It's Official: Mayweather is ducking Pacquiao

dB Cooper · « **on:** 26 Dec 2013, 03:04 pm »

So Mayweather now says he will never fight Pacquiao because... wait for it...he refuses to have anything to do with Bob Arum!?!?!?? Really? Biggest grossing fight in history, and Floyd is gonna walk away because he doesn't like the other guy's promoter??!?!? I call bull****. What was all that BS about throwing up every objection you can imagine if he wasn't gonna fight the guy anyway???

Isn't there anybody out there who can knock this punk out??? Oh wait, if there is, Floyd will duck them...

Story here

Kenneth Patchen · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Dec 2013, 03:46 pm »

Ah, this is just all promo and hype and stirring the pot by two savvy men and a team of savvy promoters. Bigger noise, bigger fight with Floyd playing the villain. This will definitely happen. And btw, as much as I'd love to see the fight go to Pacquiao, this will be Floyd's night.

And I did like Floyd's Christmas card to the world:
https://mobile.twitter.com/FloydMayweather/status/415172977429188608/photo/1?screen_name=FloydMayweather

See what I mean ... Jivin,, jabbin', jibing and talking smack. Stir it up!
What fun!

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Dec 2013, 05:12 pm »

Yep, I'd pick Floyd, too, but I'd love to be wrong. Who's up next for Bradley?

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Dec 2013, 12:33 pm »

When fighters become old, multimillionaires with oversized egos I lose all interest in who wins or loses, I'd rather watch the Stalone/Deniro film. Or the next Bradley fight.

macrojack · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Dec 2013, 02:40 pm »

I'm ducking both of them.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 Dec 2013, 06:51 pm »

Quote from: Kenneth Patchen on 26 Dec 2013, 03:46 pm

Ah, this is just all promo and hype and stirring the pot by two savvy men and a team of savvy promoters. Bigger noise, bigger fight with Floyd playing the villain. This will definitely happen.

i'm not so sure. Floyd is almost as risk-averse as Roy Jones. He has been making ridiculous demands (like insisting MP submit to drug testing no other fighter in the world has to submit to), accusing Pacman of doping etc etc etc for years, and now this? Posturing to build up a fight is one thing, but this BS has been going on for four years, and many fans, myself included, have lost a lot of interest as a result (virtually everyone agrees that both fighters are past the midpoint on the bell curve). When he signs to fight Provodnikov, you'll know he's serious about taking on the toughest opposition.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Dec 2013, 06:56 pm »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 26 Dec 2013, 05:12 pm

Yep, I'd pick Floyd, too, but I'd love to be wrong. Who's up next for Bradley?

I have heard Cotto's name mentioned.

Mightyburner · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Dec 2013, 09:47 pm »

Quote from: dB Cooper on 27 Dec 2013, 06:51 pm

When he signs to fight Provodnikov, you'll know he's serious about taking on the toughest opposition.

Provodnikov? Not to be disrespectful but seriously? He's a plodding puncher and you think he would give Mayweather a challenge? He might land a punch if Mayweather let him. Bradley should have easily won that fight but he didn't listen to his corner and chose it slug it out. Provodnikov punches waaay to hard to do that and Bradley almost paid for it. Canelo is a much better figher and you see how easily Mayweather handled him.

I like Manny. Always have. Always will. But he would be schooled by Mayweather. The only comparison you need to look at is Marquez. Manny's fights with Marquez were all tooth and nail fights except for the last one where he was face down,,,out. Mayweather easily handled Marquez and actually coasted through the fight.

I can understand people not liking Floyd. He grates my nerves. But give him his due. The man can fight. Personally and stylistically people may not like him,,,but the man can fight.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 Dec 2013, 01:05 am »

Very hard to find Floyd's chin. He's a very cagey fighter.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 Dec 2013, 03:08 am »

Quote from: Mightyburner on 27 Dec 2013, 09:47 pm

I like Manny. Always have. Always will. But he would be schooled by Mayweather. The only comparison you need to look at is Marquez. Manny's fights with Marquez were all tooth and nail fights except for the last one where he was face down,,,out. Mayweather easily handled Marquez and actually coasted through the fight.

I think a better fighter to compare to is Castillo, who applied pressure well enough for many observers to think he won their first fight. That is the template for Pacquiao. Canelo got beat on experience and quality of opposition. The fighters who had successes against Floyd had bodywork as a prominent part of the mix. If he can avoid getting hypnotized by PBF into headhunting the way others (Canelo being the highest-profile example) did and let his hands go, particularly to the body, he has not just a shot but a good shot at stopping PBF late. One of the oldest sayings in boxing is "The head moves but the body stays right there" and Floyd has built a career partly on the fact that a lot of today's fighters seem to have forgotten it. Manny hasn't. Freddie Roach just has to keep him on the fight plan. He's got a real shot.

Its hard to compare styles. You cite the Marquez fights; one could also cite Ricky Hatton, who lasted six or eight with Floyd but got poleaxed by Manny in two. Every matchup is different. Ali got beat by Frazier. Foreman brutally KO'd Frazier to take his title. Ali KO'd Foreman to get it back. You just never know

.
My biggest disappointment is that even if it is a great fight, it won't be the great fight it could have been. And I mostly blame Floyd. It's been money, it's been venue, it's been PED accusations, it's over the date, it's been everything but the color of the gloves- and now it's that he won't work with Arum no matter what, in which case why the hell has he been arguing about it for four years? IMHO he doesn't want the fight and I maintain that there is a reason for that. (jackman, where are ya when I need ya?

)

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #10 on:** 21 Feb 2014, 02:07 pm »

Well, they've signed. All kinds of rumors have begun swirling about like these guys will dance for us three times. I certainly hope not. Think this will be a war of attrition or a chess match?

Chazro · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 Feb 2014, 07:28 pm »

I think the Pac Man's gonna lose. He probably would've lost when he was in his prime, but we'll never know. This one should've happened a long time ago.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 Feb 2014, 09:17 pm »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 21 Feb 2014, 02:07 pm

Well, they've signed.

A googling turned up zilch for me. Got a link?

For all those who think Manny is a walk in the park for Floyd, I hope the fight happens. I think that if Floyd thought it was an easy fight, it would have happened long ago. Floyd is trying to make sure Manny doesn't have too much tread left on his tires. If Manny concentrates on the body, doesn't get tricked into trying to box too much, and let's his hands go, he can win the fight.

Assuming it ever happens, that is....

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 Feb 2014, 10:29 pm »

Don't have, db. I hope I wasn't hoodwinked. Anybody else read about that?

Chazro · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 Feb 2014, 05:26 pm »

I looked around and found nothing. Plenty of stories about Floyd and his Dad's douchebag shenanigans (God, how I miss the days when champions had CLASS!), but the fight with MP doesn't seem to be happening.

Bill@LakeGeorge · « **Reply #15 on:** 22 Feb 2014, 08:26 pm »

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/537291/20140205/floyd-mayweather-manny-pacquiao-fight-done-deal.htm#.UwkH8aOA05s

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 Feb 2014, 09:09 pm »

Well, either they've signed or they haven't. With the lack of press coverage, I suppose it's a haven't. Thanks Bill for the link. So, is Bradley/Pacquiao a done deal for April? Doesn't make since that a fight with Floyd would be signed in advance of that if that fight is truly on. Does it?

dB Cooper · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Feb 2014, 03:55 pm »

I'm with you jimd. Manny could get hosed again against Bradley (or actually lose for real; it's not inconceivable). Amir Khan could get lucky (Yeah, long shot, but stranger things have happened). (God, would that be great! It would dramatically reduce his bargaining leverage.)

I don't think Floyd is gonna sign unless he is 100% convinced Manny is used up.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 Feb 2014, 05:38 am »

Manny and company may be thinking, f___ it, let's get some paydays while the sun is still shining. If Mayweather wants a match, he has my phone number. Who does Mayweather have to fight that would excite an audience? Pac has Bradley. Now, should Bradley win . . he may opt for a Pacman rematch or at least a payday before Mayweather. In the mean time, Mayweather ain't getting any younger.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 Feb 2014, 12:17 am »

Personally I think Bradley would make a good fight against Floyd, because I dont think Floyd could possibly hurt him.

Floyd wins because he dupes guys into headhunting and trying to prove they can box with him. Mostly they can't. A good body puncher who sticks to the plan can win. Manny has a good body attack; if he doesn't get "psyched" into fighting the wrong fight (the way Leonard did against Duran, or Hagler did against Leonard, for instance), he's halfway there.