Jeff Mayweather: Rios may beat Pacquiao

By Boxing News - 10/17/2013 - Comments

pac6766By Chris Williams: Jeff Mayweather says he’s not sure what Manny Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KO’s) has left in the tank after his brutal 6th round knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez last December. Jeff says that Brandon Rios (31-1-1, 23 KO’s) has a definite chance to beat Pacquiao on November 23rd if Manny’s not the same fighter.

Jeff believes that Pacquiao will beat Rios if he comes into the fight in his best form, but if he’s not what he once was in the past, then Rios spells big time trouble for him.

Jeff told Hustleboss “No one knows what Pacquiao has left. if the old Pacquiao shows up, Rios is in trouble. Pacquiao was knocked out, so Rios may beat him.”

Pacquiao hasn’t been the “old Pacquiao” since his win over Antonio Margarito in 2010. He’s fought four times since then, beating a past his best Shane Mosley, Marquez, and then losing to Tim Bradley and Marquez. Pacquiao didn’t look good in any of those fights. The last one he looked decent in was the Margarito fight.

It’s hard to pinpoint what’s caused Pacquiao to look so bad in his last four fights. It could be age, ring wear or just a lack of motivation. We’ll find out on November 23rd.

If Pacquiao’s looks sensational in beating Rios, then you have to see it as a situation where Pacquiao got bored with his fights with Marquez, Mosley and Bradley. Pacquiao didn’t see really interested in any of those fights except for the last one against Marquez, but he blew it by walking into a hard shot in the 6th that ended the night for him.

If Rios knocks Pacquiao out or beats him by a decision then I think it’s safe to say that Pacquiao might need to retire. That’s a fight that he should win on paper, but if he can’t take a head shot anymore or if he’s just old, then he shouldn’t be fighting until his promoter Bob Arum is going to take it easy on him by carefully matching him against more guys like Mosley and Margarito.

At this point Pacquiao needs to shake things up by dumping his trainer Freddie Roach and sweeping out the entire crew that hangs around him to start from scratch with a new team. When start to get bored or old, you need new people to make it interesting and new again. That’s why Pacquiao needs to go in the gym with a big broom and shoo every one out and select a new team.



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