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Atleast the closest thing to, that I've seen on film. Only Joe Gans comes close.
He's the grandmaster at punching from angles that allow him to hit but not be hit. He's the grandmaster at potshotting faster than anybody before moving out of distance. He's the grandmaster at fighting in the pocket, moving in and out, counter-punching, combination punching.
If Oscar has any chance to win, he'll have to use his size and reach to his advantage, since he won't be able to compete with Mayweather's speed of hand and countering. More than that, Oscar will have to be able to fight hard for the entire 12 rounds, something he's had problems with in the past, when he's run out of gas in the late rounds against Trinidad, Mosley, and Hopkins. Based on this alone, I'm not giving Oscar much of a chance unless Roach somehow sorts this conditioning thing out.
When Oscar acquired the services of Mayweather Sr his boxing skills improved. He showed much better lateral movement and set up his punches much better. To do what he did the first six rounds against Bernard Hopkins was remakable considering the size difference and his miserable showing against Felix Sturm the fight before. I'm wondering what Roach will bring to the table. Rumour has it that Plan A will be inside fighting at a high pace with tight punches, trying to out-maneuver the shoulder roll.
But with Mayweather it isn't just a matter of rolling his shoulders. Mayweather can fight on the inside with full guard or half-guard. He can tuck up and pick you off or he can square up bull you and let the big guns go.
It's true that Mayweather has never ever started from the inside, but then he's never ever needed to. Oscar doesn't shift his feet forward quickly and get up-close, it's not his natural game and Roach only has two months.
Anyone who thinks Mayweather hasn't got a complete inside game is badly mistaken. Oscar would get smashed on the inside like Hernandez did and like Chavez did. Even against Castillo, Mayweather decided to stand his ground in the 11th and he punched Castillo to a standstill.
Mayweather has too many moves for Oscar on the inside range, who has gone through more trainers than I have hot dinners which shows he probably doesn't know his game too well.
Mayweather is much too smart, whatever punch Oscar is open for he'll find it and work it. Just like Chavez was a sucker for the right uppercut and he ate em like they were sweeties. Again he was also punched to a standstill like Castillo. Hernandez was also punched to a standstill until Mayweather broke his hand and was forced to shut Hernandez out with one hand.
And just cos Mayweather doesn't stand forever on the inside doesn't mean he isn't the **** at it.
If De La Hoya tries to utilise his jab, he better brace himself for the right hand counters to the body.
At mid-range, Mayweather can land a bodyshot of any kind faster than Oscar can land a left hook.
And Mayweather's body arsenal is the most complete in history. Whether they fear it or not doesn't matter. Judah was totally dominated by bodyshots to the extent he was forced into survival. Prior to that Mitchell was ko'd by a bodyshot. Prior to that he showed us scintolating head to body and body to head combo's on Gatti. Prior to that he stopped another guy with a bodyshot. He's stopped, dropped or hurt all types of fighters with all types of bodyshots.
His work speaks for itself.
People might fear Hatton and Cotto's bodyshots but it's Floyd who is dominating the champions with his body work.
Roach and Oscar have to rely on Mayweather making mistakes, which he simply doesn't do. Maybe they'll try forcing him into making mistakes, but how? Pressuring? Sure, fight outside of your natural game, eat up punches (Oscar has always been particularly uncomfortable when being hit consistently, and Mayweather's punch is under-rated in this fight - he'll be punching harder than ever because he'll be carrying more muscle than ever) and wear yourself out even sooner than usual. Mayweather's balance on the inside is impeccable.
What if Mayweather's punch doesn't affect Oscar, and Oscar lands a left hook directly after being hit? He won't. If Mayweather senses that his punch isn't affecting Oscar, as he lands the right hand lead he'll pivot off to the right where he can either tie Oscar up, or hit him with a couple of left hooks before tying him up; hooking and/or or uppercutting and then establishing distance with a solid jab to end maybe a three-punch or more flurry with the left with a right thrown in for good measure, or dancing out of range after a couple of follow-up lefts.
He's the grandmaster at punching from angles that allow him to hit but not be hit. He's the grandmaster at potshotting faster than anybody before moving out of distance. He's the grandmaster at fighting in the pocket, moving in and out, counter-punching, combination punching.
If Oscar has any chance to win, he'll have to use his size and reach to his advantage, since he won't be able to compete with Mayweather's speed of hand and countering. More than that, Oscar will have to be able to fight hard for the entire 12 rounds, something he's had problems with in the past, when he's run out of gas in the late rounds against Trinidad, Mosley, and Hopkins. Based on this alone, I'm not giving Oscar much of a chance unless Roach somehow sorts this conditioning thing out.
When Oscar acquired the services of Mayweather Sr his boxing skills improved. He showed much better lateral movement and set up his punches much better. To do what he did the first six rounds against Bernard Hopkins was remakable considering the size difference and his miserable showing against Felix Sturm the fight before. I'm wondering what Roach will bring to the table. Rumour has it that Plan A will be inside fighting at a high pace with tight punches, trying to out-maneuver the shoulder roll.
But with Mayweather it isn't just a matter of rolling his shoulders. Mayweather can fight on the inside with full guard or half-guard. He can tuck up and pick you off or he can square up bull you and let the big guns go.
It's true that Mayweather has never ever started from the inside, but then he's never ever needed to. Oscar doesn't shift his feet forward quickly and get up-close, it's not his natural game and Roach only has two months.
Anyone who thinks Mayweather hasn't got a complete inside game is badly mistaken. Oscar would get smashed on the inside like Hernandez did and like Chavez did. Even against Castillo, Mayweather decided to stand his ground in the 11th and he punched Castillo to a standstill.
Mayweather has too many moves for Oscar on the inside range, who has gone through more trainers than I have hot dinners which shows he probably doesn't know his game too well.
Mayweather is much too smart, whatever punch Oscar is open for he'll find it and work it. Just like Chavez was a sucker for the right uppercut and he ate em like they were sweeties. Again he was also punched to a standstill like Castillo. Hernandez was also punched to a standstill until Mayweather broke his hand and was forced to shut Hernandez out with one hand.
And just cos Mayweather doesn't stand forever on the inside doesn't mean he isn't the **** at it.
If De La Hoya tries to utilise his jab, he better brace himself for the right hand counters to the body.
At mid-range, Mayweather can land a bodyshot of any kind faster than Oscar can land a left hook.
And Mayweather's body arsenal is the most complete in history. Whether they fear it or not doesn't matter. Judah was totally dominated by bodyshots to the extent he was forced into survival. Prior to that Mitchell was ko'd by a bodyshot. Prior to that he showed us scintolating head to body and body to head combo's on Gatti. Prior to that he stopped another guy with a bodyshot. He's stopped, dropped or hurt all types of fighters with all types of bodyshots.
His work speaks for itself.
People might fear Hatton and Cotto's bodyshots but it's Floyd who is dominating the champions with his body work.
Roach and Oscar have to rely on Mayweather making mistakes, which he simply doesn't do. Maybe they'll try forcing him into making mistakes, but how? Pressuring? Sure, fight outside of your natural game, eat up punches (Oscar has always been particularly uncomfortable when being hit consistently, and Mayweather's punch is under-rated in this fight - he'll be punching harder than ever because he'll be carrying more muscle than ever) and wear yourself out even sooner than usual. Mayweather's balance on the inside is impeccable.
What if Mayweather's punch doesn't affect Oscar, and Oscar lands a left hook directly after being hit? He won't. If Mayweather senses that his punch isn't affecting Oscar, as he lands the right hand lead he'll pivot off to the right where he can either tie Oscar up, or hit him with a couple of left hooks before tying him up; hooking and/or or uppercutting and then establishing distance with a solid jab to end maybe a three-punch or more flurry with the left with a right thrown in for good measure, or dancing out of range after a couple of follow-up lefts.
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