Re: Boxing Round 2 : Sat Mar 13, 2010 1:32 pm  

What time are we expecting Pacquiao to get into the ring tonight?

Coverage starts at 2am so I'm assuming closer to 4am?

As for the fight, I think Pacquiao will win by knock out, probably between rounds 6 and 8, but the size Clottey's going into the fight has to be a worry, as has been said, I don't think it would suit Manny to stand toe to toe and brawl with a guy close to a stone heavier than him; he needs to use his speed.

Re: Boxing Round 2 : Sat Mar 13, 2010 10:26 pm  

I'd say around 3AM is a good bet.

Re: Boxing Round 2 : Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:02 am  

Good performance by Pac against a tough, tough guy. Clottey didn't offer enough, although I don't think he was ever seriously hurt. Bizarrely, it was Pac's face rather than Clottey's which seemed to have taken the most damage.

I'm not sure who is the bigger danger to Pac, now. I'm positive Roach would prefer to fight Mayweather - although it's not like Floyd will be a pushover. Mosley will be a problem for Pac because he's every bit as tough as Clottey, but there's no way he's going to stand there and let Pac use him as a punchbag. Shane will attack from the beginning and Manny's going to have to think about his defence. When Clottey did choose to attack it seemed like he could catch Manny pretty easily (especially with the uppercut). Manny cannot afford to get into a slugfest with a guy who battered Antonio Margarito into submission.

It's impossible to write Floyd off - but I think he'll have to KO Manny to win. I can't see Floyd out-working Pac, which means he's going to have to fight. Floyd's a tough guy himself - I've only ever seen him hurt twice - against Judah and Corley. He'll catch Manny pretty easily - but can he a) catch him often enough and b) take the kind of heat Manny will bring down on him?

Re: Boxing Round 2 : Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:46 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

It's impossible to write Floyd off - but I think he'll have to KO Manny to win. I can't see Floyd out-working Pac, which means he's going to have to fight. Floyd's a tough guy himself - I've only ever seen him hurt twice - against Judah and Corley. He'll catch Manny pretty easily - but can he a) catch him often enough and b) take the kind of heat Manny will bring down on him?

I thought the same myself. Whilst Manny didn't really land that clean on Clottey he was landing solid punches and he'd do the same against Mayweather. Mayweather would have to pull something special out of the bag to beat Pacman, he's an absolute freak. His workrate, speed and angle of punches is unrivalled. He also has an unbelievable chin and would be very difficult to knock out.

Re: Boxing Round 2 : Sun Mar 14, 2010 1:22 pm  

Blobbynator wrote:

I thought the same myself. Whilst Manny didn't really land that clean on Clottey he was landing solid punches and he'd do the same against Mayweather. Mayweather would have to pull something special out of the bag to beat Pacman, he's an absolute freak. His workrate, speed and angle of punches is unrivalled. He also has an unbelievable chin and would be very difficult to knock out.

People seem to forget that Mayweather himself is extremely difficult to catch up with.....Most of Pacquaio's recent opponents have been straight forward fighters with little defence, meaning that Manny has looked particularly awesome with his lightening fast combinations.

Let's remember, Mayweather would be moving, and moving fast...Pac-man's 5 shot combos, which at the moment look fantastic, would likely be missing the majority of the time, resulting in an inevitable tiring, as nothing wears a man out more than punching fresh air.

I could easily see Mayweather weathering an early storm and actually overwhelming a tiring Pacquaio, whose own defence is certainly questionable.

I agree its as close to a 50-50 fight as you could ask for, but the idea that Mayweather has to KO Pacquaio to win is a complete fantasy....Mayweather is the most complete boxer of the present generation and I'm sure that being the supremely intellegent guy that he is, he would be able to use a strategy to combat Pacquaio.

Re: Boxing Round 2 : Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:49 pm  

I agree with Mugwump; for Mayweather to beat Pacquiao, he'd have to win by KO. I just can't see any fighter out working Manny. He threw 1231 punches last night, which is pretty unbelievable. However, he looked vunerable in defence, and a fair few punches got through his guard from Clottey, especially the upper cut. With a stinging fighter like PBF, who has the hand speed, and can put together combinations, I wouldn't rule out a KO win for him. That said, it would probably suit Manny to have Floyd coming forward, so then he can use his hand speed to catch him, and if he hurts him, a combination of body and face shots would follow that would surely end the fight?

.As for last night's fight, I would have felt sorry for Clottey at times, but that would be disrespectful I feel. There was an obvious talent gap, but Clottey went in there with a game plan, and stuck to it. There's no shame in losing to Pacquiao on points, and he must be tough as nails, because I thought Manny was hurt more times than Clottey was. A very enjoyable fight, even though it was never much of a contest. I had it 120-108 FWIW

Re: Boxing Round 2 : Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:02 pm  

I'm half hoping for Mosley v Pac, TBH.

That would be a motherphucker of a war. Shane has never really struggled against fighters who've come at him - mainly because he's prepared to go to toe-to-toe for 12 rounds. As he said after the Margarito fight "I've been fighting these Mexicans all my life ...".

Shane's beard is pretty much bombproof. I can see him taking a Manny onslaught - but can Manny take the kind of heat Mosley brought down on Margarito?

Re: Boxing Round 2 : Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:39 pm  

The Angry Pirate wrote:

People seem to forget that Mayweather himself is extremely difficult to catch up with.....Most of Pacquaio's recent opponents have been straight forward fighters with little defence, meaning that Manny has looked particularly awesome with his lightening fast combinations.

Let's remember, Mayweather would be moving, and moving fast...Pac-man's 5 shot combos, which at the moment look fantastic, would likely be missing the majority of the time, resulting in an inevitable tiring, as nothing wears a man out more than punching fresh air.

I could easily see Mayweather weathering an early storm and actually overwhelming a tiring Pacquaio, whose own defence is certainly questionable.

I agree its as close to a 50-50 fight as you could ask for, but the idea that Mayweather has to KO Pacquaio to win is a complete fantasy....Mayweather is the most complete boxer of the present generation and I'm sure that being the supremely intellegent guy that he is, he would be able to use a strategy to combat Pacquaio.

I just don't see this. I think you're talking about the Mayweather of three or four years ago. I've seen signs of deterioration in his game ever since Oscar. Remember, if Oscar doesn't run out of steam in that fight he beats Mayweather. Yet Manny blew Oscar away within three rounds.

Floyd is not the fighter he once was. Yes, his handspeed and intelligence are there, but his legs are going. The Floyd of five years ago bounced around the ring with enormous energy. Today he's content to use that shoulder roll off the hopes. Floyd isn't going to throw over a thousand shots in the bout, which means he'll find it hard to beat Manny on points. I looked at Manny this morning and he seemed like he could do another four rounds. He's not going to run out of steam.

To beat Pac he's got to use his head. He might have to take a lot of punishment to fashion a position where he can catch Pac with a well-timed shot - like the "Check Hook" he got Hatton to bite on.

Re: Boxing Round 2 : Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:16 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

I just don't see this. I think you're talking about the Mayweather of three or four years ago. I've seen signs of deterioration in his game ever since Oscar. Remember, if Oscar doesn't run out of steam in that fight he beats Mayweather. Yet Manny blew Oscar away within three rounds.

Floyd is not the fighter he once was. Yes, his handspeed and intelligence are there, but his legs are going. The Floyd of five years ago bounced around the ring with enormous energy. Today he's content to use that shoulder roll off the hopes. Floyd isn't going to throw over a thousand shots in the bout, which means he'll find it hard to beat Manny on points. I looked at Manny this morning and he seemed like he could do another four rounds. He's not going to run out of steam.

To beat Pac he's got to use his head. He might have to take a lot of punishment to fashion a position where he can catch Pac with a well-timed shot - like the "Check Hook" he got Hatton to bite on.

Some good points....However, let's be honest, Mayweather isn't going to be the one-dimensional, walk straight forward fighter that Hatton, Cotto & now Clottey have been for Pacquaio.

Against Mayweather, of those 1200+ punches, a large majority will be hitting thin air, which will be especially tiring and frustrating for Manny..... Mayweather, most importantly, will also have the belief that he can beat Pacquaio, something which Cotto and, most definitely, Clottey didn't have.....Clottey, especially, was simply in survival mode for the whole 12 rounds, which made Manny's job a whole lot simpler. At times, last night was almost an exhibition.

I think we'll have a better idea of Mayweather's chances after the Mosley showdown...If Mosley gives him problems then we can assume that Pacquaio will go into any fight has a favourite...However, a convincing Mayweather display will certainly give him all the confidence to take on, and defeat Pacquaio.

Re: Boxing Round 2 : Mon Mar 15, 2010 6:01 pm  

I agree with The Angry Pirate. Do not underestimate Mayweather just because Pacquiao has looked flashy and powerful against walk forward fighters. Hatton, Cotto and Clottey are not in the same league as Maywweather, who is the best defensive boxer I've seen in my lifetime.

Mugwump, re: the 'check hook', Hatton was ready to go for the fuill round before walking into that shot, yes it was a lovely timed punch that in effect ended the fight, but it was the accumulation of big right hands that had done all the damage in that fight. In that fight also, Mayweather caught Hatton nicely with alot of straights to the body (in the solar plexus, not round the side of the ribs), which was pretty ironic as everyone expected Hatton to go looking for PBF round the midsection.