By Rusty Nate: Depending on what side of the world you are on, your waking up or going to bed with the news that Floyd Mayweather has agreed a fight with none other than Saul “Canelo” Alvarez for September 14th at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.
What a turn up for the books! Mayweather has done what few expected him to and signed to fight probably the most dangerous on form opponent that he could find in Alvarez. Whats more we are hearing that the contract includes a pretty non existent catch weight of 152lbs as well as NO rehydration clause. I am shocked, surprised, respectful of Mayweather but also a little bit confused with a few doubts in my head.
Lets get the negative out the way, to explain what I mean by doubts first of all lets jump back in time to 2010. Mayweather vs Pacquiao is apparently singed and sorted, the fight is on! BUT WAIT over the next few weeks we start to hear stories like no catch weight, Olympic drug testing must be included, the money split is unconfirmed and finally the negotiations have stalled. September 2013 is a long way off in fight terms and anything can happen that could ruin this potentially mega fight. I am truly hoping this kind of thing doesn’t happen again but we can not ignore it in this day and age of boxing politics.
So the positive stuff! Mayweather has just increased his reputation 10 fold by agreeing to fight who many consider to be a massive Middleweight and a very very dangerous opponent. Ballooning up to near 175lbs by fight night on more than one occasion in the past, Alvarez represents a man that could easily KO any fighter from Welterweight down with a single punch landed even if its a glancing blow. Everything about this fight points towards a fight in which Mayweather will be pushed around, bullied consistently and possibly even knocked out in a way that could seriously risk his health.
That of course is one point of view that relates to the Insanity part of the article title. The Genius side is very very different……….
Roy Jones once stepped up to a little shy of 200lbs to fight John Ruiz for the World Heavyweight Title. Ruiz outweighed Jones by near 2 stone by fight time and in theory should have ended the fight victorious with Roy being stretchered away to check for serious brain damage. We all know what happened! Roy was way too fast, way too skillful and far too elusive for Ruiz to get near with anything more than a few up close punches that wouldn’t have KO’d a 5 year old.
Now I am not saying that P4P Alvarez is on the skill level of John Ruiz, that would be a complete insult to Alvarez. I definitely look at him as a top class fighter, among the Elite of the current boxing world. The problem for Alvarez is that Mayweather is above the class of the worlds elite fighters and probably even above the prime skill level of Roy Jones Jnr. My personal view is Mayweather easily avoids the slower 170lb Alvarez every time he comes forward. I believe he will use his ring skill to pot shot Alvarez for the entire 12 rounds clinching when ever he needs to in order to avoid a fight in close and will win a decision by maybe even as high as 7-9 rounds. Alvarez always has a chance, he has a longer reach and he does have good boxing skills but he needs to land something substantial and that wont be easy.
Mayweather is a lot of things but Insane has never been one of them especially regarding his boxing career and legacy. He plans 20 moves ahead and he doesn’t throw darts at a board to see what sticks, he bets on sure things. He would not have taken this fight if he wasn’t absolutely sure he was going to win it.
I keep hearing Cassius Clay in my head saying “your hands cant hit what your eye’s cant see” I think Alvarez would do well to remember that when he makes preparations for the most skillful opponent he is ever likely to get in the ring with. Of course fighters age over night every now and again and Mayweather is no spring chicken, who knows when Floyd Mayweather’s “Antonio Tarver” will come along at the right place and the right time!
Either way I hope it goes off without a hitch, its a great fight and I am definitely excited to see it! Finally 2 top fighters show the world that these kind of matches can be made if the fighters have the balls to step up and sign! well done fellas we salute you both! Lets Get Ready to fight!!!!
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