Showdown eludes Floyd Mayweather
Feb 3, 2012 |
Sapa-AP |
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LAS VEGAS - Floyd Mayweather Jr got almost everything he wanted on Wednesday - receiving a boxing licence and naming an opponent and a date for his next fight.
PACMAN NOT INTERESTED: Unbeaten champion Floyd Mayweather, left, punishes an opponent recently. Mayweather will face Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas on May 5.The unbeaten champion got everything except a showdown with Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather will fight Miguel Cotto on May 5 at Las Vegas's MGM Grand Garden after Nevada's athletic commissioners granted him a conditional licence for one fight before he goes to jail in June.
Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) chose Cotto (36-2, 29 KOs), the respected Puerto Rican champion, as his next opponent only after failing to land a date with Pacquiao, the superstar Filipino congressman. The two sides have discussed what's likely to be the most lucrative fight in boxing history for nearly three years without reaching a deal.
"I presented Pacquiao with the fight," Mayweather said after meeting with the Nevada commission. "Pacquiao is blowing a lot of smoke. He doesn't really want to fight. I gave him a chance to step up to the plate. We're talking about a $10 million fighter that I tried to give $40 million to. We didn't even talk about the back end." While Mayweather once appeared to be uninterested in the bout, he's now very interested - but Pacquiao's interest appears to have cooled. In recent weeks, Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum repeatedly discounted the possibility of setting up the fight.
Mayweather will take on Cotto at light middleweight (69.9kg), a move up from the longtime welterweight's past four fights. Mayweather, who beat Oscar De La Hoya at super welterweight in 2007, beat Victor Ortiz last September to win the WBC welterweight title.
Cotto is coming off of the second defence of his title, a 10th-round technical knockout win over Antonio Margarito in December. Cotto's only defeats are against Margarito and Pacquiao, who stopped Cotto in November 2009 in perhaps the Filipino champion's most impressive victory.
In a joint statement announcing the fight, Cotto said he intends to be the first boxer to beat Mayweather.
"I am here to fight the biggest names in boxing," Cotto said. "I've never ducked anyone or any challenge in front of me."
Both fighters have agreed to Olympic-style drug testing for the 12-round fight handled by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions.
Feb 3, 2012
KingMay
@maneaterThe fight itself or Manny refusing the terms he said he would agree to in December i.e. "he is willing to take the lesser split for the sake of the public who wants to see the fight"?
About the Floyd/Cotto fight, I wanted them to fight before Cotto lost but it didn't happen. At the time Cotto was still not tested and he would have been alienated. Now he has gained some experience and his losses have made him tougher, he has learned other boxing fundamentals which he didn't have at the time. HOWEVER, it still makes no difference; as a matter of fact I pity him, my only wish is for Floyd not to take out his anger on him. Floyd will be too good for Cotto. I hear he says it’s going to be a toe to toe and should Cotto retreat, he will be KO’d. I know Miguel is a solid body puncher but it’s very hard to nail Floyd to the body, anyway Cotto struggled to hit Manny on his body as he should have done. Easy night for Mayweather.
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Feb 3, 2012
maneater
@KingMayi am beggining to give up on the Manny v Mayweather fight. but i still stand by Manny on this one. please not i have been a mayweather fan all the whole time but i think Manny will carry too manny guns for him.
at least we agree on one thing, on paper cotto should present a stiff challenge for mayweather but i said that in a fight against hatton and again with sugar shane mosley but mayweather made an easy fight of it. so yes Cotto will get a thorugh beatting.
what do you think of this boy Jullio Ceaser Chavez i have watched a few of his fights besides his big punches i have not really been impresed as yet. ( not as impressive as his father)?
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Feb 3, 2012
KingMay
@maneater:I don’t think Arum wants the fight. Suggesting November is just another way of trying to shift the blame on Floyd. Mayweather will be in jail for 3 months so that will not give him enough time to train well for the fight. Arum is not saying they will resolve the purse issue. Does it mean he will suddenly agree to a lesser split in November? I doubt it. For his Top Rank business, it makes sense to milk Manny even more.
Manny is easy to hit, he struggles with movement (hence he could not connect as he wanted against Mosley, landed 200 punches out of 1200 thrown), cannot fight backwards (Floyd can stand in front of him like he did to Mosley; when Floyd trains he does so against middleweights, so I don’t see Manny pushing him around), always struggles with a boxer that has a good jab (Floyd will have a longer reach), has a poor defence (if you notice all Roach’s boxers they struggle to defend themselves, check Amir Khan), always has problems against counter punchers. Manny has never fought a fighter on the same level as Floyd. Aggressive fighters against Floyd always come up short; Manny is an aggressive fighter too.
Chavez is over rated and has not fought stiff competition. Cotto would have won against him. Martinez will beat him easily. Arum will continue to protect him also because of his Mexican heritage. He is far from the level of his dad also he is too lazy.
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Feb 3, 2012
maneater
you know the pacman and mayweather fight is going to have us ( boxing followers) arguing until it happens. every boxer have their weak and strong points and its up to the opponent to exploit those. and i am sure both of these guys have thoruoghly studied one another by now. with pacman you might be right about his defence but sometimes i think its deliberate because everytime you engange him you have to get to a point where you disengage and that is at a point where he is deadliest (when you disengage) so he draws you in and you get a sence that you have his number but on your way out a combination of 4 - 6 punches you will get before you blink that is where most of his opponents get beaten. so i think we should just pray that this fight does not end up like the likes of DIngaan- Mitchell fight ( you know the ones that never took place) or take place when one of the fighter have passed their peak. but one thing for sure if this fight does happern it willbe a helluva fight. i will call you a bet once that time comes.chavez- i am waking up early for the last time today to watch his fight if he does not impress me now then i am done with him until the day he fight one of the big guys.( by the way has he ever fought outside Mexico)
hey baba i thought i was the dictionary of boxing but i see you have my number hey!!!
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Feb 3, 2012
KingMay
@maneater:I hear you in terms of the debate not ending until they fight. However, I would like to know which Floyd’s weaknesses do you think Manny can exploit. Roach’s has studied Floyd’s style a lot and is still trying to figure it out to date; also there is an issue of executing the plan. I disagree with his defence because it I am of the view and most boxing experts question his ability to protect himself hence Marquez was able to bust him up. Margarito landed telling shots to his head, for a slow guy like Tony to land at will is a cause to worry especially when you up the class to a boxer like Floyd. Manny’s combinations do not always find the target, especially when you counter him because when he throws, he is open, so one can nail him. Floyd’s shoulder roll with his elbow will make it difficult for the little man to just walk in. My money is on the Money-Man. I think Mitchell would have defeated Thobela.
I won't wake up for Chavez; yes he has fought in the States, just forgot who is the nobody he fought. There is a young lad called Canelo (who wanted Floyd, also undefeated), I think he can trouble Chavez.
Boxing is an amazing sport indeed...lol
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Feb 3, 2012
maneater
@ kingmayfloyd is very close to being a complete boxer ( if there's anything of the sort) but what interest me is the fact that he has got a tendency to depend on head movement and giving agles in order not to get hit. i am not quite sure that would work with pacman as he sometime time has got this thing of hitign you with unconventional punches which you would not know where they are comming from.( good reference is in the Ricky Hatton fight he still does not know how he got hit) in this instance i do not think he would be quick enough to evade those and once he lands one then you can be quite sure that a few will be following in quick succession.
the issue about marques is different ( and strange), like you say styles make the fight. i think marques style just is too dificult for the pacman. my oppinion and i have to say its mainly based on their last fight i think the key is in the feet. marques has got a tendency of moving his right foot way ahead of him and with the pac man south paw stance this limits his movement. he thereofre need to jump over this leg to move to the left or right and he cannot be able to get close enough and also for some reason he cannot give him angles, i think if there is ever any person with a good chance of beaiting this guy its marques ( only because of his style)
Mitchel defeating Thobela? not a chance not at a lightweight when he was still at his best. Mithcell was a bit of a brawler and he liked comming in, he would have been easy picking for Thobela's uppercut. and we all know no boxer would have been able to withstand that. and if you remember well it was mitchell who avoided who avoided Thobela he must have known something.
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Feb 3, 2012
KingMay
@maneaterLOL Ricky Hatton must have been high with cocaine when walked into that arena on that night.
Why do you think most formidable Floyd’s opponents have not been able to exploit the head movement and his angles? I am sure with age his reflexes will not be as quick as before however these days he does not move a lot, he can cover up as well. I reckon Floyd has weaknesses just like others but the current elite boxers do not have a formula for him, including Manny. Remember Floyd also exploits what you do in the ring as he usually says “If you make a mistake Floyd Mayweather will make you pay”.
So if Marquez can master that technique to cause problems to Manny how much more when it comes to Floyd? Floyd’s style is difficult, his father can dismantle it (he created it). Any aggressive boxer against Floyd will have problems. I agree that styles make fights. When they eventually fight you will see one of the most mismatches in history with Floyd making it easy like he always does and I can't wait to get richer with your mullah.
I so wish both could have fought, Thobela/Mitchell
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Feb 3, 2012
Mbeva
@KingMay@Maneater
How about giving you two a boxing ring and I will be a guest referee?
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Feb 3, 2012
maneater
@Mbeva&How about giving you two a boxing ring and I will be a guest referee?
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hahaha Mbeva dont be jealous baba stay close you might learn a thing or two hey!!!
@Kingmay
please wake up for this laitie's fight this wkend so you will tell me about it on monday. got to duck now thnks for the conversation man enjoy ur weekend!!!
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