By Mr. Pennington: Since the bout between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Floyd Mayweather Jr. on September 14th, I’ve kept my ear to the street to get a feel of how fans perceived the fight. Many have given Mayweather his due for once again cementing himself as today’s p4p champion. But I have also heard echoes from some that believe Mayweather at this point is unbeatable and might as well retire. Those who express that sentiment offer it in the form of a backhand compliment.
While saying “yes, Mayweather is great”, what’s usually to follow is how boring his fights are and how he runs.
The running thing at this point, all I can do is shake my head because it has no premise. I’ve come to the simple conclusion that no matter how he fights, if he doesn’t take punishment some will say he was running. That conversation’s for another day, what I want to discuss is how, and why has Mayweather regained his stature in boxing as being unbeatable.
In 2007 after having a split decision with Oscar De La Hoya, many believed that Mayweather had lost a step. In 2010 after being rocked twice by Shane Mosley fans and pundits alike were sure the end was near. No longer were we seeing the Mayweather we had come to know who moved about the ring in effortless fashion. We started to see the characteristics of an aging fighting, a fighter whose best days were surely in the past.
As history has shown us in the sport of boxing many times over, when a fighter who no longer has the legs he once did, a few things now happen. That once swift fighter will now have to stay in the pocket more. What you often times see is the fighter lying on the ropes more often.
Another thing you will see from a once swift fighter who doesn’t have the legs anymore is he now engages far more. With nowhere to run or hide, these proud champions choose to fight, the guy who once untouchable, is now taking blows and fighting, because he has to.
Entering his mid-30, I for one was among those who shared this sentiment toward Mayweather. Father time, the true undefeated champion had finally caught Money May. But as we have seen, that may not be so.
In Mayweather last two fights he has regained a form I haven’t seen from him in years. So the question is why, and how has he done this.
First of all before I analyze this topic I would like to start by pointing out something that you may not think is true, Mayweather is very teachable. That said I believe that every fighter fights in some image of how their trainer once did. Freddie Roach for example, almost every fighter he trains fights in the same fashion.
Attacking style offense, led by combination punching, with little regard for defense. To put emphasis on the theory, Roach’s fighters are either knocked down or out in the same fashion, while punching as you seen with Pacquiao and Khan.
The late great Emanuel Stewart, From Hearns, to Lennox Lewis, to Wladimir Klitschko, a simple 1 2 combination using height and leverage seems to be the constant.
The version we see now of Mayweather reminds us of the Floyd of old. My reasoning for this all begins with Floyd Mayweather Sr. now in camp at the wheel. To strengthen the argument of fighters fighting in an image of their trainer, I will go out on a limb and say that Mayweather began to fight like Roger to a certain degree.
Many times in the corner mid fight what would Roger be saying “just go out there and kick that mofo’s rear end” And Floyd surprisingly listening to his corner followed instructions. Roger himself as a fighter was a come forward beat you down type, never using his legs.
Roger rarely uttered words like lateral movement, jab, faint, just kick that mofo’s backside. In those years we seen Mayweather become more a in your face fighter not offering much movement. We also seen him become heavily dependent on the right hand lead and struggling against completion at 154.
If you have ever seen Mayweather Sr. fight, I would rate his jab only under the great jabbers such as Hearns and Holmes to mention a few. The man had a strong fast jab, and of course something that has never lefted Floyd Jr. the shoulder roll.
In Mayweather’s last fight we seen him display a jab that I have never seen from Floyd Jr. I was shocked at how effective it was, and a brilliant strategy because everyone at this point is looking for the right hand lead. At age 36, he looks like the Mayweather that defeated Diego Corrales, as swift as the Mayweather that fought Arturo Gatti, for competition that a scary thing.
Some now say he’s just too good for anyone out there. A year ago the belief was that Mayweather was ripe for the picking.
Is this Mayweather 2.0? I say no, that would be complicated. This is a simple story of two men finding their way back home and everything now being rightfully placed. Is Roger Mayweather a great trainer? I would say no, but he’s the best guy on the mitts in the game and that’s what he now does. Has Floyd Sr. been a distraction to Mayweather in the past? I would say yes, but as his trainer, he makes Floyd Jr. the best Floyd Jr. can be.
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