A Boxing Chat on "The One"
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 12 Sep 2013
For today's 'Boxing View,' I'd like to share my facebook chat of today with my great boxing friend Sandy MacDonald, a former Canadian amateur fighter and one of the greatest fight fans I've ever met. For days, Sandy rode his motorcycle all the way from Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, to Las Vegas, Nevada, just to attend 'The One.' Let's see what he thinks about the Mayweather v. Canelo fight this weekend in Las Vegas.
SANDY:
Carlos, mi amigo Are you here in Las Vegas??
CARLOS:
Not this time, my brother Sandy.
SANDY:
I will be watching for you. Love it here in Vegas, hermano! I just rode in today! You are coming for the JMM fight with Timothy Bradley? More legacy for Dinamita!!
CARLOS:
Mi hermano Sandy, yes, I wish to attend the Marquez fight, hope Juan Manuel make his Dinamita explode again. But, The Floyd-Canelo clash is a thrilling one!
Actually, I've always been a fan of both Floyd and Canelo. On one corner, Canelo is a young talented strong banger with some of the flair of old 1940's and 1950's boxers. He looks like one of them, like an young Jake La Motta, Tony Canzoneri or a Carmen Basilio.
The flame-haired Canelo is not a piece of cake that Floyd could eat up in a bite or two. The guy has been fighting continuously his whole life. More than 40 victories against some tough guys in the welter and super welterweight class is not a fact to be discarded.
But the weight of 152 lbs could be a factor, though. In his last fight Canelo made 153.5. We do not know how the 1.5 lbs could affect him. I mean, I can easily remove 1.5 lbs from my big belly, but removing 1.5 lbs from a fat-free athlete like Canelo is another thing. In boxing that amount of weight could mean a lot. You were a boxer, Sandy, you know it.
Hopefully, it would be okay for Canelo to shed that weight and still be strong. Soon we'll find out.
On the other corner, the good old Floyd, the best defensive boxer, best pound 4 pound fighter with awesome skills and reflexes... hey, as well as the largest ego in sports and Floyd does not intent to let a Mexican scalp him in his home town of Vegas. But that possibility of Floyd getting scalped is out there.
The style of Floyd depends much on impeccable reflexes and speed. At 38 he still have them intact? Plus, Canelo is not slow and can punch hard.
I think Canelo should be so dangerous in the initial rounds as his punches could hurt as concrete bricks. Canelo's power could be the most dangerous power Floyd might have ever encounter in his career.
In fact, many fight fans think that Canelo could hit harder than De la Hoya and harder than Cotto and harder than Mosley, and those Canelo blows have proven fast and accurate or we can ask Austin Trout (a natural super welter).
So could Floyd (a natural welter) take those tough blows from the Canelo, my hermano Sandy, provided that's Canelo could score clean some them? That's easy said than done.
And how is Floyd's power in super welterweight? In the power department, did Floyd look that awesome in his latest outing against the ghost Guerrero? I think the answer is no.
My best guess is that at the end, Floyd will score the win, likely by UD. If Canelo gets cut and/or careless or frustrated he could even lose by TKO.
I feel that it would be a chess match at the beginning as both are smart professionals on the top of their game and the smallest mistake is the difference between victory and defeat. Past those initial rounds, things will heat up furiously.
I'll be watching on live stream mi hermano Sandy, and the best man to win! Whoever wins, if he wins the right way (not like the ugly thing with Ortiz), I'd be more than happy. I think you feel the same, mi hermano. So enjoy the fight there in Vegas mi hermano Sandy, a big hug for you from Panama.
SANDY
Wait brother. hey yes For sure! But I am a bit more of a skeptic when it comes to Canelo. He has mostly fought smaller and older guys.
In my opinion, I thought that Trout could easily have been given the nod in their fight! I feel Canelo's only chance for victory is to land something big early on before Floyd gets a rhythm going! This is only my opinion.
Word here in Vegas is that Canelo is still five pounds over weight! Also whispers of Floyd's hand is hurting! Who knows for sure??
One thing is for sure, Saul should outweigh Floyd by 20 or more pounds! This will be Floyd's biggest test at least size wise! I think Miguel Cotto came in at 169, but he was not natural at the weight! While Canelo is actually a middle or super middleweight who comes down in weight. It should be good fight! Do you want me to pick anything up for you? Program, shirt etc ? Say the word Brother
CARLOS:
Mi hermano, you so kind thank you, no need anything but what I wish is having a nice pizza with you to talk again about boxing with you, in person, as last time we talked hours. Hopefully for the Marquez-Bradley fight.
Hermano, I agree 100% with you. I thought that Austin Trout would get the win over El Canelo. But no. In fact, that was a fight in which Canelo showed better skills, speed and boxing technique than in previous ones. But Floyd is no Trout.
We'll see what happens and we'll find out about Floyd's hand. But It is a true fact that in the past Floyd has got his hand hurt.. and that is his weapon.
If Canelo comes above 152 that is also okay, why not? Canelo could just pay Floyd for the excess. In return his chances to win over Floyd increase huge. It could be an investment.
In fact, in the Canelo Alvarez vs M. Hatton fight, the catchweight was 150 and Canelo came about 151.5, Canelo paid and defeated M. Hatton on his way to become a multimillionaire super star. He could do it again.
Let's not forget, Floyd has forfeited in catchweight himself too. Do you remember he did it against our amigo Juan Manuel Marquez? That time Floyd paid Juan Manuel 300,000 per pound in excess.
There were 2 pounds. Floyd never intended to come down in weight to face Marquez as per the contracts.
So Floyd just paid Juan Manuel for the "Money" to feel heavy and strong for Dinamita. That afternoon during weigh-in at the MGM Floyd was 146, while Marquez was 142. See? Floyd never takes any chances.
How about this guessing scenario: Canelo weighs-in at 153 and pay Floyd for the excess one pound, how much, a million? Or 2 mil, whatever, who knows.
Just pay up. In a mega fight like this one its all right, its part of the business. It would be a try of his own medicine for Floyd. This is why I do not like catchweights at all.
Brother, in old times catchweights did not happen. There was honor. Boxers made unthinkable efforts to respect the boxing rules and weight classes. Maybe I am wrong, but I am 99% percent sure that the inventor of catchweight was Bob Arum.
I am old enough to remember those years in boxing.
An example was the Sugar Ray Leonard vs Donny Lalonde fight (if I am not mistaken). Arum always the genius of boxing's BS. Cuz he loves to over protect his boxers, many times in unfair manner. That's why karma "catches up" with him and he sees his favorite fighter annihilated and you ask why that happened.
Because in the past he has put his boxers in advantage, in nice catchweights for his boxers to be comfortable while opponents suffers, and get squeezed, dehydrated and weak to make the catchweight. Opponents get totally asphyxiated by the enormous punishing effort while Arum boxers are cool and fresh and full of stamina in their best weight. Arum has done that to favor his boxers or am I making up a story?
The evil meaning of catchweights is part Arum's legacy (my opinion).
That's why I prefer de la Hoya as a promoter. Not because Oscar is a Latino brother, but because he looks for the best fights out there and made them happen, even when two of the best fighters he promotes have to face each like Gonzalez vs Mares and so many more. Plus, Oscar was a fighter. When all is said and done Oscar and Tex Rickard should be two of the best promoters who have done much for our sport of boxing and I wish him well in his recovery from alcohol abuse.
My dad used to drink a lot when he was young and got addicted to alcohol. It's a terrible disease and affects the whole family. My father got saved by AA and his faith in God. It takes a lot of effort and strength to over come alcohol or substance abuse. So I understand what Oscar's family can be going through, wish Oscar well.
SANDY
I remember the good years of boxing and catchweights are not cool. Yes, we all wish Oscar well.
CARLOS
Hey, so much to talk with you brother! because you love boxing, same as me, and we are same age. We have lived boxing and been loyal to boxing through the years.
Weigh-in will have a catchweight on Saturday. But GREAT FIGHTERS AND LEGENDS never did catchweights! They fought with honor and passion. We've lived the storied fighting career of Olivares, Hagler, Wilfredo Gomez, Hearns, Alexis Arguello, Zarate and so many more. Those were the golden years brother, and no IBF no WBO no interim titles or silver titles other BS titles, no catchweights, a champion was a real champion and world title fights were 15 rounds. Those were the good years.
Hey, hope to see you mi hermano Sandy. Regards to your sister, I remember her and your wife and family. Enjoy the fight there in Vegas, I envy you! wish i am there right now, but I am stuck with work, my brother!!
SANDY
Yes, hermano. I wish you were here, Carlos! Our friend Alex Choljo, the author of the awesome book 'The Future of Boxing' is here! I have not seen him as yet! I remember the Leonard-Lalonde fight! I paid to see it on big screen live in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The WBC rule at the time said that a fighter could only fight for one division title at a time in a single fight. But the prestigious don 'Jose Salmon' waived this rule in favor of Mr Leonard and Mr. Bob Arum. Our Canadian Lalond was tailor made for Leonard!
I used to train during the day with the amateur boxers in the same club as Lalonde did at night, 'The City Boxing Club' in Winnipeg, Manitoba. For a limited puncher, Lalonde did very well good himself!!
The place is crazy here in Vegas already!! I guess it has been for over a week!! Matthysse-Garcia could very well trump the main event!! I really want to see that one!
I like Lucas. He looks a little better each time out and he wants that unified title! I love the way Lucas Matthysse mixes up his attack! Also, Lucas has a chin like a country man of yours!! Another great puncher, Roberto Duran! One of the if not THE greatest of all time!! It is arguable! God Bless Roberto Duran!!
Sandy Mac Donald of Alberta, Canada, and Carlos Costa of Panama are boxing friends who often share thoughts on major fight events. They met in Las Vegas during a Pacquiao-Marquez fight.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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