Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: 10 Questions You Want Answered?

Published

9 years ago

April 27, 2015

The questions, should we be so fortunate, will be answered May 2. And that, most all the hardcore boxing fans say, because we’ve waited, sometimes impatiently as talks heated up and faltered, is something to rejoice.

Who is the pound for pound top dog? Has Floyd Mayweather lost a step, or two, and can Pacman capitalize, or is his power reservoir depleted?

Here are ten pressing question for you to ponder as we tick down these finals days before boxing’s Super Bowl, circa 2015, compliments of KO Digest editor Jeffrey Freeman.

1. Will the fight actually happen on May 2nd as scheduled?

While it seems preposterous to ponder the possibility of boxing’s biggest ever money grab going the way of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao in 2009, all signs point to it finally happening—at last. The contracts are signed. The tickets are sold. The pay-per-view price has been announced. Fight Week has kicked off in Las Vegas for Superfight 2015. But still, not everyone is convinced and cynical skeptics are taking a wait and see approach. As evidenced on Pacquiao’s aborted media conference call, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is at his wit’s end. There is a palpable tension now. Perhaps the lack of press tour promotion was just what “Doctor Moonves” ordered in order to prevent somebody involved from poisoning the well and bringing down the whole fight along the way. Many of these people don’t like or particularly respect each other and it’s been amusing watching them try to pretend otherwise for the sake of a punching payoff. Yes, the fight will happen on May 2nd and that’s the scoop, so pay up Malinowski.

2. What’s at stake between the two combatants?

The huge money involved in the “biggest fight of all time” is all but guaranteed. A 60/40 split in favor of Mayweather should leave “Money May” with at least $120 million dollars and Pacquiao with approximately $80 million dollars. There will of course be other economic residuals and to the boxing insider, it will feel like the sport itself is being cashed out, its fans fleeced for all they’re worth. What’s not guaranteed is what’s truly at stake and that’s what all the fighting is really about: The undisputed welterweight championship of the world, the top spot on any reputable pound-for-pound list, status as this generation’s very best prizefighter, and the enduring legacy that comes with being the winner of the once endless Mayweather vs. Pacquiao saga. Barring a draw or some other unforeseen event that muddles resolution, boxing’s elite scorecard will become crystal clear for the first time in a very long time. When the best fights the best, the loser is second best. The winner is THE best. That’s how it works and that’s what’s at stake.

3. Why did it take so long to get the fight made?

Big egos and bad attitudes. Both participants are “A-side” boxing superstars but Floyd Mayweather is, many say, an egomaniac who likes to humiliate and belittle his opponents. The prideful Pacquiao is not a man who easily abides being humiliated or belittled. For quite some time, it was true that as much as both men needed each other to get to where we all are today, they were both quite willing to go their separate ways against other opponents for lesser, though still lucrative, paydays. That cycle went on for as long as it could until Pacquiao got knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012 and Mayweather ran out of economically credible opponents in 2014 after back to back fights against Marcos Maidana. With just the right amount of vulnerability showing between them and with fans willing to show Mayweather and Pacquiao the money for finally trading punches, the time is now right for all involved.

4. Would the result have been different 5 years ago?

Both boxers were younger and better in circa 2009/2010 so it’s hard to imagine that things wouldn’t have been of a higher quality in the ring but what we’re left with in 2015 is still very special. Mayweather is the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in all of boxing and a reigning two division world champion at welterweight and junior middleweight. Pacquiao is still an icon of the sport, a “fighter of the decade” award winner, and one of pugilism’s very best practitioners. While a controversial “loss” to Tim Bradley and a crushing knockout defeat to Juan Manuel Marquez have somewhat diminished his status, Pacquiao is still seen by most as the perfect foil for Mayweather and the one guy Floyd must finally fight (and defeat) before calling himself “the best ever” with a straight face.

5. Will the fight live up to the hype?

It won’t be easy but it is possible. It’s no secret that Mayweather is a defensive boxer who looks to minimize contact and do just enough punching to win boxing matches. Mayweather will not expose himself to a firefight if it’s not absolutely necessary and the onus is on Pacquiao to make it absolutely necessary. There is just so much at stake between these two personally and there are only 36 possible minutes of fight time for both to make their greatest statements. If somehow a fight breaks out early like it did 30 years ago in Las Vegas when Marvin Hagler battled Thomas Hearns for his ultimate place in boxing history, the tale of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao could be brutally beautiful indeed. The skill and talent required for such a perfect storm will all be in the ring on May 2nd. If the fighters feel the moment and simultaneously seize it, then yes, expectations could not only be met, but exceeded.

6. If he wins, where does Manny Pacquiao go from here?

Depending on how he wins, a rematch with Mayweather would be most likely. Most experts are expecting a close fight that goes to the judges and in such a case, fans and media will almost surely be divided on who they think the real winner was. All this interest and attention (in boxing we call it controversy) will drive an immediate rematch to settle the score once and for all so to speak. If Pacquiao dominates or knocks out Mayweather, a rematch could become much less likely, particularly if as George Foreman warns, the defeat “devastates” Mayweather as a fighter. Pacquiao has already been through a devastating knockout loss and came back from it to secure his place in the biggest fight in boxing history. It remains to be seen what a bad loss would do to Mayweather’s psyche. If Pacquiao leaves Mayweather unavailable to dance again in September or ever, Manny could be looking at a fifth fight with long-time rival Juan Manuel Marquez or even a third tussle with Tim Bradley to make it another Top Rank trilogy.

7. If he wins, where does Floyd Mayweather go from here?

Again, much would depend on how he wins. If Mayweather is dominant or scores an embarrassing knockout of Pacquiao, a rematch would be far-fetched despite the copious paydays again involved. From Mayweather’s perspective, such a win would prove his point that he was always better than Pacquiao and that having to prove it in the ring was a nagging insult to his greatness. You think he’ll be willing to do it again? No chance. If however Mayweather struggles to win or receives an unpopular decision, the door swings right open for a rematch. In the event that Mayweather makes moot the point of a Manny rematch, look for Floyd to seek a second bout with Miguel Cotto at some ridiculous catchweight for Cotto’s WBC and linear middleweight titles. In most cases, all roads for Mayweather and Pacquiao lead right back to Mayweather and Pacquiao but this is boxing, the theater of the unexpected.

8. Who will win?

Here’s the inside scoop, so remember where you heard it first. The “smart money” in Las Vegas is on the draw result but I’m picking a winner here and that’s going to be Manny Pacquiao. How will he do it where nobody else has been able to pull it off? By being all over Floyd Mayweather from the opening bell and by forcing “Money May” into a perpetual state of discomfort on the ropes and in the corners. This should still be a close and competitive struggle for legacy but an off-balance knockdown scored by Pacquiao against Mayweather will make a critical difference on the judge’s scorecards. If either fighter is to get stopped or knocked out, it will be Mayweather but Floyd has a great chin and Manny wins more on speedy volume and angles now than on power punching and pure killer instinct. The win goes to the fighter who most wants to be in the ring on May 2nd and that is demonstrably Pacquiao.

9. Will there be a rematch?

You better believe it. Too much money is at stake for this not to happen again in September or next May. And after Mayweather tastes defeat for the first time as a professional, he will be itching to get Pacquiao back into the ring to prove his superiority and secure his legacy.

10. What is boxing’s next Mayweather vs. Pacquiao delayed superfight situation?

The promotional acrimony is already well under way. And as always, boxing fans just want to see the fight in question to find out who really is the best light heavyweight in the world. It’s a match-up of pure power punchers and one side of the equation is considered to have been “ducking” the fight while the other side has been accused of using race and vulgarity to bring it to fruition. Main Events promoter Kathy Duva is in one corner with her sometimes boorish charge Sergey Kovalev and boxing adviser Al Haymon is in the other with his avoidant champion Adonis Stevenson. Like Mayweather-Pacquiao, there are also cable network issues standing in the way with Stevenson now attached to Showtime and Kovalev signed with rival HBO. Also like Mayweather-Pacquiao, the feeling is that neither fighter particularly cares for the other and that their respective “powers that be” are gladly letting this one marinate deliberately to make it as big as it possibly can be before it finally gets made. With some notable exceptions, such as Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Aaron Pryor in the 1980’s and Mike Tyson vs. George Foreman in the 1990’s, almost all of boxing’s biggest fights eventually happen and “Superman vs. The Krusher” will too, but just not a moment too soon.

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Jeffrey Freeman

Ramon Cardenas Channels Micky Ward and KOs Eduardo Ramirez on ProBox

Published

2 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Arne K. Lang

Ramon-Cardenas-Channels-Micky-Ward-and-KOs-Eduardo-Ramirez-on-ProBox

The Wednesday night bi-monthly series of fights on the ProBox TV platform is the best deal in boxing; the livestream is free with no strings attached! Tonight’s episode was headlined by a super bantamweight match between San Antonio’s Ramon Cardenas and Eduardo Ramirez who brought a caravan of rooters from his hometown in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico.

Cardenas, coached by Joel Diaz, entered the contest ranked #4 by the WBA. He was expected to handle Ramirez with little difficulty, but this was a close, tactical fight through eight frames when lightning struck in the form of a left hook to liver the from Cardenas. Ramirez went down on one knee and wasn’t able to beat the count. It was as if Cardenas summoned the ghost of Micky Ward who had a penchant for terminating fights with the same punch that arrived out of the blue.

The official time was 1:37 of round time. Cardenas improved to 25-1 with his14th win inside the distance. Ramirez, who was stopped in the opening round by Nick “Wrecking” Ball in London in his lone previous fight outside Mexico, falls to 23-3-3.

Co-Feature

In an upset, Tijuana super welterweight Damian Sosa won a split decision over previously undefeated Marques Valle, a local area fighter who was stepping up in class in his first 10-round go. Sosa was the aggressor, repeatedly backing his taller opponent into the ropes where Valle was unable to get good leverage behind his punches.

The 25-year-old Valle, managed by the influential David McWater, was the house fighter. This was his 10^th appearance in this building. He brought a 10-0 (7) record and was hoping to emulate the success of his younger brother Dominic Valle who scored a second-round stoppage of his opponent in this ring two weeks ago, improving to 9-0. But Sosa, who brought a 24-2 record, proved to be a bridge too high.

The judges had it 97-93 and 96-94 for the Tijuana invader and a disgraceful 98-92 for the house fighter.

Also

In a fight whose abrupt ending would be echoed by the main event, 34-year-old SoCal featherweight Ronny Rios, now training in Las Vegas, returned to the ring after a 22-month hiatus and scored a fifth-round stoppage over Nicolas Polanco of the Dominican Republic.

A three-punch combo climaxed by a left hook to the liver took the breath out of Polanco who slumped to his knees and was counted out. A two-time world title challenger, Rios advanced to 34-4 (17 KOs). Polanco, 34, declined to 21-6-1. The official time was 0:54 of round five.

—

The next ProBox show (Wednesday, May 8) will have an international cast with fighters from Kazakhstan, Japan, Mongolia, and the United Kingdom. In the main event, Liverpool’s Robbie Davies Jr will make his U.S. debut against the California-based Kazakh Sergey Lipinets.

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Haney-Garcia Redux with the Focus on Harvey Dock

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

Arne K. Lang

Haney-Garcia-Redux-with-the-Focus-on-Harvey-Dock

Saturday’s skirmish between Ryan Garcia and WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney was a messy affair, and yet a hugely entertaining fight fused with great drama. In the aftermath, Garcia and Haney were celebrated – the former for fooling all the experts and the latter for his gallant performance in a losing effort – but there were only brickbats for the third man in the ring, referee Harvey Dock.

Devin Haney was plainly ahead heading into the seventh frame when there was a sudden turnabout when Garcia put him on the canvas with his vaunted left hook. Moments later, Dock deducted a point from Garcia for a late punch coming out of a break. The deduction forced a temporary cease-fire that gave Haney a few precious seconds to regain his faculties. Before the round was over, Haney was on the deck twice more but these were ruled slips.

The deduction, which effectively negated the knockdown, struck many as too heavy-handed as Dock hadn’t previously issued a warning for this infraction. Moreover, many thought he could have taken a point away from Haney for excessive clinching. As for Haney’s second and third trips to the canvas in round seven, they struck this reporter – watching at home – as borderline, sufficient to give referee Dock the benefit of the doubt.

In a post-fight interview, Ryan Garcia faulted the referee for denying him the satisfaction of a TKO. “At the end of the day, Harvey Dock, I think he was tripping,” said Garcia. “He could have stopped that fight.”

Those that played the rounds proposition, placing their coin on the “under,” undoubtedly felt the same way.

The internet lit up with comments assailing Dock’s competence and/or his character. Some of the ponderings were whimsical, but they were swamped by the scurrilous screeching of dolts who find a conspiracy under every rock.

Stephen A. Smith, reputedly America’s highest-paid TV sports personality, was among those that felt a need to weigh-in: “This referee is absolutely terrible….Unreal! Horrible officiating,” tweeted Stephen A whose primary area of expertise is basketball.

Harvey Dock

Dock fought as an amateur and had one professional fight, winning a four-round decision over a fellow novice on a show at a non-gaming resort in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. He says that as an amateur he was merely average, but he was better than that, a New Jersey and regional amateur champion in 1993 and 1994 while a student New Jersey’s Essex County Community College where he majored in journalism.

A passionate fan of Sugar Ray Leonard, he started officiating amateur fights in 1998 and six years later, at age 32, had his first documented action at the professional level, working low-level cards in New Jersey. The top boxing referees, to a far greater extent than the top judges, had long apprenticeships, having worked their way up from the boonies and Dock is no exception.

Per boxrec, Haney vs Garcia was Harvey Dock’s 364^th assignment in the pros and his forty-second world title fight. Some of those title fights were title in name only, they weren’t even main events, but, bit by bit, more lucrative offerings started coming his way.

On May 13, 2023, Dock worked his first fights in Nevada, a 4-rounder and then a 12-rounder on a card at the Cosmopolitan topped by the 140-pound title fight between Rolly Romero and Ismael Barroso. It was the first time that this reporter got to watch Dock in the flesh.

Ironically (in hindsight), the card would be remembered for the actions of a referee, in this case Tony Weeks who handled the main event. Barroso was winning the fight on all three cards when Weeks stepped in and waived it off in the ninth round after Romero cornered Barroso against the ropes and let loose a barrage of punches, none of which landed cleanly. Few “premature stoppages” were ever as garishly, nay ghoulishly, premature.

With all the brickbats raining down on Weeks, I felt a need to tamp down the noise by diverting attention away from Tony Weeks and toward Harvey Dock and took to the TSS Forum to share my thoughts. Referencing the 12-rounder, a robust junior welterweight affair between Batyr Akhmedov and Kenneth Sims Jr, I noted that Dock’s Las Vegas debut went smoothly. He glided effortlessly around the ring, making him inconspicuous, the mark of a good referee. (This post ran on May 15, two days after the fight.)

Folks at the Nevada State Athletic Commission were also paying attention. Dock was back in Las Vegas the following week to referee the lightweight title fight between Devin Haney and Vasyl Lomachenko and before the year was out, he would be tabbed to referee the biggest non-heavyweight fight of the year, the July 29 match in Las Vegas between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr.

The Haney-Garcia fight wasn’t Harvey Dock’s best hour, I’ll concede that, but a closer look at his full body of work informs us that he is an outstanding referee.

—

While the Haney-Garcia bout was in progress, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman threw everyone a curve ball, tweeting on “X” that Devin Haney would keep his title if he lost the fight. Everyone, including the TV commentators, was under the impression that the title would become vacant in the event that Haney lost.

Sulaiman cited the precedent of Corrales-Castillo II.

FYI: The Corrales-Castillo rematch, originally scheduled for June 3, 2005 and aborted on the day prior when Castillo failed to make weight, finally came off on Oct. 8 of that year, notwithstanding the fact that Castillo failed to make weight once again, scaling three-and-a-half pounds above the lightweight limit. He knocked out Corrales in the fourth round with a left hook that Las Vegas Review-Journal boxing writer Kevin Iole, alluding to the movie “Blazing Saddles,” described as Mongo-esque (translation: the punch would have knocked out a horse). After initially insisting on a rubber match, which had scant chance of happening, WBC president Jose Sulaiman, Mauricio’s late father, ruled that Corrales could keep his title.

Whether or not you agree with Mauricio Sulaiman’s rationale, the timing of his announcement was certainly awkward.

Haney’s mandatory is Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin (42-3, 15 KOs), a cutie best known for his 2021 upset of Mikey Garcia. A bout between Haney and Martin has the earmarks of a dull fight.

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In a Shocker, Ryan Garcia Confounds the Experts and Upsets Devin Haney

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2024

David A. Avila

In-a-Shocker-Ryan-Garcia-Confounds-the-Experts-and-Upsets-Devin-Haney

Its good to be crazy. Like a fox.

Ryan “KingRy” Garcia knocked down WBC super lightweight titlist Devin Haney three times to remind everyone of his fighting abilities in winning by majority decision on Saturday.

“I just knew what I could do,” Garcia said.

Fans will not forget the lanky kid from Victorville, California now.

Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) fooled everyone in playing crazy weeks before the fight, then showed shocking power to hand Haney (30-1, 15 KOs) his first loss as a professional at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Haney’s WBC super lightweight title was not at stake for Garcia because he weighed three pounds over the limit.

After Garcia seemingly acting out of control on social media, Haney’s guard must have slipped in the first round during the first few seconds as Garcia connected with that hellish left hook and Haney, with a look of shock in his eyes, almost went down. He barely survived the first round.

“He caught me with it,” said Haney.

During the next few rounds, Haney proceeded to advance toward Garcia seemingly fully aware of the lethal left hook. He used feints and rights to score with a busier approach as Garcia seemed cocked and ready to counter with a left hook.

In the fourth round it seemed Haney was confident he had regained control of the fight, but every time he opened up with more than a two-punch combination Garcia reminded him whose hands were faster and more dangerous.

Though Garcia seldom jabbed he seemed bent on looking for the right moment to unleash his deadly left hook. And every time the Southern California fighter opened up with a combination he scored and Haney dare not exchange.

A few times Haney smiled as if signifying he escaped.

In the seventh round Haney looked to punish Garcia’s body and instead was met with a three-punch combination included a left hook to the chin and down went Haney slumped on the ground. He managed to beat the count and as soon as Garcia came within reach Haney wrapped his arms around him with a python grip. Despite the warnings by referee Harvey Dock, the fallen fighter would not release and Garcia impatiently fired a weak punch during the break. The referee deducted a point from Garcia though he could have deducted a point from Haney for not obeying his instructions to release his hold. Haney actually went down three times in the round but only one was counted by the referee.

From that point on Haney was very cautious but still looking to win by decision.

Though Garcia kept using a shoulder-roll defense that left his body exposed, he would retaliate with three and four punch combinations that usually Haney could defend against other fighters.. But Garcia’s blazing combinations were too fast to defend.

In the 10^th round Haney looked to attack and was countered by Garcia’s right and a blinding left hook to the chin and another two blows that sent the former undisputed lightweight champion to the floor again.

It didn’t look good for Haney to survive.

Garcia walked into the 11^th round still composed and never out-of-control He dared Haney to exchange and when within striking distance Garcia unleashed another lightning combination and down went Haney again with a defeated look.

Both fighters had fought each other as amateurs six times so there were no surprises between them. But Garcia’s power and speed were superior and that was the difference in a professional fight.

In the final round both were cautious with Garcia’s combination punching proving too dangerous for Haney to open up. Garcia celebrated early as the round ended confident of victory.

After 12 rounds Garcia was seen the victor by majority decision 112-112, 114-110, 115-109.

“You really thought I was crazy,” Garcia told the interviewer and the crowd. “You guys hated on me.”

Other Bouts

Arnold Barboza (30-0) won a curious split decision victory over United Kingdom’s Sean McComb (18-2) in a 10-round super lightweight fight. McComb’s long reach and busy southpaw style gave Barboza trouble. But he managed to win the fight though the crowd was not pleased.

Bektemir Melikuziev (14-1, 10 KOs) defeated France’s Pierre Dibombe (22-1-1) by technical decision after eight rounds due to a cut on his eye from an accidental head butt. It was a very competitive super middleweight fight.

Costa Rica’s David Jimenez (16-1, 11 KOs) outworked John “Scrappy Ramirez (13-1, 9 KOs) in a 12-round scrap to upset the Los Angeles based fighter. After a few close rounds Jimenez simply bullied his way inside and forced Ramirez against the ropes and unloaded his guns.

After 12 rounds two judges saw it 117-111 and 116-114 all for Jimenez.

“I’m a hard-working man from Cartago I come from nothing,” said Jimenez. “My corner told me I had to work inside.”

Charles Conwell (19-0, 14 KOs) stepped on the gas early with vicious body shots and uppercuts and blasted through the resilient Nathaniel Gallimore (22-8-1, 17 KOs) for several rounds. After a brutal fifth and sixth round the referee halted the one-side beating in favor of Conwell who was fighting for the first time under the Golden Boy banner.

Another winner was Sergiy Derevyanchenko (15-5) by decision over Vaughn Alexander (18-11-1) in a super middleweight match.

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