Floyd guarantees KO win
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 29 Apr 2015
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has guaranteed to knock out Manny Pacquiao inside five rounds when they face off in their WBC/WBA/WBO unification welterweight title fight in Las Vegas this Saturday (Sunday morning, Manila time) but unconvinced oddsmakers are laying a betting line of +550 for it to happen.
Mayweather, 38, has scored only one knockout in his last eight fights, two in his last 12 since 2006. He went the distance in his last five bouts, two of them ending in a majority decision. The knockout he registered in his last eight outings was when he sucker-punched an unsuspecting Victor Ortiz in 2011 so it couldn?t be counted as a legitimate stoppage. Ortiz lowered his guard, looking to touch gloves in apologizing for a headbutting, when Mayweather threw a right to the head with referee Joe Cortez tolerating the trick.
Although Mayweather is predicting a KO within five rounds, history may be against him. He hasn?t stopped an opponent in five rounds or less since Angel Manfredy lost in two in 1998 or 17 years ago. Mayweather?s knockout rate is 55.3 percent or 26 abbreviated wins in 47 wins compared to Pacquiao?s 66.7 percent or 38 stoppages in 57 victories.
Based on the latest odds, a $100 bet on a Mayweather win by knockout earns $550. The chances are even better for Pacquiao to win by knockout at $100 to gain $400. The odds are leaning on a Mayweather win by decision or a $140 bet to earn $100. In a straight win-or-lose situation, the odds remain -210 for Mayweather and +170 for Pacquiao. Mayweather is still a 2-to-1 favorite.
Boxing legend Roy Jones, Jr. said if it goes the full route, Pacquiao will win because of his superior workrate and aggressiveness. Jones said the only way Mayweather can win is by a knockout. Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas, not the NBA legend whose first name is spelled Isiah, said he?s sure Mayweather will win by knockout. Thomas received a second-hand $200,000 Bentley from Mayweather as a birthday gift this year. Mayweather used the Bentley before giving it away. Thomas? prediction may be influenced by his gratitude to Mayweather.
Pacquiao?s knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez three years ago is what makes Mayweather confident of scoring a stoppage. ?Look, if Marquez knocked Pacquiao out like that in the sixth, then I guarantee I?ll have him out by the sixth because I beat Marquez like a slave,? he said. Mayweather dropped Marquez once enroute to scoring a win by unanimous decision in 2009, three years before the Mexican upset Pacquiao. Mayweather made it look easy beating Marquez who couldn?t breathe with blood in his nose and looked ready to go when he struck Pacquiao with a counter-right to score an unexpected, if not accidental, knockout.
?I know what Floyd has to do,? said Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe. ?He has to do what he normally does and go in there and execute his gameplan and I really expect Floyd to knock out Pacquiao. There?s no doubt it?s going to be a great fight. I?m really excited. I can see first-hand the day-to-day preparation that Floyd puts in and he?s working just as hard as ever. The fans are going to get a great fight that night. Manny Pacquiao is a great fighter. He?s been in a number of great fights and he?s had a terrific career thus far. These are the two best fighters of this generation and come May, there will be one man standing and it will be Floyd Mayweather.?
Mayweather?s father Floyd, Sr., who?s his chief trainer, said unconditionally, that Pacquiao will be knocked out. ?I didn?t watch one tape on Pacquiao,? he said. ?There is no reason to study him. He?s not at this level. Floyd is the best. Nothing is going to stop Floyd Mayweather. I honestly never thought that this was going to happen. So many people were trying to say Floyd was scared. Let?s see on May 2 who?s scared. I can?t tell you why or how but here?s an update, Floyd is going to kick his ass and knock Pacquiao out.?
Mayweather said he?ll exploit Pacquiao?s recklessness. ?Our styles are totally different,? he said. ?He is very, very reckless. Every move I make is calculated. I?m always five to 10 steps ahead of my opponent. We?ll see what happens when the fight starts. But when all is said and done, I?m going to be the winner. Pacquiao is strong and solid but I don?t know if he can make adjustments like I can. I feel tremendous. This was a difficult fight to make happen but we made it happen. This fight is one of the biggest ever in boxing. I?m still going strong. The last time I looked, I was 47 and 0.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
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