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Predictions: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez
12:32 PM
By Bobby Cassidy
Here are some picks for Saturday night's pay-per-view fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez:
Manny Pacquiao, pound-for-pound champion: "It's a tough fight. But I think Floyd has an advantage because he's faster than Marquez. It's a perfect match. I'll be rooting for Mayweather."
Wallace Matthews, Newsday: "This will be a tougher fight than anyone expects, especially Mayweather, who like a lot of great fighters before him underestimates the benefit of staying active and the detrimental effect of idleness. There's no way even a fighter as talented as Mayweather can stay out for two years and return as good as he was the first time out, especially against as tough a foe as Marquez, who has a great chin and an excellent left hook to the body. A lot of people, myself included, thought he beat Pacquiao in their rematch. Still, Mayweather is too big and too quick to lose this one, although it will be a lot closer than he thinks it will be. Mayweather by decision.
Mario Gonzalez, Newsday: "Even though it's tough to pick against the sport's pound-for-pound king...I think the 2-year layoff will be too much for Mayweather to overcome. Marquez has the experience (two very close fights with Manny Pacquiao) the skill and the heart to pull one of the greatest upsets in recent memory. Plus...how can you choose against a guy who drinks his own urine! Marquez wins in the 10th by KO."
Steve Farhood, Showtime boxing analyst: "Mayweather on points--too big, too fast. It's asking too much of Marquez, who is only a couple of fights removed from fighting at junior lightweight."
Ron Ross, boxing author: "Discounting the "rust factor" - and WD-40 is is not permissible - Floyd Mayweather, who will be looking somewhere over the rainbow for that pot of gold simply has too much going for him. Size, speed of hand, speed of foot, all around ring craftsmanship and even age. At 32, Floyd has youth on his side. But most of all, there is the motivation of that Big Money Fight that will have Mr. Money salivating. Marquez will give it his all but will fall short with Floyd probably taking him out in the middle rounds."
Marcus Henry, Newsday: "I found it a little strange that Marquez would take a fight like this. Mayweather's layoff notwithstanding, he still has superior size and quickness and Marquez has never fought a true welterweight or even a junior welterweight. If Marquez takes it to Mayweather early, he might be able to catch him off guard. With Mayweather being out for as long as he was, there is bound to be some ring rust. Even with that, Floyd is the master of playing the wait and see game. He'll try and let Marquez wear himself out trying for an early knockout and will take advantage the second half of the fight. Just check out his fights against Zab Judah, Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton. Marquez is a warrior, but Mayweather will out last him. Mayweather wins in a close unanimous decision."
Joshua Clottey, welterweight contender: "How are you going to fight Mayweather and wait for one round? [Marquez] has to take it to him. If he takes it to him, will give Mayweather problems. But Mayweather is a very smart person. It'll be very interesting to see that fight...I have Mayweather as a slight favorite."
Travis Simms Jr., junior middleweight champion: "I think both fighters are amazing champions, but Floyd will be too fast and too strong for Marquez, I see Marquez's corner stopping it in round 10 or 11."
Jeff Mayweather: former pro and Floyd's uncle: "Pretty Boy Floyd Mayweather by tko!"
Irish Bobby Cassidy, former middleweight contender and trainer of two champions: "He's been off for a while but he's still Mayweather. He will outbox every inch of him and when Marquez goes after him, he'll have something for him. Mayweather will control the whole fight."
Bobby Cassidy Jr., Newsday: "I look at this as Floyd picking a guy he knows he can beat, a smaller guy who is also older than Floyd. It's the right opponent for Floyd to pick because at the end of the day, JMM won't have enough strength or power to beat Floyd. And that's what it will take. I can't see him outboxing Floyd. I don't believe in Nacho's strategy of using speed to beat Mayweather. Perhaps he's thinking that because that's how Pacquiao beat De La Hoya. But these are two very different fighters. Floyd by unanimous decision."
12:32 PM
By Bobby Cassidy
Here are some picks for Saturday night's pay-per-view fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez:
Manny Pacquiao, pound-for-pound champion: "It's a tough fight. But I think Floyd has an advantage because he's faster than Marquez. It's a perfect match. I'll be rooting for Mayweather."
Wallace Matthews, Newsday: "This will be a tougher fight than anyone expects, especially Mayweather, who like a lot of great fighters before him underestimates the benefit of staying active and the detrimental effect of idleness. There's no way even a fighter as talented as Mayweather can stay out for two years and return as good as he was the first time out, especially against as tough a foe as Marquez, who has a great chin and an excellent left hook to the body. A lot of people, myself included, thought he beat Pacquiao in their rematch. Still, Mayweather is too big and too quick to lose this one, although it will be a lot closer than he thinks it will be. Mayweather by decision.
Mario Gonzalez, Newsday: "Even though it's tough to pick against the sport's pound-for-pound king...I think the 2-year layoff will be too much for Mayweather to overcome. Marquez has the experience (two very close fights with Manny Pacquiao) the skill and the heart to pull one of the greatest upsets in recent memory. Plus...how can you choose against a guy who drinks his own urine! Marquez wins in the 10th by KO."
Steve Farhood, Showtime boxing analyst: "Mayweather on points--too big, too fast. It's asking too much of Marquez, who is only a couple of fights removed from fighting at junior lightweight."
Ron Ross, boxing author: "Discounting the "rust factor" - and WD-40 is is not permissible - Floyd Mayweather, who will be looking somewhere over the rainbow for that pot of gold simply has too much going for him. Size, speed of hand, speed of foot, all around ring craftsmanship and even age. At 32, Floyd has youth on his side. But most of all, there is the motivation of that Big Money Fight that will have Mr. Money salivating. Marquez will give it his all but will fall short with Floyd probably taking him out in the middle rounds."
Marcus Henry, Newsday: "I found it a little strange that Marquez would take a fight like this. Mayweather's layoff notwithstanding, he still has superior size and quickness and Marquez has never fought a true welterweight or even a junior welterweight. If Marquez takes it to Mayweather early, he might be able to catch him off guard. With Mayweather being out for as long as he was, there is bound to be some ring rust. Even with that, Floyd is the master of playing the wait and see game. He'll try and let Marquez wear himself out trying for an early knockout and will take advantage the second half of the fight. Just check out his fights against Zab Judah, Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton. Marquez is a warrior, but Mayweather will out last him. Mayweather wins in a close unanimous decision."
Joshua Clottey, welterweight contender: "How are you going to fight Mayweather and wait for one round? [Marquez] has to take it to him. If he takes it to him, will give Mayweather problems. But Mayweather is a very smart person. It'll be very interesting to see that fight...I have Mayweather as a slight favorite."
Travis Simms Jr., junior middleweight champion: "I think both fighters are amazing champions, but Floyd will be too fast and too strong for Marquez, I see Marquez's corner stopping it in round 10 or 11."
Jeff Mayweather: former pro and Floyd's uncle: "Pretty Boy Floyd Mayweather by tko!"
Irish Bobby Cassidy, former middleweight contender and trainer of two champions: "He's been off for a while but he's still Mayweather. He will outbox every inch of him and when Marquez goes after him, he'll have something for him. Mayweather will control the whole fight."
Bobby Cassidy Jr., Newsday: "I look at this as Floyd picking a guy he knows he can beat, a smaller guy who is also older than Floyd. It's the right opponent for Floyd to pick because at the end of the day, JMM won't have enough strength or power to beat Floyd. And that's what it will take. I can't see him outboxing Floyd. I don't believe in Nacho's strategy of using speed to beat Mayweather. Perhaps he's thinking that because that's how Pacquiao beat De La Hoya. But these are two very different fighters. Floyd by unanimous decision."
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