So the American Heavyweight match-up between life-long boxer and ex collegiate football player ended in a KO-1 demolition to the boxer. Who'd have thunk it?
The perennially "re-focused" "serious" "no more messin' around" Arreola showed up, and patiently went to work at removing Seth Mitchell's head from his shoulders. Mitchell was saved from that fate by good refereeing, as it immediately became clear that the gulf in skills was so large that there was only one possible outcome.
I feel for Mitchell. Some people online seem to treat him with only disdain; how dare this man have dreams? How dare this man work hard and want to achieve a seemingly impossible dream of transitioning to another sport? How dare he try?
Offensively, he looked sharp enough in the few combinations he let go in the first minute. Solid jab and straight fight, it's what you would expect of a recent convert just trying his best. Mitchell's problems, and there are many which cannot be addressed now in this 30s, are a complete lack of defence, compounded by a near inability to take a punch.
Heavyweights hit hard. We know this. Any heavyweight can get knocked out by nearly any other heavyweight. Just look at the early KO losses on Wladimir Klitschko's resume and you'll see that he reacts the same way to any human who gets hit very hard by guy weighing 200-250lbs. He gets put to sleep.
But whereas a world class fighter like Wlad has experience and skills to fall back on to get him through the moments of doubt following another destruction, Seth Mitchell does not. He just has an emptying dressing room and his thoughts to comfort him as he ponders whether getting badly KO'd every few months is going to be a good way to make a living. Hopefully, he will see the light and forge a successful career elsewhere, in a sport that does not require him to have perfect knees (the reason for the demise of a promising Football career) or a resilient chin.
Arreola found himself yet again at a crossroads in his career, and he passed the test. He will fight on, and if he fights regularly he will be all the better for it. A rematch with Stiverne has been mooted, and one I would be happy to see. That was a legitimately good heavyweight fight the first time round; the sport could do with a few more of those.
Monday, 9 September 2013
Thursday, 5 September 2013
Will Floyd Mayweather ever lace up his gloves on British shores?
Floyd Mayweather talks as good a game as he plays. So once more, the usual 'I would love to fight in the UK!' quotes are being touted around, the opponent usually nominated is Amir Khan, the venue an outdoor stadium such as the new Wembley in London.
This will never happen.
Just in case you missed it. This will never happen.
Firstly the MGM Grand has been a rather comfortable home for Floyd. He lives in Las Vegas. He trains in Las Vegas. His cars, his clothes, even his smile, they're all Las Vegas. He trousering a cool $41.5 million Las-Vegas sized check for his upcoming bout with Canelo.
Go take a look at Floyd's boxrec. Floyd's last fight was at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. As was the one before that. And so on. Floyd's last fight not in the MGM grand was a few hundred yards up the street at Madalay Bay Casino. You have to go back to 2006 to Oregon and the Sharmba Mitchell fight for his last venture away from The Strip.
Mayweather's nickname is Money, and it is his preferred moniker for a reason.
The UK introduced some very wacky, non-friendly tax laws back in the 2000s, that not only taxed the income that was generated by the athlete in the UK, but also taxed a percentage of the income that athlete made around the world during the rest of the year.*
That's right, the UK taxman decided it would be a good idea to tax foreign athletes, plying their trade in foreign countries, for having the nerve to bring their world class abilities to the UK and bring entertainment and happiness to the general public.
Andre Agassi tried to stand up to this boneheaded law. He lost. Usain Bolt avoids competing in the UK because of it, as I'm sure numerous others do. Top athletes see potential millions being flushed down the drain, and the middling professionals could see a career high payday in another country reduced after deciding to have a crack on the court at Wimbledon, on the course at The Open, or on the track at Crystal Palace.
Floyd has 4 fights left on his deal with Showtime after he has disposed of Canelo in a couple of weeks. Is there a possibility he may fight in another location. I would say the chances are remote, but it's not impossible.
But Money goes where money is. Dubai or Macau, or any other tax-free haven is your only shot of seeing Pretty Boy ply his trade outside of the New World. If I was Amir Khan or on his team, I'd start crunching the numbers and adding '...in Dubai' to the end of his monthly reminded that his marquee fight is just around the corner.
He lives there. He trains there. His family and friends live there. He gambles there. He makes insane amounts of money there. You don't have to be a bookie to work out the odds of where his next 4 fights will be taking place.
---
*The UK tax law is in relation to endorsements, which is a major source of most athlete's income. When last year Forbes listed Mayweather as the top earner in all of sport (which they will surely do again this year) his endorsement earnings were listed as $0.
Related Articles
Floyd to fight in the UK? - http://www.boxingscene.com/floyd-mayweather-consider-uk-shows-fight-2014--69297
Great account from British fighter Ashley Theophane, recently signed to TMT promotions, about what goes on in the Mayweather gym. -http://boxingnewsonline.net/latest/feature/ashley-theophane-delivers-fascinating-insight-into-life-inside-the-floyd-mayweather-gym and http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/latest/feature/ashley-theophane-the-floyd-mayweather-gym-diaries
This will never happen.
Just in case you missed it. This will never happen.
Firstly the MGM Grand has been a rather comfortable home for Floyd. He lives in Las Vegas. He trains in Las Vegas. His cars, his clothes, even his smile, they're all Las Vegas. He trousering a cool $41.5 million Las-Vegas sized check for his upcoming bout with Canelo.
Go take a look at Floyd's boxrec. Floyd's last fight was at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. As was the one before that. And so on. Floyd's last fight not in the MGM grand was a few hundred yards up the street at Madalay Bay Casino. You have to go back to 2006 to Oregon and the Sharmba Mitchell fight for his last venture away from The Strip.
Mayweather's nickname is Money, and it is his preferred moniker for a reason.
The UK introduced some very wacky, non-friendly tax laws back in the 2000s, that not only taxed the income that was generated by the athlete in the UK, but also taxed a percentage of the income that athlete made around the world during the rest of the year.*
That's right, the UK taxman decided it would be a good idea to tax foreign athletes, plying their trade in foreign countries, for having the nerve to bring their world class abilities to the UK and bring entertainment and happiness to the general public.
Andre Agassi tried to stand up to this boneheaded law. He lost. Usain Bolt avoids competing in the UK because of it, as I'm sure numerous others do. Top athletes see potential millions being flushed down the drain, and the middling professionals could see a career high payday in another country reduced after deciding to have a crack on the court at Wimbledon, on the course at The Open, or on the track at Crystal Palace.
Floyd has 4 fights left on his deal with Showtime after he has disposed of Canelo in a couple of weeks. Is there a possibility he may fight in another location. I would say the chances are remote, but it's not impossible.
But Money goes where money is. Dubai or Macau, or any other tax-free haven is your only shot of seeing Pretty Boy ply his trade outside of the New World. If I was Amir Khan or on his team, I'd start crunching the numbers and adding '...in Dubai' to the end of his monthly reminded that his marquee fight is just around the corner.
He lives there. He trains there. His family and friends live there. He gambles there. He makes insane amounts of money there. You don't have to be a bookie to work out the odds of where his next 4 fights will be taking place.
---
*The UK tax law is in relation to endorsements, which is a major source of most athlete's income. When last year Forbes listed Mayweather as the top earner in all of sport (which they will surely do again this year) his endorsement earnings were listed as $0.
Related Articles
Floyd to fight in the UK? - http://www.boxingscene.com/floyd-mayweather-consider-uk-shows-fight-2014--69297
Great account from British fighter Ashley Theophane, recently signed to TMT promotions, about what goes on in the Mayweather gym. -http://boxingnewsonline.net/latest/feature/ashley-theophane-delivers-fascinating-insight-into-life-inside-the-floyd-mayweather-gym and http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/latest/feature/ashley-theophane-the-floyd-mayweather-gym-diaries
Sunday, 1 September 2013
All Access Mayweather vs. Canelo Episode 2 - Review
"I'm not a fucking sparring partner...I'm Floyd Mayweather and I can fight. Boxing is an art. I don't have to be the strongest, I don't have to be the fastest, I don't need to have the best footwork, but I got the best mind. Like I always say, it's chess. I know how to win"
I will always enjoy a solidly put together piece on an upcoming fight. 24/7 on HBO, or All Access on Showtime - They are what they are. Essentially a 30 minute advert to try and convince you to spend an extra fifty or so bucks on a few hours of entertainment on a Saturday night. As I live outwith the US, I'm not their target, but I enjoy them all the same. The formula has begun to tire at times, but if you have a good fight with interesting and different characters, these shows serve their purpose well.It opened with the smooth beats of I Need a Dollar by Aloe Blacc, which must've made its fair share of cash through ads and soundtracks. I hear it on shows multiple times every year.
As fight time approaches, Floyd has gone all-in on his 'Money' persona to best sell the fight and increase the buys. It will always be his default pitch when it comes to the crunch; and why shouldn't it be?
He's stacked an inordinate amount of bills since he switched from his Ali-esque 'Pretty Boy' Floyd days. Which tells me that people are much more likely to part with their hard-earned cash for the chance to see the richest man in all of sports suffer his first loss, than see an Adonis have his looks transfigured.
Canelo went off to Big Bear to "ready his body and soul" for the upcoming fight. I would personally prioritise the body, as the shedding of the final 2lbs to make the 152lb catchweight will probably be shed by some good old fashioned road work as opposed to some quiet meditation time.
Mayweather's weak hands got a showing, as he damaged his right hand in the Guerrero fight resulting in a nasty contusion between his knuckles. On his recent media workout, Mayweather was barely touching the bag and pads as he worked out in front of the cameras but I can't read too much into this. Come fight night he will let his hands go until they break again, which is why we see his rare stoppage victories come due to the demoralization of his opponents, not from any single jarring blow.
Meanwhile in Big Bear, Canelo the unstoppable machine is ripping the heads off his sparring partners and discarding of their carcasses somewhere in the woods, or something of that ilk. Of his 3 training partners, only 1 remains standing. One has fractured ribs (possible) and another a dislocated shoulder... (Come on! Anybody remember a fighter having their shoulder dislocated by a blow in any recent fight? There's been some notable heroics, but by a blow? Anybody?)
As the episode drew to a close, Mayweather parties with uncountable bottles of Rose, while Team Canelo sit and watch last week's shocking Jhonny Gonzalez victory over Abner Mares. The implication being, underdogs can win with just one shot.
Overall it was a solid episode that stuck to a tried and tested formula. This fight is not a hard sell to anyone. It will be the biggest fight of the year.
Related Links
Official link to the episode - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTRWXNd8ZJI
This is unofficial, for those like me outside the US who can't access the Showtime youtube channel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6QFpWJuo5A
Saturday, 31 August 2013
Nonito Donaire v Vic Darchinyan - Dinner is served
"So what happens? He gets the title shot outdoors on the
ballpark and what do I get? A one-way ticket to Palooka-ville!"
Terry Malloy - On the Waterfront (1954)
The fortunes of Nonito Donaire and Guillermo Rigondeaux have
varied wildly since Rigo dissected Donaire in Radio City Music Hall in New York
in April earlier this year.
Prior to the fight, Donaire was one of the more favoured
fighters in the sport; on many commentators top 5 pound for pound lists and
possessing one of the most hellacious left hooks in any weight division. For
your proof just take a look at The Ring Magazine Knock Out of the Year award.
Donaire's left hook is one of the few punches to have two entries on that list.
Unfortunately one punch is not enough against a defensive
wizard like Rigo, who popped in and out of range with ease and defeated Donaire
comfortably in what some would call a deeply technical chess match, and others
struggle to remember as they fell asleep somewhere along the way.
Donaire appeared unfocused, and much softer around the
middle than in previous outings. He was possibly distracted by the arrival of a
new child.
So unlike Brando in On the Waterfront, who took a dive for
the short end money and ended up in Palooka-ville, Rigo has managed to somehow
find himself on the same train after blacking the eye and the record of one of
Top Rank's biggest stars.
And Donaire? He has a rematch with Vic Darchinyann
headlining on HBO, 6 years after he announced himself by defeating the based
Armenian in 2007.
We already have an absolute career highlight from their first meeting, so we really need to see it again? Nobody flicking through their
cable channels is probably going to complain about seeing a repeat, but not
unlike his fight vs Jorge Arce, there is little scope for the upset in this
one.
Related Links
Donaire-Darchinyan rematch announced for November 9th http://www.boxingscene.com/donaire-darchinyan-rematch-complete-nov-9--69145
Scott Christ of Bad Left Hook weighs up the problems faced by Top Rank in promoting Rigo. Super skilled, but so far unmarketable. http://www.badlefthook.com/2013/4/14/4222890/donaire-vs-rigondeaux-results-commentary-selling-guillermo-arum-promoter-dilemma-hbo-boxing
Friday, 30 August 2013
Lucas Matthysse - Can anybody stop 'The Machine?'
Lucas Matthysse has been high on hardcore boxing fans radars for many years, but as with his fellow heavy-hitters Gennady Golovkin and Sergei Kovalev, he's had a breakout year in 2013.
And so we come to the mouthwatering unification fight between 'The Machine' and Danny Garcia, the chief support on the Mayweather-Alvarez fight on September 14th. This fight (and the headliner) is a rare thing; a fight between two legitimately top fighters that has happened rather swiftly with minimal hyping, talking, postponing or build-up. There was no need for 'marinating' the fight, as good old Uncle Bob Arum liked to say about the megafight that never was between Lopez and Gamboa in 2009.
This is a feast being served up at just the right time. And while Matthysse may well find himself exposed against a slick boxer who can fight from the outside and move in and out for a full 12 rounds (don't be surprised if he is one of Floyd's final 4 opponents on his Showtime deal), Danny Garcia is not that man.
Matthysse, like many ferocious one punch KO artists, generates his power from vicious hooks launched from mid-range. He torques his torso so violently, that when he misses he can sometimes end up flat on his backside.
For those who think that Matthysse has upped his game considerably since his 'losses' (the term can be used rather loosely here judging by public opinion) against Zab Judah and Devon Alexander, just check out the first round of his recent destruction of Lamont Peterson. The KO-2 victory can tempt us to overlook what actually happened before crushing left hook that slammed Peterson hard to the canvas.
Just watch the first round. Does Matthysse look like an elite fighter? How many of his punches are landing? And not only that, how many of his medium range, lunging hooks miss by a country mile? Peterson sees them coming, and simply steps back, or checks his own offense and leaves Matthysse embarrassingly open.
So I forsee Lucas coming unstuck against someone who could dodge the barrage and perfectly time a counter. And yet, I don't see that man being Danny Garcia.
Garcia has a good history of huge counter lefts. Just watch his Amir Khan fight, we all know how that ended. Look at the thunderous left hook that ended the relevance of Erik Morales' comeback, literally spinning him round 180 degrees into the ropes. Garcia could feasibly step back and drop Matthysse with another one of these 'perfect punches.'
The problem is; Garcia will have to survive a barrage or two himself before he gets his timing down. Don't forget, Amir Khan was battering Danny Garcia in the opening rounds. He had multiple cuts, and was continuously tagged by Khan's flashy combos. Khan is blessed with preternatural speed, but not with enough punching power to back it up. Garcia could take the punishment for a long time before the fight could be stopped on cuts or due to a sustained beating, like the Khan-Malignaggi fight.
Garcia cannot afford to employ such a masochistic strategy when stepping in with the Argentinian. Garcia is astoundingly slow at times, both in speed of hand and speed of foot. But say what you like, Garcia is undefeated and is one of those fighters who seemingly always finds a way to win. But can he take a full blooded shot from a fighter on a roll with a 32KOs from 34 victories? I don't think any light-welter could.
Judah and Alexander survived Garcia by simply avoiding being hit flush from mid-range too often. Is Garcia the type of fighter capable of such a disciplined defensive performance? So far in his career of 26 fights, he hasn't been. There is no reason to believe he will suddenly change his style.
Related Links
Post-fight analysis of Matthysse v Peterson by Richard Dwyer of gamblersadvisory.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i8jTaGMgz8
Great piece on the underrated technique of Matthysse in the Peterson fight. Although again, I'd say just go and watch the first round and see just how frequently he misses.
http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/16671-how-he-did-it-underrated-technician-matthysse-not-just-a-bomber
And so we come to the mouthwatering unification fight between 'The Machine' and Danny Garcia, the chief support on the Mayweather-Alvarez fight on September 14th. This fight (and the headliner) is a rare thing; a fight between two legitimately top fighters that has happened rather swiftly with minimal hyping, talking, postponing or build-up. There was no need for 'marinating' the fight, as good old Uncle Bob Arum liked to say about the megafight that never was between Lopez and Gamboa in 2009.
This is a feast being served up at just the right time. And while Matthysse may well find himself exposed against a slick boxer who can fight from the outside and move in and out for a full 12 rounds (don't be surprised if he is one of Floyd's final 4 opponents on his Showtime deal), Danny Garcia is not that man.
Matthysse, like many ferocious one punch KO artists, generates his power from vicious hooks launched from mid-range. He torques his torso so violently, that when he misses he can sometimes end up flat on his backside.
For those who think that Matthysse has upped his game considerably since his 'losses' (the term can be used rather loosely here judging by public opinion) against Zab Judah and Devon Alexander, just check out the first round of his recent destruction of Lamont Peterson. The KO-2 victory can tempt us to overlook what actually happened before crushing left hook that slammed Peterson hard to the canvas.
Just watch the first round. Does Matthysse look like an elite fighter? How many of his punches are landing? And not only that, how many of his medium range, lunging hooks miss by a country mile? Peterson sees them coming, and simply steps back, or checks his own offense and leaves Matthysse embarrassingly open.
So I forsee Lucas coming unstuck against someone who could dodge the barrage and perfectly time a counter. And yet, I don't see that man being Danny Garcia.
Garcia has a good history of huge counter lefts. Just watch his Amir Khan fight, we all know how that ended. Look at the thunderous left hook that ended the relevance of Erik Morales' comeback, literally spinning him round 180 degrees into the ropes. Garcia could feasibly step back and drop Matthysse with another one of these 'perfect punches.'
The problem is; Garcia will have to survive a barrage or two himself before he gets his timing down. Don't forget, Amir Khan was battering Danny Garcia in the opening rounds. He had multiple cuts, and was continuously tagged by Khan's flashy combos. Khan is blessed with preternatural speed, but not with enough punching power to back it up. Garcia could take the punishment for a long time before the fight could be stopped on cuts or due to a sustained beating, like the Khan-Malignaggi fight.
Garcia cannot afford to employ such a masochistic strategy when stepping in with the Argentinian. Garcia is astoundingly slow at times, both in speed of hand and speed of foot. But say what you like, Garcia is undefeated and is one of those fighters who seemingly always finds a way to win. But can he take a full blooded shot from a fighter on a roll with a 32KOs from 34 victories? I don't think any light-welter could.
Judah and Alexander survived Garcia by simply avoiding being hit flush from mid-range too often. Is Garcia the type of fighter capable of such a disciplined defensive performance? So far in his career of 26 fights, he hasn't been. There is no reason to believe he will suddenly change his style.
Related Links
Post-fight analysis of Matthysse v Peterson by Richard Dwyer of gamblersadvisory.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i8jTaGMgz8
Great piece on the underrated technique of Matthysse in the Peterson fight. Although again, I'd say just go and watch the first round and see just how frequently he misses.
http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/16671-how-he-did-it-underrated-technician-matthysse-not-just-a-bomber
Mayweather vs Canelo - Don't be fooled by the size of the bull, the matador always wins
So we are but a couple of weekends away from the largest fight of this or any recent year, when Floyd Mayweather risks his undefeated record against much-fancied Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.
It's an easy fight to promote, and even the casual fan can buy into the narrative of the wily, experienced champion vs the young pretender.
As we focus on the record takings at the gate, or probably a record number of PPV buys, the differences in weight and size, it is quite possible to overlook the most obvious question:
Who is going to win the fight?
Look, there can be no doubt that Saul Alvarez has a puncher's chance in this fight. The guy hits hard; just look at what his piston straight right did to Austin Trout, a physically bigger fighter than Canelo who had never touched the canvas before.
But don't put your money on a puncher's chance against the greatest fighter of his generation. In almost any world title fight, no matter how mismatched, the underdog will usually be capable of hitting that one shot that could cause the upset. Most fighters don't rise to that level in the sport without possessing at least a little pop. (Well, not Paulie Malignaggi)
Look down Mayweather's resume; most fighters had enough punching power to stop Floyd. How many times in the past decade have we seen him truly in trouble? How many times in the last decade have we seen him caught with clean punches?
My answer would be once, in the second round of his fight with Shane Mosley. Check out the clip, savor it, because those are really the only two punches that have truly troubled Floyd in the past century. For someone who had never really taken such a shot, he grabbed hold of Mosley's booming right, or clinched as he weathered the storm.
So, other than landing a perfect shot, how else can Canelo win this fight?
Canelo is not going to win this fight by outworking Floyd Mayweather. Canelo has historically low punch output; and when I say low, I mean the guy simply does not fight for 3 minutes of every round. He takes breaks.
Floyd also is not a volume puncher; but Mayweather is the most accurate puncher of any fighter in recent memory. It is not bravado when Money goes on a self-congratulatory diatribe, the stats back it up.
Canelo is not going to out-punch Mayweather. Canelo is not going to out-land Mayweather either. These things will simply just not happen.
What about movement? Can Canelo stalk his opponent, cut off the ring and walk him down until he can land the straight right hand?
Again, I just can't see this happening. We have seen more than enough of Mayweather to know he can fight just as comfortably in the middle of the ring as on the ropes. Look at the De La Hoya fight, or the Cotto fight, or look at the first few rounds before the bizarre ending of the Victor Ortiz fight.
When De La Hoya drives Mayweather back to the ropes, and the crowd cheer with every imagined blow, they might as well be shouting "Ole!" as Floyd ducks and dodges as Oscar gives
Mayweather will happily stand in the pocket, in front of a very heavy hitter, and twist and roll away from one barrage after another. It can be deceptive; when the punches are coming in that fast, it can look like some are hitting their mark, but when you go back again and watch the tape, slow it down, you'll see the truth.
As Mayweather weaves hypnotically infront of his foe, the blows are glancing off elbows, being absorbed by his high shoulders, and the rare glove that manages to find its way to his skull is allowed only the briefest kiss before he has limboed his way out of danger once more.
I'll watch some more Canelo fights in the coming weeks, but right now for me, he's carrying only a puncher's chance. If he can't find the target, no matter how hard he hits, the end result will be all too familiar.
It's an easy fight to promote, and even the casual fan can buy into the narrative of the wily, experienced champion vs the young pretender.
As we focus on the record takings at the gate, or probably a record number of PPV buys, the differences in weight and size, it is quite possible to overlook the most obvious question:
Who is going to win the fight?
Look, there can be no doubt that Saul Alvarez has a puncher's chance in this fight. The guy hits hard; just look at what his piston straight right did to Austin Trout, a physically bigger fighter than Canelo who had never touched the canvas before.
But don't put your money on a puncher's chance against the greatest fighter of his generation. In almost any world title fight, no matter how mismatched, the underdog will usually be capable of hitting that one shot that could cause the upset. Most fighters don't rise to that level in the sport without possessing at least a little pop. (Well, not Paulie Malignaggi)
Look down Mayweather's resume; most fighters had enough punching power to stop Floyd. How many times in the past decade have we seen him truly in trouble? How many times in the last decade have we seen him caught with clean punches?
My answer would be once, in the second round of his fight with Shane Mosley. Check out the clip, savor it, because those are really the only two punches that have truly troubled Floyd in the past century. For someone who had never really taken such a shot, he grabbed hold of Mosley's booming right, or clinched as he weathered the storm.
So, other than landing a perfect shot, how else can Canelo win this fight?
Canelo is not going to win this fight by outworking Floyd Mayweather. Canelo has historically low punch output; and when I say low, I mean the guy simply does not fight for 3 minutes of every round. He takes breaks.
Floyd also is not a volume puncher; but Mayweather is the most accurate puncher of any fighter in recent memory. It is not bravado when Money goes on a self-congratulatory diatribe, the stats back it up.
Canelo is not going to out-punch Mayweather. Canelo is not going to out-land Mayweather either. These things will simply just not happen.
What about movement? Can Canelo stalk his opponent, cut off the ring and walk him down until he can land the straight right hand?
Again, I just can't see this happening. We have seen more than enough of Mayweather to know he can fight just as comfortably in the middle of the ring as on the ropes. Look at the De La Hoya fight, or the Cotto fight, or look at the first few rounds before the bizarre ending of the Victor Ortiz fight.
When De La Hoya drives Mayweather back to the ropes, and the crowd cheer with every imagined blow, they might as well be shouting "Ole!" as Floyd ducks and dodges as Oscar gives
Mayweather will happily stand in the pocket, in front of a very heavy hitter, and twist and roll away from one barrage after another. It can be deceptive; when the punches are coming in that fast, it can look like some are hitting their mark, but when you go back again and watch the tape, slow it down, you'll see the truth.
As Mayweather weaves hypnotically infront of his foe, the blows are glancing off elbows, being absorbed by his high shoulders, and the rare glove that manages to find its way to his skull is allowed only the briefest kiss before he has limboed his way out of danger once more.
I'll watch some more Canelo fights in the coming weeks, but right now for me, he's carrying only a puncher's chance. If he can't find the target, no matter how hard he hits, the end result will be all too familiar.
Thursday, 29 August 2013
"The harder I practice, the luckier I get"
On his recent publicity tour of China to promote his upcoming bout with Brandon Rios, Manny Pacquiao commented on the devastating KO punch that had floored him so shockingly in his last fight in the quadrology with his nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez. He said:
"I think Marquez just got lucky, he got lucky in that fight."
The notion of the 'lucky punch' is one that comes up frequently in boxing, spilling forth not only in blogs like my own, or from the comments below the line, but also from the commentators, the trainers and even the fighters themselves. Well, the defeated ones anyway.
I've seen people go back and forth over the value of a single punch in a fight. They link to clips, GIFs, still photos, covering multiple angles, dissecting it frame by frame, not unlike Jim Harrison pondering just what happened over there on the grassy knoll.
"He has his eyes closed!" they thunder. "It was just not fair."
Of course, I understand why fighters say this, why Pacquiao would be loathe to say "He just beat me fair and square."* If you're trying to position yourself as the best in the sport, and on the all time great list, a 'lucky shot' could amount to merely an asterisk on a glittering resume that oozes quality all the way from a 2001 IBF Super Bantamweight shot against Lehlo Ledwaba, up to his physical limit at Light-Middleweight when he crushed Antonio Margarito's orbital bone, along with his future career in the sport.
I saw similar accusations of luck hurled at Sergio Martinez for cracking a chin that was thought to be uncrackable, or at Danny Garcia for poleaxing a guy several fans feel would be felled by a particularly stiff wind.
Next time someone throws this lazy accusation out there, there's a simple solution. Watch the fight again. Danny Garcia was loading up on huge counter lefts all night vs Khan, even as Khan sliced and diced his face over the opening 2 rounds. He had a plan, he had faith in it; this was not a man swinging for the fences.
Ditto Juan Manuel Marquez. Watch the fight again. As Pacquiao roared back from his knock down and was chasing Marquez from corner to corner, and adding layer after layer of blood that was gushing from Marquez' broken nose, he still had a plan. He still had faith.
You have a world class, veteran fighter, throwing a looping overhand right that had already sent his opponent to the canvas in an earlier round.
In the end, it reached it's target with the pinpoint accuracy of an Olympic archer.
These are not 'lucky punches.' They're perfect.
---
*To be fair to Manny, he was mainly complimentary and gracious in defeat after losing to Marquez, saying "I have no excuses."
"I think Marquez just got lucky, he got lucky in that fight."
The notion of the 'lucky punch' is one that comes up frequently in boxing, spilling forth not only in blogs like my own, or from the comments below the line, but also from the commentators, the trainers and even the fighters themselves. Well, the defeated ones anyway.
I've seen people go back and forth over the value of a single punch in a fight. They link to clips, GIFs, still photos, covering multiple angles, dissecting it frame by frame, not unlike Jim Harrison pondering just what happened over there on the grassy knoll.
"He has his eyes closed!" they thunder. "It was just not fair."
Of course, I understand why fighters say this, why Pacquiao would be loathe to say "He just beat me fair and square."* If you're trying to position yourself as the best in the sport, and on the all time great list, a 'lucky shot' could amount to merely an asterisk on a glittering resume that oozes quality all the way from a 2001 IBF Super Bantamweight shot against Lehlo Ledwaba, up to his physical limit at Light-Middleweight when he crushed Antonio Margarito's orbital bone, along with his future career in the sport.
I saw similar accusations of luck hurled at Sergio Martinez for cracking a chin that was thought to be uncrackable, or at Danny Garcia for poleaxing a guy several fans feel would be felled by a particularly stiff wind.
Next time someone throws this lazy accusation out there, there's a simple solution. Watch the fight again. Danny Garcia was loading up on huge counter lefts all night vs Khan, even as Khan sliced and diced his face over the opening 2 rounds. He had a plan, he had faith in it; this was not a man swinging for the fences.
Ditto Juan Manuel Marquez. Watch the fight again. As Pacquiao roared back from his knock down and was chasing Marquez from corner to corner, and adding layer after layer of blood that was gushing from Marquez' broken nose, he still had a plan. He still had faith.
You have a world class, veteran fighter, throwing a looping overhand right that had already sent his opponent to the canvas in an earlier round.
In the end, it reached it's target with the pinpoint accuracy of an Olympic archer.
These are not 'lucky punches.' They're perfect.
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*To be fair to Manny, he was mainly complimentary and gracious in defeat after losing to Marquez, saying "I have no excuses."
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