Mayweather/Paquiao fight

[Blueobelisk]

I don't get why people are complaining either. Were they expecting an ear to get bitten off or something?

Point of the match is to win, and the rules of the match aren't to kill your opponent, it's to land a number of hits better than the opponent and dodge his attacks.

Disappointing? Maybe compared to the hype. But Mayweather boxed the way you box to win.

[Beefsquatch]

With respect, I am completely baffled by people saying Mayweather didn't take the fight to Manny. Everything about the fight factually disproves the sentiment of those disappointed in the match.

Mayweather fought an almost perfect fight. Like a pitcher throwing a No Hitter- it was a literal clinic on how a Welterweight is supposed to box. Floyd landed more punches, landed more power punches, threw more punches, evaded more punches. When Manny managed to tag Mayweather with real punches, Floyd laughed the blows off; Manny not only couldn't penetrate Mayweather's defense, Manny could hit or hurt him at all.

There was one good connection Manny made with his right (his power source) and it only occurred because Mayweather made a technical mistake by wheeling to his left to avoid Manny's forward step.

I am utterly baffled. Boxers are not supposed to get hit if they are great- the goal of the sport is to land more punches, not get hit and make those punches you do land impacting. Mayweather did all 3 with aplomb. The only thing he didn't do was knock Pacman out.

I dislike Mayweather as a person. I think he is a scumbag, an abuser and represents the worst impulses of American commercialism, greed and opportunity disparity.

Mayweather is a despicable human being, in my opinion- but he is a superb boxer. Last night he showed exactly why boxing is called the sweet science.

I really don't understand where you see the amazement in last night's performance. Manny wasn't hurt, at all. It was a glorified sparring match.

That "sweet science" thing is just something that old time boxing fans say to defend a pretty boring and dying sport. There is a reason people are disappointed with this fight. Boxing use to be about putting the hurt on your opponent, fighting back with style and technique but the goal was beating him down. It was an exciting sport. When they announced big names going head to head, you expected a fight and you got one. Now? It's all about dem points, baby! Not taking risks, playing it safe and just getting by is what Boxing is all about these days.

All Mayweather did was shut Manny down (which I admit was great), but he didn't do anything else. He was never on the offensive, he never hurt Manny. He simply evaded/blocked all his blows, utilized his jabs/crosses when there was an opening but didn't follow through. Just enough to "win" without really beating Manny.

He is an amazing boxer, the best defensive boxer I've ever seen. But that's it. There was no amazement, no excitement. At the end of the day, people want to be entertained. They want to see a fight. This didn't deliver.

[Vampiroth]

You have to realize that boxing is not fighting. Boxing is simply boxing.

[Breccia]

I don't follow boxing, but it was tough to avoid all the info about this fight. I'm glad it came down to a decision, letting both fighters really show what they're made of. Props to both for having the endurance to go the distance, rather than having the most hyped fight in the universe turn into a sixty-second suckfest.

[Beefsquatch]

You have to realize that boxing is not fighting. Boxing is simply boxing.

Therein lies the problem. Boxing use to be about fighting. Now it's not. It's what upsets many fans of combat sports.

Don't get me wrong, I know and have seen a few fighters that still go the distance and like to really fight. It's just not the norm anymore.

[Essem]

Boxing is to the point where it is 100% figured out. When you get to the top of the chain, you will find boxers with long reach and have a certain height.

If Mayweather and Pacman were exactly same height and had same reach with jabs the fight would be different. When you become as good a someone like Mayweather, a shorter boxer, will get trouble even if they are more explosive.

The only boxer with short reach who could win by pure freak of nature was Tyson in his prime.

[Wildtree]

Best summary article I've read about the fight.
It hits the nail on the head 100%..
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/05/mayw...is-dead-payout

[apepi]

Hahaha.

[Triggered Fridgekin]

I don't watch Boxing but I snuck on to the bandwagon and watched this alleged 'fight of the century'. For me, it's the fight of the century because I doubt I'll ever watch another Boxing match even if I grow to be 129 years old so I guess it's not entirely false.

[Azrile]

As someone who has seen about 15 of Mayweather´s fights. Anyone who was expecting anything different than what he did, never saw him fight before. That is exactly what he always does. He runs, he hugs and he counter-punches after making the guy miss a lot of punches. The difference was that Pacman did actually hit him, a lot... more than I´ve ever seen him get hit before. I had Pacman winning by 1 round, but I knew that meant Mayweather would win by about 2 rounds. In every fight I´ve seen of his, he always gets 3-4 rounds that are suspect. The fact that one judge had Mayweather winning 10 of the 12 rounds is absurd.. there were probably 3 or 4 rounds where Mayweather never landed a real punch

In my opinion, there is one of two things that happened

1. The fight was fixed, not likely, but honestly that judge that had it 10-2 (118-110) was clearly not judging the fight.

2. Boxing has digressed to the point where judges are giving fighters points for dodging punches and avoiding being hit. I will have to watch the fight again, but there were probably 4-5 rounds where Mayweather did nothing but slap the gloves of pacman. I saw one left jab that actually looked like it connected with any type of force. I think this is one of the reasons why boxing is dying.. Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard both danced a lot and avoided a lot of punches, but they punished you later. Compare Sugar Ray Leonard making Roberto Duran say ´no mas´ to Pacman last night. Pacman probably woke up this morning feeling as good physically as he did when he woke up yesterday. The boxing associations need to change the rules for how they judge fights to give more advantage to the aggressor and person who lands more ´real´ punches. ( no, I don´t count backhanding someone´s gloves a real punch).

I joked with a friend last night because back in the 1980s, people would buy PPV for Tyson fights that lasted 30 seconds. He had a bunch of fights that ended before the first round was over. Those people who bought those Tyson fights were probably happier than people who watched Mayweather run, hug and slap for 36 minutes.

[icausewipes]

The only boxer with short reach who could win by pure freak of nature was Tyson in his prime.

Marciano had one of the shortest reach in heavyweight history.

[Azrile]

You must be either really young, or just really ignorant. Boxing was huge until the 2000s came along. It's been a dying sport for a long time.

It died when Tyson went to jail.

- - - Updated - - -

I have to agree, boxing needs some strong heavy weights. Watching pint size men fight is no fun. Needs power punching brutes, guys who can take a beating and dish one, not just dance around playing the numbers of the sport

Disgree. Hagler, Hearns, Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard.. all fought at around the same time and same weight.

If you never saw Sugar Ray fight.. imagine watching Mayweather fight, but after dodging all those punches, instead of dancing away or hugging you, Sugar Ray would open up a can of whoopass. He had all the defensive skills as Mayweather, but punished you at the end.

[Azrile]

A stacked fight with a win-by-points strategy that has a virtually predetermined outcome but still gets billed as the "fight of the century"?

Well no shit, welcome to 21st century boxing. How anyone is surprised by this is beyond me.

There was 0% chance Pacman could have won that fight without a knockout. What they need to do is just stop using the word ´fight´ and instead always call it a boxing match. We are 15 years past them actually fighting. After 12 rounds, both guys looked like all they needed was a 5 minute shower before they could go out clubbing.

[Paranoid Android]

As a person who watches no boxing at all. I predicted this as if I was in the business. I'm glad I didn't put down $100 or even go to some party. I think this fight killed the fight game than more than helping. Giving Mayweather his due, he fights his fight and is great at it but basically every fight is going to go the distance with no action. Pacquio has lost something and therefore could not engage Mayweather.

I highly doubt a rematch and Mayweather says he has one more fight in him. Boxing will fade again.

[Goradan]

About to have it but I feel Asleep. time difference is a bitch as It was on at 5 AM here in Denmark.

[MrSerious]

BORING fight. Normally when I watch important fights I am on the edge of my seat. This fight we ended up just talking amongst ourselves and occasionally looked at the screen hoping for some action. It was comical watching floyd run around the ring jabbing or when manny actually tried to fight floyd would quickly lunge in for a hug.

Nobody can take away the fact floyd knows how to win. But to call him an exciting dynamic fighter is a joke. And Manny just didn't take enough risks, and I'm not sure why he thought he was winning the fight and decided to take his foot off the gas and coast to the end. That was a stupid thing to do.

[Blueobelisk]

This fight we ended up just talking amongst ourselves and occasionally looked at the screen hoping for some action.

I'm sure this is a massive exaggeration.

[Vampiroth]

Therein lies the problem. Boxing use to be about fighting. Now it's not. It's what upsets many fans of combat sports.

Don't get me wrong, I know and have seen a few fighters that still go the distance and like to really fight. It's just not the norm anymore.

disagree, boxing has always been boxing.

[Fencers]

I really don't understand where you see the amazement in last night's performance.

I believe "amazement" is an attribute you are attaching to my commentary. Not one written or stated in actual words.

Manny wasn't hurt, at all.

But that's not relevant to boxing. The goal isn't to hurt the other guy. It's not a brawl or gladiatorial match. It's an athletic sport of rules and points.

That "sweet science" thing is just something that old time boxing fans say to defend a pretty boring and dying sport.

Boring is subjective, it has no relevance to my posts and I will not address your personal sentiments on entertainment.

However, "the sweet science" is a termed used by more than "old time boxing fans". It is used by boxing fans and aficionados. The sport is governed by a series of rules and techniques progressively developed over time.

There is a reason people are disappointed with this fight.

Yes, because of marketing they wanted something more dramatic. They got a technical boxing match.

Boxing use to be about putting the hurt on your opponent

In the Hellenistic era? Before they had gloves? I'm trying to think when organized modern boxing was about "putting the hurt" on someone and not an athletic competition of pugilism.

All Mayweather did was shut Manny down (which I admit was great), but he didn't do anything else.

But uhh you also just said: "He simply evaded/blocked all his blows, utilized his jabs/crosses when there was an opening but didn't follow through."

Sounds like boxing- using defined punching techniques, evading with good footwork and positioning, counter punching, blocking.

[Beefsquatch]

I believe "amazement" is an attribute you are attaching to my commentary. Not one written or stated in actual words

You may not have written "amazed", but you certainly gave the impression that the fight wowed you in some way shape or form. Seeing as you are acknowledging how this was "about as perfect as a Welterweight can fight".

But that's not relevant to boxing. The goal isn't to hurt the other guy. It's not a brawl or gladiatorial match. It's an athletic sport of rules and points.

Um....what? Boxing is a combat sport. If the goal is to simply outscore the other opponent and inflict minimal damage, then you're absolutely right when you say that this fight is a perfect example of a boxing match. It also explains why the biggest names Boxing currently has to offer are two guys past their prime, and that the "fight of the century" was this sorry excuse of a fight that disappointed many.

Boring is subjective, it has no relevance to my posts and I will not address your personal sentiments on entertainment.

A subjective opinion that many people who watched the fight, including die hard boxing fans share. But, fair enough.

However, "the sweet science" is a termed used by more than "old time boxing fans". It is used by boxing fans and aficionados. The sport is governed by a series of rules and techniques progressively developed over time.

Boxing elitists that try to justify extremely boring and uneventful matches, such as this one, made this term what it is in recent days. There is no "sweet science".

Yes, because of marketing they wanted something more dramatic. They got a technical boxing match.

So a technical fight can't be exciting? This is what you're saying?

In the Hellenistic era? Before they had gloves? I'm trying to think when organized modern boxing was about "putting the hurt" on someone and not an athletic competition of pugilism.

Stop being pretentious. To answer your question, the 60s to the early 90s. When Boxing was in, what is considered by many, it's "golden age".. The top fighters were finishers, it was all about beating whoever was in the other corner and about bragging rights. You didn't get bragging rights by winning over the judges. If you seriously believe the Boxing that we see today is reminiscent of what it was before, then I don't know what to tell you.

But uhh you also just said: "He simply evaded/blocked all his blows, utilized his jabs/crosses when there was an opening but didn't follow through."

Sounds like boxing- using defined punching techniques, evading with good footwork and positioning, counter punching, blocking.

Tell me where I said he wasn't boxing? I've said it a few times over that Floyd is the greatest defensive boxer I've ever seen. But he's not exciting or engaging in any way. He avoids confrontation at all costs. Being a counter striker is not an excuse not to close the deal. He's a points minded round edger, and a pretty harmless one at that. If that's what you enjoy seeing in a fight, that's ok. I prefer fighters that have that hunger, that want to end the fight, that want to really win. To each their own.