Answering my critics
Despite your thoughts to the contrary, Floyd Mayweather Jr. had far too many advantages when facing the smaller boxer, Juan Manuel Marquez.
After taking so much guff after my last Floyd Mayweather jr./Juan Manuel Marquez boxing article, I feel it’s time to let my critics have a taste of their own medicine and answer back.
September 21, 3:43 PM
Monty wrote: This author seems very angry. I wonder if he lost money betting on Marquez?
Dear Monty, If you had read my previous articles in which I predicted the winner of this fight, you would know I picked Mayweather from the outset.
What angered me was how Saturday’s fight will hurt the sport of boxing. Over the last three days, I have spoken with several promoters and trainers and they all said the same thing. That the next Pay-Per-View event will have a more difficult time promoting sales of their fight.
Boxing is the one major money making sport where almost ninety-eight percent of its participants have to have a second job in order to support themselves and their families. Boxers pay dearly for their opportunity to entertain the boxing fans.
Every time you have a fight that’s not competitve—be it a boxer on steroids, a boxer with a size and weight advantage, missing padding from a glove, or something on a glove to burn an opponent’s eyes, these transgressions lead to the ruination of the sport. If I had bet on the outcome of this match, it would have been on Mayweather. I am certainly no fool when it comes to eyeballing a mismatch.
September 21, 12:38 PM
SMARTFAN wrote: ANYONE who says Mayweather won because of size either knows nothing about boxing, or is a Mayweather fan. WHAT I ask you, WHAT, did Mayweather do with size that he wouldn’t have done just as well if not better when smaller? He didn’t push Marquez around. He didn’t throw a bunch of power shots that dazed Marquez, and Marquez definitely didn’t land anything that a smaller man would have been hurt by.
Floyd beat him to the punch, EVERY TIME, this, folks, is a matter of speed, which, last time I checked, is diminished when I fighter gets bigger.
Mayweather would have been faster if he were smaller and the fight would have looked WORSE for Marquez (who I happen to be a fan of). Stop making excuses, especially sorry ones. The media makes me sick with the Mayweather hate. SIZE had nothing to do with that fight. SPEED and SKILL. STOP HATING ON MAYWEATHER FOR BEING SO GOOD!!!
Dear Smartfan, If you knew me better, you would know I never hate on any boxer. Mayweather has amazing skills, could possibly be the best welterweight of all time and is without a doubt the greatest defensive fighter I’ve ever seen.
Another point you made and again I am in full agreement is the fact that speed diminishes when a fighter gets bigger. That’s exactly what happened to Marquez. After he put on the additional seven pounds, Marquez became sluggish. His opponent, Mayweather, ignored the catch weight of 144 pounds and remained at his optimum best fighting weight of 146½ pounds. I ask you, who gained an advantage?
If you didn’t like the analogy of the bully in the schoolyard, how about we use a golfing parallel? You’re a better golfer than me and we are playing in a golf tournament where they take into consideration our handicaps. You lie to the people at the scorer’s table and tell them your handicap is eleven when in reality it’s at four. Surprise, surprise, you beat me in match play. Handicapping is done in a lot of sports, e.g. horse racing when they ask a horse to carry extra weight.
September 21, 9:53 AM
roscoe wrote: James Wyatt!!!!!! Emanuel Steward also said if floyd was 144 it still would have been the same!!!! ”
Dear Roscoe, I would have to agree. If the fighters were the same weight Mayweather would have came out victorious anyway and overwhelmed his opponent. That’s why his scheming seems so farcical.
September 21, 9:06 AM
Carter wrote: Did you actually watch the fight or did you just listen to the parts you wanted for your article?
Dear President Carter, I did watch the entire fight.
Carter: Where to start: first off, the fight was a 147 lbs fight with contract stipulations that had said if either fighter came in above 144 they would pay money for each additional pound, it wasn’t like Mayweather came in at 160.
J.Wyatt: I’m sure if Mayweather could have arranged an even greater disparity, he would have.
Carter: Secondly, Mayweather didn’t walk through Marquez’s shots he ducked, dodged, and blocked them. Jim Lampley said it best, it wouldn’t have mattered if Marquez was bigger, he would have had the same problems because of Floyd’s skill.
J.Wyatt: I agree wholeheartedly.
Carter: Third, its kinda funny Mosley is calling Floyd out after RUNNING away from Floyd before Floyd’s super fight with De La Hoya.
J.Wyatt: I wasn’t aware of this, thanks for the insight.
Carter: Fourth, I see what you are now doing to create more garbage to write later on by preempting the possible Mayweather victory over Pacquaio by saying that Pacqaio is too small as well.
J.Wyatt: I met Manny Pacquiao and spoke to him about his walk around weight which he stated is 152 pounds. His advancement upward through the weight classes has been extraordinary. He is an exception just like Paul Williams. Since Pacquiao likes to spar with bigger guys, like middleweights and welterweights, I’m sure he will be better prepared than Marquez. One thing that will help Pacquiao is the fact that he is a southpaw. A lot of people don’t realize what an advantage that is. I believe it’s huge.
And what happened in the Mayweather/Marquez fight? Mayweather had a significant six inch reach advantage. Normally, he doesn’t throw a lot of jabs but in this fight he threw a lot of jabs because he knew he had that reach advantage to keep Marquez at bay.
Against a southpaw, like Pacquiao, he’s not going be able to throw that many jabs. Mayweather’s strategy will entail landing his left hook. And as you saw in the Marquez fight, Mayweather was able to capitalize on his sneaky, very quick, lunging left hook, the very same punch that sent Marquez to the canvass.
Can Pacquiao defeat Mayweather? This is one boxing match where I couldn’t possibly give an opinion and I would never bet on anything unless I had a strong opinion. I did have a strong opinion on the Mayweather/Marquez fight and I was right.
September 21, 8:43 AM
My opinion matters and yours doesn’t wrote: This isn’t a grade school playground and there is no bullying in professional sports. Two professional athletes agreed to fight at a catch weight, as far as I know kids that get picked on in grade school don’t choose to do so.
If you have an appreciation for skill, Mayweather’s fights are anything but boring. If you are a drunken meathead that just wants to see two unskilled boxers slug it out, watch somebody else.
Dear my opinion matters, yours doesn’t, First, I want you to applaud you on your unpretentious, amusing handle. I certainly appreciate the time you’ve taken from your busy schedule to help me improve my writing skills. I agree with you about my lame analogy and will do better in the future.
And as you so aptly pointed out, I too appreciate Mayweather’s boxing skills – his exhibition of defensive skills was perfection. But kind sir, I never said the fight was boring. I watched every moment from the opening bell. My contention is the same as the many promoters and trainers who watched it. This fight did not help boxing which needs the support of HBO, Showtime, ESPN, Telefutura and the Pay-Per-View buys from people like you and me.
September 21, 7:25 AM
wyatt earp wrote: mayweather is da man. he not about taking chances no more. staying undefeated is his goal. pacquiao too easy. mosley might be alil too much.
Dear Mr. Earp, Perhaps we’re related. I agree with you that Mayweather is da man. Over his entire career (13 years), Floyd Mayweather, jr. has only fought two fighters with a losing record. Therefore, he has been one of the few fighters in the history of the sport that hasn’t padded his stats by fighting pushovers.
That being said, people now want Mayweather to do as Pacquiao and Marquez have done; put on additional weight and move up to fight larger men, the heavier punchers. The same way I preached that Marquez was crazy, I now say Mayweather would be crazy to do so. Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams are middleweights. If Mayweather is smart enough to stay within his own weight class, he has a better chance of remaining undefeated and can retire that way.
September 21, 7:04 AM
flatbush wrote: why should mayweather fight mosley, his career is based on steroids, he should be bard from boxing, hes pathetic, and bernard hopkins was just looking to make a quick dollar, in mosley corner talking about he just wants a chance at the belt, bernard and mosley is finished
Dear Mr. Flatbush, I agree with you. Neither Shane Mosley or Bernard Hopkins came up into that ring to congratulate Mayweather. They appeared like a pack of hungry wolves looking to feast on the carcass of a tired and completely spent pugilist. As Mayweather said to the rude dude, “Why do you want to disrespect me like this?”
To everyone that took the time to write, I thank you. Believe me, I only want to get things right and at the same time get better at my craft.
