Why Pacquiao Can Beat Mayweather

Published

10 years ago

December 3, 2014

The speculation may not have quite reached fever-pitch yet, but here we fight fans are again dreaming of a match up betwixt Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. We’ve been teased so many times, it’s hard to invest too much on the recent swirl of rumors that suggest maybe, just maybe, 2015 will be the year.

Manny, the ever polite Filipino, seems to have found a way to get under Floyd’s skin without resorting to the sort of wild eye braggadocio that other fighters resort to. Manny has taken on the part of the happy warrior, cheerfully poking at Mayweather every chance he gets.

Foot Locker released the ad below of Manny mistakenly thinking an unnamed (har-har) fighter has finally agreed to meet him in the ring. The glee and excitement exhorted by Pacman is not only palpable, but pretty damn funny too.

Link for Foot Locker Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS8WJ6Lz1AU

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As well, after dominating Chris Algieri for 12 rounds on November 22nd, Manny reverted back to his Foot Locker character (“He’s going to fight me!”) when Floyd was mentioned in the post-fight interview. In politics, they say the best way to insult your opponent is to say awful things about them, but to do it with a smile. Of late, Manny seems to have taken that to heart like it’s his only job.

Manny isn’t doing it on his own either. Freddie Roach works the bad cop just as well as Manny works the good cop. Asked about A Manny/Floyd fight prior to the Algieri scrap, Freddie derisively said, “who the hell knows what’s going on with him.” In September, Freddie went even further, saying, “At this point, I think Mayweather’s legs aren’t there anymore. He’s not as sharp as Manny is, if you compare his last fight (against Marcos Maidana) with Manny’s last fight. Three years ago, I thought it was a dead-even fight and real tough fight to pick. Now, I don’t think that. I think we can knock Mayweather out at this point.”

The word is Freddie has been encouraging Manny to bring up the Foot Locker ad as often as possible. Roach and Pac seem to believe they have stumbled onto a formula. Manny grins and pokes fun, Freddie snarls and suggests Floyd’s not what he once was. Before, Floyd would be dismissive and find contractual impediments to avoid the fight (excessive blood testing, uneven financial splits, etc.), and when Manny agreed to nearly everything, Floyd would change the terms again.

Just last week, while watching a college basketball game on ESPN, I saw a crawl come across the ticker at the bottom of my screen. Floyd’s team had reached out to Roach demanding a rematch clause be placed into the contract should Mayweather lose. Apparently, Freddie said yes. Two thoughts entered my mind when I read this. One: This is starting to sound serious. Two: Wait…Floyd thinks he could lose?

The mind games appear to be working. Just this September, Floyd posted an image on Instagram he titled “3 ways to sleep. Back, face, and butt” showing Pacquiao on the canvas after his knock out loss to Marquez. The verbal battle has been joined, and the pressure is starting to mount.

While one could argue with ease that Floyd doesn’t need the money that would come with fighting Pac, he has to know the amount will be enormous. And if there’s one thing the “Money Man” likes, it’s more money. While I certainly think Floyd believes he would beat Manny, he must have questions. I’ve always felt if Floyd were to fight Manny, he would attempt to wait until Manny’s more risky, combative style would begin to atrophy his skill level while Floyd would continue to fight quality—if well matched—opponents that would largely leave himself undiminished. After the loss to Bradley (well, if you call that a loss), the KO against Marquez, and a seemingly safer approach in the ring by Manny that has led to questions about Manny’s desire and ability to score knock outs—it’s been five years since he TKO’d Cotto in the 12th– it would seem Floyd’s played this perfectly. So what’s holding Floyd up?

The only thing Floyd may cherish more than dead presidents is a living legacy. That legacy is highlighted by that career zero in the loss column. Floyd has often played it safe in his career. He’s an expert at fighting a guy when he’s either just a bit too green or a bit too rusty. For all Floyd’s innumerable skills, caution is the one he should be best known for. And let’s be clear, Floyd isn’t quite the same Floyd he used to be either. Both De La Hoya and Cotto marked him up. For one brief moment Mosley nearly had Floyd face first on the canvas had Mayweather not leaned in and held on to Shane’s frame to keep himself upright. In their first fight, Maidana put tremendous pressure on “Money” and Floyd needed to squeak out a majority decision. Does anyone not think Manny is better than all those guys?

Manny and Floyd have had a number of common opponents. The results, while not conclusive, are instructive.

• De La Hoya—Floyd earned a split decision (should have been a UD), against Manny, Oscar quit on his stool after the 8th.

• Ricky Hatton—Floyd defeated the Brit by 10th round TKO, Manny flattened Hatton in the 2nd with a wicked one punch KO.

• Shane Mosley—both fighters beat Sugar Shane easily, but Pac scored a knock down and Floyd was hurt early in his bout.

• Miguel Cotto—Floyd won a spirited unanimous decision that left his face swollen, Manny earned a 12th round TKO after battering the hell out of Cotto for the length of the fight.

• Juan Manuel Marquez—Floyd won a dominant unanimous decision, Manny went 2-1-1 against Marquez and suffered his most devastating loss.

Of their five common opponents, it’s hard to argue that Floyd outshined Manny against any of them with the notable exception of Marquez. Now to be fair, this is somewhat of a dangerous exercise and probably a poor predictor of what would happen if and when Manny and Floyd do get in the ring. Styles make fights, as they say. What it does illustrate though, is in the abstract, they are well matched.

While I do think it is not only fair to consider Floyd a favorite in a proposed fight, I suspect it is more than likely. What is also fair to say is Floyd has never faced anyone like Manny before and here is why Manny could win and why no one should be shocked if he did.

Both fighters have extremely fast hands. However, Manny is more likely to let his go, resulting in higher volume. While Floyd’s foot work and shoulder rolls are likely to result in many a glancing blow, most judges prefer activity to defense. Manny’s footwork and angles are not comparable to any other fighter in the game today. Manny’s quick feet allow him to be offensive and defensive at the same time. He can throw punches from almost any position and be difficult to hit due to that unpredictability. For a great offensive fighter, he’s seldom exactly where you expect him to be. Finally, power and accuracy. Manny probably hits harder than anyone Floyd has ever fought. He also lands an unusually high percentage of blows during any given fight.

In short, Floyd’s just never seen anything like Manny before. A quick drawing, powerful volume puncher, who is both highly skilled and highly unorthodox. He will be challenged.

Of course, Floyd is a magician in the ring. Few can figure out an opponent better than Floyd and then adjust his game plan. When Floyd lets his hands go, he can be dangerous as well. He also has quick hands, great footwork and may be the best defensive fighter of this or any other generation.

However, I believe Manny will test Floyd in ways that Money has never experienced. Manny won’t be afraid. He won’t be slower. He will be busier. He will hit harder. That’s a recipe for success. If Floyd wants to fight and beat Manny, he’ll need more than the sink, he’ll need the whole kitchen.

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David Phillips

Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing

Published

2 days ago

January 19, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Skylar-Lacy-Blocked-for-Lamar-Jackson-Before-Making-his-Mark-in-Boxing

Skylar Lacy, a six-foot-seven heavyweight, returns to the ring on Sunday, Feb. 2, opposing Brandon Moore on a card in Flint, Michigan, airing worldwide on DAZN.

As this is being written, the bookmakers hadn’t yet posted a line on the bout, but one couldn’t be accused of false coloring by calling the 10-round contest a 50/50 fight. And if his frustrating history is any guide, Lacy will have another draw appended to his record or come out on the wrong side of a split decision.

This should not be construed as a tip to wager on Moore. “Close fights just don’t seem to go my way,” says the boxer who played alongside future multi-year NFL MVP Lamar Jackson at the University of Louisville.

A 2021 National Golden Gloves champion, Skylar Lacy came up short in his final amateur bout, losing a split decision to future U.S. Olympian Joshua Edwards. His last Team Combat League assignment resulted in another loss by split decision and he was held to a draw in both instances when stepping up in class as a pro. “In my mind, I’m still undefeated,” says Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs). “No one has ever kicked my ass.”

Lacy was the B-side in both of those draws, the first coming in a 6-rounder against Top Rank fighter Antonio Mireles on a Top Rank show in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and the second in an 8-rounder against George Arias, a Lou DiBella fighter on a DiBella-promoted card in Philadelphia.

Lacy had the Mireles fight in hand when he faded in the homestretch. The altitude was a factor. Lake Tahoe, Nevada (officially Stateline) sits 6,225 feet above sea level. The fight with Arias took an opposite tack. Lacy came on strong after a slow start to stave off defeat.

Skylar will be the B-side once again in Michigan. The card’s promoter, former world title challenger Dmitriy Salita, inked Brandon Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) in January. “A capable American heavyweight with charisma, athleticism and skills is rare in today’s day and age. Brandon has got all these ingredients…”, said Salita in the press release announcing the signing. (Salita has an option on Skylar Lacy’s next pro fight in the event that Skylar should win, but the promoter has a larger investment in Moore who was previously signed to Top Rank, a multi-fight deal that evaporated after only one fight.)

Both Lacy and Moore excelled in other sports. The six-foot-six Moore was an outstanding basketball player in high school in Fort Lauderdale and at the NAIA level in college. Lacy was an all-state football lineman in Indiana before going on to the University of Louisville where he started as an offensive guard as a redshirt sophomore, blocking for freshman phenom Lamar Jackson. “Lamar was hard-working and humble,” says Lacy about the player who is now one of the world’s highest-paid professional athletes.

When Lacy committed to Louisville, the head coach was Charlie Strong who went on to become the head coach at the University of Texas. Lacy was never comfortable with Strong’s successor Bobby Petrino and transferred to San Jose State. Having earned his degree in only three years (a BA in communications) he was eligible immediately but never played a down because of injuries.

Returning to Indianapolis where he was raised by his truck dispatcher father, a single parent, Lacy gravitated to Pat McPherson’s IBG (Indy Boxing and Grappling) Gym on the city’s east side where he was the rare college graduate pounding the bags alongside at-risk kids from the city’s poorer neighborhoods.

Lacy built a 12-6 record across his two seasons in Team Combat League while representing the Las Vegas Hustle (2023) and the Boston Butchers (2024).

For the uninitiated, a Team Combat League (TCL) event typically consists of 24 fights, each consisting of one three-minute round. The concept finds no favor with traditionalists, but Lacy is a fan. It’s an incentive for professional boxers to keep in shape between bouts without disturbing their professional record and, notes Lacy, it’s useful in exposing a competitor to different styles.

“It paid the bills and kept me from just sitting around the house,” says Lacy whose 12-6 record was forged against 13 different opponents.

As a sparring partner, Lacy has shared the ring with some of the top heavyweights of his generation, e.g., Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He was one of Fury’s regular sparring partners during the Gypsy King’s trilogy with Deontay Wilder. He worked with Joshua at Derrick James’ gym in Dallas and at Ben Davison’s gym in England, helping Joshua prepare for his date in Saudi Arabia with Francis Ngannou and had previously sparred with Ngannou at the UFC Performance Center in Las Vegas. Skylar names traveling to new places as one of his hobbies and he got to scratch that itch when he joined Whyte’s camp in Portugal.

As to the hardest puncher he ever faced, he has no hesitation: “Ngannou,” he says. “I negotiated a nice price to spend a week in his camp and the first time he hit me I knew I should have asked for more.”

Lacy is confident that having shared the ring with some of the sport’s elite heavyweights will get him over the hump in what will be his first 10-rounder (Brandon Moore has never had to fight beyond eight rounds, having won his three 10-rounders inside the distance). Lacy vs. Moore is the co-feature to Claressa Shields’ homecoming fight with Danielle Perkins. Shields, basking in the favorable reviews accorded the big-screen biopic based on her first Olympic journey (“The Fire Inside”) will attempt to capture a title in yet another weight class at the expense of the 42-year-old Perkins, a former professional basketball player.

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Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce

Published

4 days ago

January 18, 2025

David A. Avila

Mizuki-Hiruta-Dominates-in-her-U.S.-Debut-and-Trinidad-Wins-Too-at-Commerce

Japan’s Mizuki Hiruta smashed through Mexico’s Maribel Ramirez with ease in winning by technical decision and local hero Omar Trinidad continued his assault on the featherweight division on Friday.

Hiruta (7-0, 2 KOs), who prefers to be called “Mimi,” made her American debut with an impressive performance against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez (15-11-4) and retained the WBO super flyweight world title by unanimous decision at Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

The pink-haired Japanese southpaw champion quickly proved to be quicker, stronger and even better than advertised. In the opening round Ramirez landed on the floor twice after throwing errant blows. On one instance, it could have been ruled a knockdown but it was not a convincing blow.

In the second round, Ramirez again attacked and again was met with a Hiruta check right hook and down went the Mexican. This time referee Ray Corona gave the eight-count and the fight resumed.

It was Hiruta’s third title defense but this time it was on American soil. She seemed nervous by the prospect of getting a favorable review from the more than 700 fans inside the casino tent.

For more than a year Hiruta has been training off and on with Manny Robles in the L.A. area. Now that she has a visa, she has spent considerable time this year learning the tricks of the trade. They proved explosively effective.

Though Mexico City’s Ramirez has considerable experience against world champions, she discovered that Hiruta was not easy to hit. Often, the Japanese champion would slip and counter with precision.

It was an impressive American debut, though the fight was stopped in the eighth round after a collision of heads. The scores were tallied and all three saw Hiruta the winner by scores of 80-71 twice and 79-72.

“I’m so happy. I could have done much more,” said Hiruta through interpreter Yuriko Miyata. “I wanted to do more things that Manny Robles taught me.”

Trinidad Wins Too

Omar Trinidad (18-0-1, 13 KOs) discovered that challenger Mike Plania (31-5, 18 KOs) has a very good chin and staying power. But over 10 rounds Trinidad proved to be too fast and too busy for the Filipino challenger.

Immediately it was evident that the East L.A. featherweight was too quick and too busy for Plania who preferred a counter-puncher attack that never worked.

“He was strong,” said Trinidad. “He took everything.”

After 10 redundant rounds all three judges scored for Trinidad 100-90 twice and 99-91. He retains the WBC Continental Americas title.

Other Bouts

Ali Akhmedov (23-1, 17 KOs) blasted out Malcolm Jones (17-5-1) in less than two rounds. A dozen punches by Akhmedov forced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the super middleweight fight.

Iyana “Roxy” Verduzco (3-0) bloodied Lindsey Ellis in the first round and continued the speedy assault in the next two rounds. Referee Ray Corona saw enough and stopped the fight in favor of Verduzco at 1:34 of the third round.

Gloria Munguilla (7-1) and Brook Sibrian (5-2) lit up the boxing ring with a nonstop clash for eight rounds in their light flyweight fight. Munguilla proved effective with a slip-and-counter attack. Sibrian adjusted and made the fight closer in the last four rounds but all three judges favored Munguilla.

More Winners

Joshua Anton, Tayden Beltran, Adan Palma, and Alexander Gueche all won their bouts.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Published

6 days ago

January 16, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Best wishes to the survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires that took place last week and are still ongoing in small locales.

Most of the heavy damage took place in the western part of L.A. near the ocean due to Santa Ana winds. Another very hot spot was in Altadena just north of the Rose Bowl. It was a horrific tragedy.

Hopefully the worst is over.

Pro boxing returns with 360 Boxing Promotions spotlighting East L.A.’s Omar Trinidad (17-0-1, 13 KOs) defending a regional featherweight title against Mike Plania (31-4, 18 KOs) on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

“I’m the king of L.A. boxing and I’ll be ready to put on a show headlining again in the main event. This is my year, I’m ready to challenge and defeat any of the featherweight world champions,” said Trinidad.

UFC Fight Pass will stream the Hollywood Night fight card that includes a female world championship fight and other intriguing match-ups.

Tom Loeffler heads 360 Promotions and once again comes full force with a hot prospect in Trinidad. If you’re not familiar with Loeffler’s history of success, he introduced America to Oleksandr Usyk, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and the brothers Wladimir and Vitaly Kltischko.

“We’ve got a wealth of international talent and local favorites to kick off our 2025 in grand style,” said Loeffler.

He knows talent.

Trinidad hails from the Boyle Heights area of East L.A. near the Los Angeles riverbed. Several fighters from the past came from that exact area including the first Golden Boy, Art Aragon.

Aragon was a huge gate attraction during the late 1940s until 1960. He was known as a lady’s man and dated several Hollywood starlets in his time. Though he never won a world title he did fight world champions Carmen Basilio, Jimmy Carter and Lauro Salas. He was more or less the king of the Olympic Auditorium and Los Angeles boxing during his career.

Other famous boxers from the Boyle Heights area were notorious gangster Mickey Cohen and former world champion Joey Olivo.

Can Trinidad reach world title status?

Facing Trinidad will be Filipino fighter Plania who’s knocked off a couple of prospects during his career including Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer and Giovanni Gutierrez. The fighter from General Santos in the Philippines can crack and hold his own in the boxing ring.

It’s a very strong fight card and includes WBO world titlist Mizuki Hiruta of Japan who defends the super flyweight title against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez. It’s a tough matchup for Hiruta who makes her American debut. You can’t miss her with that pink hair and she has all the physical tools to make a splash in this country.

Mizukii Hiruta

Two other female bouts are also planned, including light flyweight banger L.A.’s Gloria Munguilla (6-1) against Coachella’s Brook Sibrian (5-1) in a match set for six rounds. Both are talented fighters. Another female fight includes super featherweights Iyana “Right Hook Roxy” Verduzco (2-0) versus Lindsey Ellis (2-1) in another six-rounder. Ellis can crack with all her wins coming via knockout. Verduzco is a multi-national titlist as an amateur.

Others scheduled to perform are Ali Akhmedov, Joshua Anton, Adan Palma and more.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Boxing and the Media

The sport of professional boxing is currently in flux. It’s always in flux but no matter what people may say or write, boxing will survive.

Whether you like Jake Paul or not, he proved boxing has worldwide appeal with monstrous success in his last show. He has media companies looking at the numbers and imagining what they can do with the sport.

Sure, UFC is negotiating a massive billion dollar deal with media companies, as is WWE, both are very similar in that they provide combat entertainment. You don’t need to know the champions because they really don’t matter. Its about the attractions.

Boxing is different. The good champions last and build a following that endures even beyond their careers a la Mike Tyson.

MMA can’t provide that longevity, but it does provide entertainment.

Currently, there is talk of establishing a boxing league again. It’s been done over and over but we shall see if it sticks this time.

Pro boxing is the true warrior’s path and that means a solo adventure. It’s a one-on-one sport and that appeals to people everywhere. It’s the oldest sport that can be traced to prehistoric times. You don’t need classes in Brazilian Jiujitsu, judo, kick boxing or wrestling. Just show up in a boxing gym and they can put you to work.

It’s a poor person’s path that can lead to better things and most importantly discipline.

Photos credit: Lina Baker

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