By Craig Martin: It’s the word that plays on every boxing fan’s mind now. So much has been said recently I figured I’d throw in my two cents. Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Miguel Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez are just a few of the names that apply to this issue. Floyd has received a lot of criticism for fighting the smaller man but mustn’t forget that Mayweather himself has risen through the weight divisions himself to win titles.
Floyd isn’t a big welterweight, at least not in the same way that Williams or Margarito were. In hindsight, the weight gain for Marquez didn’t leave him with the same tools he had at the lower weights. He lacked his usual sharpness, power and speed.
He hit Floyd with a rare clean right and Floyd just smiled. The weight played a big part in the manner of victory for Floyd but most would agree it would have been a victory nonetheless. I’ve yet to find someone who thinks Marquez would’ve won had it being an equal playing field weight-wise.
And now I’ve seen from some writers (you know who they are) that Manny is coming in for his own share of criticism for fighting Cotto at 145 pounds. I ask, is this not fair? Pacquiao has adapted better than anyone could have expected to at 140(-ish) pounds but Cotto is a true Welterweight at 147. A catch weight of 145 seems reasonable to me. Personally, I still feel that Cotto came up trumps in the negotiations. He weighed in at 146 in his last fight anyway.
While some feel Manny is trying to make his opponents come in weight drained, he shouldn’t receive the grief he has for his opponent’s mistakes. Oscar messed it up and Ricky, by his own account, peaked too early. Manny did his job and beat them soundly. I commend Manny Pacquiao for both wins.
While Pacquiao’s victories cannot be ignored, boxing fans have very short memories. In the build up to the De La Hoya fight, Manny was a huge underdog. If it were Cotto he was fighting, it would’ve been even larger odds against him.
The question is; if Manny beats Cotto (and it’s a big ‘if’) can the weight issue may become less of a factor to deciding the outcome of a future fights.
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