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Inside Boxing: Mayweather shies away from risks
By Bob Hanna January 21, 2010 12:00 AM
It's interesting to note who Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will fight now that their much anticipated showdown has imploded.
Pacquiao will face former welterweight champion Joshua Clottey, a very tough opponent, March 13, the date Pacquiao and Mayweather were supposed to meet, at Jerry Jones' Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Clottey (35-3), remember, gave Miguel Cotto all — some would say more than — he could handle in dropping a narrow split decision.
Mayweather, on the other hand, is allegedly considering four opponents: Paul Williams, Kermit Cintron, Paulie Malignaggi, and Matthew Hatton, younger brother of Ricky Hatton. Forget Williams. Mayweather wants no part of the 6-2 southpaw. He would, after all, be a legitimate test for Mayweather, who doesn't like legitimate tests.
Malignaggi and Hatton are junior welterweights, the preferred size for Mayweather since he moved up to welterweight (Arturo Gatti, Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez come to mind). Malignaggi is a clever boxer who can't break an egg, while the younger Hatton is not even ranked (in the top 15) by any of the four major boxing organizations.
Cintron, a former two-time champ, is a legitimate welterweight who can punch, but off his controversial draw with Sergio Martinez (who appeared to be an easy winner) does not present much of a threat to Mayweather, which makes him a good fit for the Mouth.
The point is that while Pacquiao, who would love to get Mayweather in the ring after the latter's suggestion that he uses performance enhancing drugs, continues to fight top shelf fighters, Mayweather continues to look for no-risk opponents.
And that, my friends, is what should tell you which fighter is holding up the mega-match everyone wants to see.
Personally, I think Mayweather is scared of the Pacman, not from a physical standpoint, but from what a loss might do to his place in boxing history. Mayweather has always claimed to be one of the best, if not the best of all time.
In the meantime, he has found a ***** in Pacquiao's psychological armor. The Pacman has no problem with urine drug tests, but he distrusts blood drug tests close to a fight because of a fear it will weaken him. It is baseless, of course, but not to Pacquaio.
But that's what gave Mayweather an out while still maintaining he wants the fight.
I do believe they will eventually meet, but only when Mayweather thinks he has an edge, like if Pacquiao moves up another division or otherwise shows some indication that he's slowing down. Or when the ego-driven Mayweather realizes that he has more to lose stature-wise by not fighting Pacquiao than by fighting him and letting the cards fall where they may.
As it stands now, Mayweather will go down in history as a very talented fighter, but one who was afraid to take risks. Great fighters are not afraid to take risks.
By Bob Hanna January 21, 2010 12:00 AM
It's interesting to note who Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will fight now that their much anticipated showdown has imploded.
Pacquiao will face former welterweight champion Joshua Clottey, a very tough opponent, March 13, the date Pacquiao and Mayweather were supposed to meet, at Jerry Jones' Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Clottey (35-3), remember, gave Miguel Cotto all — some would say more than — he could handle in dropping a narrow split decision.
Mayweather, on the other hand, is allegedly considering four opponents: Paul Williams, Kermit Cintron, Paulie Malignaggi, and Matthew Hatton, younger brother of Ricky Hatton. Forget Williams. Mayweather wants no part of the 6-2 southpaw. He would, after all, be a legitimate test for Mayweather, who doesn't like legitimate tests.
Malignaggi and Hatton are junior welterweights, the preferred size for Mayweather since he moved up to welterweight (Arturo Gatti, Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez come to mind). Malignaggi is a clever boxer who can't break an egg, while the younger Hatton is not even ranked (in the top 15) by any of the four major boxing organizations.
Cintron, a former two-time champ, is a legitimate welterweight who can punch, but off his controversial draw with Sergio Martinez (who appeared to be an easy winner) does not present much of a threat to Mayweather, which makes him a good fit for the Mouth.
The point is that while Pacquiao, who would love to get Mayweather in the ring after the latter's suggestion that he uses performance enhancing drugs, continues to fight top shelf fighters, Mayweather continues to look for no-risk opponents.
And that, my friends, is what should tell you which fighter is holding up the mega-match everyone wants to see.
Personally, I think Mayweather is scared of the Pacman, not from a physical standpoint, but from what a loss might do to his place in boxing history. Mayweather has always claimed to be one of the best, if not the best of all time.
In the meantime, he has found a ***** in Pacquiao's psychological armor. The Pacman has no problem with urine drug tests, but he distrusts blood drug tests close to a fight because of a fear it will weaken him. It is baseless, of course, but not to Pacquaio.
But that's what gave Mayweather an out while still maintaining he wants the fight.
I do believe they will eventually meet, but only when Mayweather thinks he has an edge, like if Pacquiao moves up another division or otherwise shows some indication that he's slowing down. Or when the ego-driven Mayweather realizes that he has more to lose stature-wise by not fighting Pacquiao than by fighting him and letting the cards fall where they may.
As it stands now, Mayweather will go down in history as a very talented fighter, but one who was afraid to take risks. Great fighters are not afraid to take risks.
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