Ashley Theophane ($5,600) vs. Mahonri Montes ($3,900) - For Theophane to win he must use his superior speed, movement, volume and unpredictable combinations to bedazzle the slower, stalking Montes and build an unassailable points lead. For Montes to win he needs to cut off the ring, work the body religiously and hope that Theophane slows down enough in the second half of the fight to punish him further.
Our suggestion: Theophane (big potential points) over Montes
At San Francisco (Fox Sports 1/Fox Deportes):
Mercito Gesta ($5,200) vs. Carlos Molina ($4,200) -- For Gesta to win he needs to nip in and out, pile up the points and shred Molina's defense, which was vulnerable against step-up opponents Adrien Broner and Amir Khan. He must avoid an extended rumble on the inside, which would give Molina his best chance of winning. Also, Gesta, a natural right-hander who fought as a southpaw, showed he can fight effectively out of the orthodox stance for long periods in his most recent fight, so throwing in stance changes could work well. For Molina to win he must be rugged from bell to bell; force an inside battle, bully Gesta to the ropes and hammer the body to slow Gesta's legs. Consistent and effective aggression, over time, could wear Gesta down to the point where a good stretch drive can occur.
Our Suggestion: Gesta (big potential points) over Molina
May 1
At Las Vegas (truTV):
Takahiro Ao ($4,500) vs. Raymundo Beltran ($4,800) -- For Ao to prevail he should utilize his jab, which is effective when he opts to use it, to set the table for counterpunches that he hopes will catch Beltran coming in. The straight left and body shots should also be in the mix and since he's not a big hitter scoring points will be most important for success. For Beltran to win he must be the aggressor and he should focus on landing right hands down the middle and plenty of body punches, a plan that Gamaliel Diaz used to relieve Ao of the WBC super featherweight belt a couple of years ago. If anyone can score the KO, it's Beltran.
Our Suggestion: Beltran (above average points) over Ao
Mikael Zewski ($5,000) vs. Konstantin Ponomarev ($4,700) -- For Zewski to win he must take charge, cut off the ring and fire combinations to the head and body with superior power since Ponomarev is a fellow volume puncher but without any of Zewski's impact. He was troubled by Jeremy Bryan's movement in his last fight and he must avoid falling into this trap here because Ponomarev can really move. He's always been an offensive-minded fighter who hasn't paid a lot of attention to defense, but so far it has been enough to keep him undefeated. For Ponomarev to win, he must get off first, last and always, use the same tricky movement that lowered Zewski's volume in his last fight with Bryan and stay away from the ropes and/or any inside fighting at all costs. His switch-hitting tactics will also add another strategic wrinkle but he does tend to leave himself open while throwing combinations.
Our Suggestion: Zewski (slight advantage) over Ponomarev
At Tokyo: Takashi Miura ($4,700) vs. Billy Dib ($4,700) -- For Miura to win he should use the jab as a weapon to keep Dib at a safer distance and to set up straight left hands down the middle. Once the ring geography is established and the pace controlled, introduce the power punches and combinations. For Dib to win, especially in Tokyo, he must take the fight to Miura with his unorthodox punching angles and rough-house tactics. The mauling, however, must straddle the line but not go over it as he would likely be penalized and perhaps disqualified.
Our Suggestion: Dib and Miura are both pick 'ems
May 2
At Las Vegas (HBO PPV/Showtime PPV):
Floyd Mayweather Jr. ($5,100) vs. Manny Pacquiao ($4,800) -- For Mayweather to win he needs to stem Pacquiao's opening rushes with sharp counters and crafty movement. He must do his best to stay away from the ropes because if he doesn't Pacquiao will swarm him like Marcos Maidana did in the first six rounds of his first fight with "Money." He must also dissuade Pacquiao from barreling inside behind his left crosses and combinations and inducing a slower pace is a must. He might opt to come forward and hit the body, which allowed him to set up rights to the jaw and bounce back from a slow start against Zab Judah. For Pacquiao to win he must make a big impact in the early rounds to get the crowd excited and to create a working margin on the judges' scorecards. The punch rate must be high and he must force Floyd to engage at a faster rate than he wants. Pacquiao's improved right hook should also be a major weapon, for Judah scored an unofficial knockdown with it, and he must make this fight instinctive and proactive, for the fight will be over the moment Pacquiao stands at range and tries to out-think Floyd. Momentum and emotion will work for Pacquiao while intelligence and composure will benefit Mayweather.
Our Suggestion: Mayweather (slight edge) over Pacquiao
Vasyl Lomachenko ($5,500) vs. Gamalier Rodriguez ($4,300) -- For Lomachenko to win, he must use his superb footwork to create punching angles, use superior volume to keep Rodriguez on defense and seize upon every opening with his usual sharpness. For Rodriguez to win he needs to apply some of the same principles he used against another southpaw in Orlando Cruz -- use the jab as a range finder for a robust body attack and straight rights down the middle. He must also move forward, get inside and make life uncomfortable for the Ukrainian. Not dirty like Salido, but uncomfortable nonetheless.
Our Suggestion: Lomachenko (big potential points) over Rodriguez
Jesse Hart ($5,500) vs. Mike Jimenez ($4,100) -- For Hart to win he should fight at long range to give him room to unleash his excellent jab and pinpoint combinations as well as prevent Jimenez from burrowing inside and utilizing his light heavyweight strength in a 168-pound fight. For Jimenez to win he must get inside, consistently pound the belly to slow Hart's movement and negate his huge advantage in boxing skills.
Our Suggestion: Hart (big potential points) over Jiminez
Chris Pearson ($5,000) vs. Said El Harrak ($4,400) -- For Pearson to win he must maintain a consistent level of performance throughout the fight instead of the peaks-and-valleys he experienced against Lanardo Tyner (fast start, slower finish) and Steve Martinez (slow start, fast finish). He also must use his jab to command range and shred El Harrak's defense. For El Harrak to win he must rev up the volume as he did against Jesus Soto-Karass in a losing effort and vastly increase the level of his game against southpaws, for he fought evenly with 40-year-old journeyman lefty Bernardo Guereca two fights ago before Guereca quit on the stool.
Our Suggestion: Pearson (significant advantage) over El Harrak
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