Figure of speech or literally? Didn't see the fight but I've heard that Mayweather was repeatedly warned, to no avail, against holding. Otherwise, I'd have to agree with Puma - one canna fault outstanding defencive boxing.
He was, but most of the time it was actually Pacquiao's arms outside his. I didn't really get that. If anyone didn't feel comfortable on the inside, surely it was Pacquiao. He doesn't really have an inside game does he? So, I don't think that was all down to Floyd, and it was nothing anyway. You see it all the time, but obviously because it's Floyd it gets magnified a million times. Pacquiao ducked his head a few times, a bit like Haye v Wladimir, but unlike Haye, Manny didn't throw himself down. So Floyd was warned a couple of times for holding his head down, but again, there wasn't much he could do if we are honest. Floyd threw more, obviously landed more. When a fighter does that you certainly can't accuse them of trying to spoil the fight. Well, I don't think so. Like I said a few years back, it was really unreasonable, and just too much to expect of Manny to beat Floyd. And when he couldn't, he is getting bashed for various, unfair reasons. Manny has been great. His given us great nights. Let's say thank you, but also give Floyd his due. His a genius. The best around , no doubt.
I wasn't excited by the fight, but that doesn't mean I won't acknowledge Mayweather's genius. Floyd was nothing short of dazzling - like he always is. There really is nobody in his generation who has challenged him, and I think that's why I couldn't feel the buzz surrounding this fight. Too many people expected Pacquiao to win - mostly, I believe, because they just wanted to see the king dethroned and didn't care who did it - and now there's all sorts of stupid conspiracy theories running around.
Just watching the fight for the first time and I'm currently in round 6. A superb fight and an absolute master class from Floyd. Floyd leading with the rear cross has taken Manny's natural jab, angle off and double rear cross away from him. With Floyd leading with his rear cross Manny can't then angle to Floyd's left, as he'll walk onto a left hook. It's also nice to see Floyd taking the lead, proving he's not just a skilled counter puncher.
What became of the "Mayweather doesn't do well against Southpaws" schtick ? That one didn't pan out either, obviously. From the sound of those who actually saw the fight, Pacquiao dern't come close to being the fighter whose given Mayweather the most trouble.
Mayweather has a slightly longer than normal stance. His front foot is about 6 -10 inches more forward than most. This means anyone wanting to hit him has to over reach. He draws them in by leaning forward at the waist and he snaps back into a beautiful upright position to avid being hit. Manny therefore was onto a loser from the get go. Because he came forward in straight lines it was easy for Floyd after round 6. Manny didn't draw a lead from Floyd, he just walked into it.
Yes, but that is a fact; facts don't sell and are not grist for speculation. The 'Southpaw Blues' tune was sung again and again as a common refrain - Maybe Mayweather's camp started it as an apparent 'sure thing' does not equate to mo money. "Mayweather struggles against Southpaws" - nahh? "Mayweather struggled against a Southpaw...once" - no? "Mayweather ought to struggle against Southpaws", then ??
Again, Mayweather is the best there is, nobody is disputing it. He is a god damn artist. It's just that his art is like Jazz, or Monet, and I like rock and roll Michael Angelo.
I canna for the life of me understand why people think Mayweather's style boring. Just the timing needed to counter from the philly shell is unbelievable. Try sparring from this stance if you don't think it is. Blocking shot after shot with the elbow boring ?? Let me tell ya who's boring - Klitschko. Yeah, he gets KO's but every fight seems like the last one. He jabs, he holds, he jabs, he crosses, he holds, he....might throw a left hook...meh, he might not...he holds...he holds...he jabs...he holds. Even the ref got so tired of his god-forsaken holding he started deducting points in his last fight. LoL - Klitschko didn't know what to do. He'd do his jab, jab and instinctively lean on his opponent and begin to put his arms down - like Frankenstein crushing a villager - and then he'd remember and jerk his arms back like he'd been stung by a bee, turning around to see if the ref deducted another point. The Leapai fight being an exception - that was fun to watch.
One, it's jealously. I mean, they can't criticise him can they? He is the best at everything, and I include offense in that. After all, he hits people more than they do him, so his offense must be better. Some say he runs away. This simply isn't true. He holds his ground. He even stayed in the corner at times and urged Pacquiao in. He is what any boxer should inspire to be. So clever. But instead of just saying his great, people always have to say something negative, like he is boring, or not their cup of tea. I really think if people find him boring, they don't understand the sport. What, they prefer fighters who stand there and let the other punch them repeatedly in the mouth? Two, as just mentioned, I don't think people understand what is going on. It's not a bar room brawl. It's not two jacked up druggies going at it, there are other sports for that. Boxing must be the only sport where fans are happy to pay full price and hope it ends early! Imagine if a football match was stopped a quarter of the way through because the players had had enough. There were times in the fight he actually made me gasp. That beautiful right hand in the first which set the tone. His little moves that just as Manny was about to pull the trigger just changed the angle slightly to put him off. I enjoyed the fight personally. And Mayweather, throughout his career, has given us plenty of entertainment. Not many fights will be Barrera-Morales or Hagler-Hearns. I always scratch my head when people say Corrales-Castillo was a great fight. Take the ending out, which was unbelievable, I can't see how the same thing, just leaning on each other, over and over, appealed. But again, Mayweather is fairly easy to watch because he is such a clean fighter - as in technically clean. He can bend some rules. And, I think people are talking bollocks anyway, as his PPV figures suggest maybe he isn't that boring after all.
Again, I understand he is technically superior to just about every boxer out there, but it doesn't make it interesting. GSP is perhaps the most well rounded MMA fighter of all time, and many people hated his dominating style and found it dull. Were they wrong? No, they have a right to there opinion. So please stop saying that those who find him boring don't understand boxing.
I don't think finding him boring means you do not understand the sport, so much as you prefer crunchy peanut butter over smooth - GSP above is a great illustration of said point What I DO think shows zero grasp of the sport is calling Floyd a "runner" or "afraid to engage". Typically it comes from people who have never set foot in a gym, let alone a ring
