By M. Khan: Tonight’s match-ups between Floyd Mayweather and Saul “Canelo: Alvarez and Danny Garcia and Lucas Matthysse in Las Vegas, Nevada are an example of old school promoting. Its almost reminds us that boxing was a sport of pride and a way out of the gutters for most fighters.
In the old days we would never had a discussion on what grounds and satisfaction would the fighters be fighting. I accept that we should never over look the fact that boxing is a business but it must not take front seat over the pride of fighting.
So will it be a great night of boxing?
It will depend on the attitudes of the fighters. Will Floyd Mayweather Jr. just try to win or will he accept the challenge if it gets tough in the ring with Canelo. We must say he definitely stepped up after having the worst round of his life against Shane Mosley, but that situation was different.
Will Canelo Alvarez be willing to take the risk to get to Floyd Mayweather if Floyd decides to fight him from the outside and pop shot him with his right?
The truth is those decisions HAVE already been made. The fights tonight makes no difference than any other fight. Its the business and the attitude that determines the pride of fighters today.
In the early days, once the business part of a fight negotiations was done and accepted. The pride to win took over. Being the Champion or Winning was the essence of the heart to fight to win. Living to fight another day, would only be after I have tried everything to win. Taking the risk to overcome diversities, adapting and the will to conquer my opponent skills was what we saw in the ring of the old days.
Tonight there is no denying, that all fighters will make money. The truth also is NO ONE MUST WIN. If Canelo loses, he will still become a champion again, will still make money and will be remembered as the red-headed young Mexican that challenged the great Mayweather, and will disappear in the sun down like Robert Guerrero. A Robert Guerrero that was smarter after the fight not before.
A Robert Guerrero that made the decision before and during the fight to live to fight another day. The Robert Guerrero that had no pride to win, by attempting to take the risk to overcome the skills of his opponent. A Robert Guerrero of the early days would have rather get knocked out or having the fight stopped by trying. A fighter that goes home knowing that they tried EVERYTHING to win.
I remember fights like George Foreman vs Ron Lyle, if you don’t know the fight look it up. There are many fights of the old days that shows, being the champion or winning was the ultimate goal of a boxer, today its more, live to fight another day.
Which Floyd Mayweather will fight tonight? The one that accepts that my days of boxing must slowly come to an end and I have to protect my health. The Floyd that knows that even losing tonight will make him MORE money in a rematch. The Floyd that knows a win is a win, no matter how it comes. A Floyd that knows he does NOT need to scrabble with Canelo, he can do just enough to keep Canelo at bay and win. A Floyd who also knows that if it gets tough in the ring tonight, he can protect his health and wealth by accepting a decision loss against a Canelo and STILL MAKE MORE MONEY.
As you see, today we can make the biggest fights on paper but it means nothing. In today’s boxing, the results are in before the fight. The results are in the heads of the fighters, especially in today’s big fights. Place yourself in the position of these fighters, what decision would you make?
It takes two to make a boxing match, so even if one fighter comes in with the ego to win at all cost with pride and the other comes in with the attitude knowing all options that are available to him besides ONLY the pride of winning…..we will have a boring fight.
I expect The Canelo Alvarez vs Floyd Mayweather fight, to go as follows considering all options on the table for both fighters.
I see Canelo coming in with pride to win but with LIMITED willingness to risk everything to win. I see Floyd Mayweather with so many options available to him and his current situation, coming in to win but with no pride. He does not need it. This is not coming down hard on Floyd; its just a fact. The days of pride and proving himself is over. It’s now his health and wealth, what would you do if you were Mayweather.
I see Canelo trying to run Mayweather down, and I see Mayweather boxing and staying on the outside with movements, pop shotting Canelo with his right when he can. Avoiding getting stuck on the ropes. I see Floyd moving to his left and also throwing lots more left hooks as normal.
Canelo will be looking for a chance to hurt Mayweather, but e might just get caught up just trying to land that one punch. It can be a reflection of the Robert Guerrero fight, but if Canelo is able to get into the pocket and is able to land LEFT HOOKS to the body and head of Mayweather, we will see a decision win for Canelo. If Canelo within his LIMITED RISK is able to land the lefts early in the fight, Canelo will win by knockout. The key to victory for Canelo is to land the left hook to the head and body, making Mayweather in the later rounds, having to drop his hands making an opening for the right hand followed by a left hook.
On the other hand Mayweather WILL NOT engage Canelo like he did with Mosley. Canelo is young and do have the ability to throw combinations that can connect if ALLOWED by Mayweather. This will be too risky for Mayweather. BUT if Canelo allows Mayweather to land his left hook follow by the right, which will be set up with a right lead, then Canelo will have problems. I do not see Canelo being knocked out but I can see the fight being stopped.
The outcome of this fight is in the HEAD of Mayweather and not in the HANDS of Canelo.
Mayweather comes into this fight with pride he will lose.
Danny Garcia vs Lucas Matthysse
All THREE are naive. Yes, Angel Garcia included. There is no question that this will be an OLD SCHOOL fight. This fight is about pride and winning and even if just ONE of them steps into the ring with pride, it still makes for an excellent match, because of the styles. They DO NOT know how to run. They both throw the wide swinging left hook.
The only difference is we do not know how good of a punch Lucas Matthysse can take. We kinda have an idea of Danny Garcia’s ability when he fought Zab Judah. Who has the stronger punch? Who can take the punch of the other? That’s not what is going to determine this fight. The fighter with the BIGGER PRIDE and better defensive skills and combination punching will WIN this fight.
Contrary to the odds, Garcia is as naive as Lucas, meaning they are not looking at the risk of getting hurt by the other; They are MORE concentrating on landing their power punch first. So instead of safety and trying to use defensive skills to land their bomb, both will abandon boing skills and concentrate on getting their punch home first.
I assume many fans will think that Danny Garcia will be more disciplined in the fight, contrary to that I think Lucas will be because he has now developed better head movement and does not stand in front of you. BUT Matthysse has a hole in his defense, because he holds his right hand in front of his face and not at the side of his face. This smells like an upset if Garcia can get one of those left hooks home.
I see a 5th round knock out for somebody. Give the edge to Matthysse because of his head movement.
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