I still think Pacquiao can overwhelm Floyd with his speed and footwork. I also think Floyd could potshot the crap out of him all night long but he would need more that that to beat Pacquiao.
It's hard to tell really because I don't see it as a real fight at all. It's more of a sparring.
But I think Dougie Fischer said it very eloquently in his last mailbag which I quote in parts: " To my eyes, Pacquiao has been on the gradual slide since the Margarito fight in 2010. He lacked fire in the Mosley fight in 2011. He was fortunate to get the decision over Marquez in November 2011. He was competent against Bradley last June but he had a guy ( with leg injury) in front of him and yet he could not catch him clean. Then he was KTFO by Marquez. I though he also intense and showed good form in that fight but he was dropped by a long range bomb in the third--the kind of punch he would have avoided in previous years--before he was literally put to sleep.
I agree that he boxed brilliantly but as a boxing writer/editor, I have to put things in proper perspective. Rios is a former lightweight titleholder who was a top rated junior welterweight. He is NOT a world rated welterweight, the division that Pacquiao has occupied since 2009. Rios is a tough MoFo but he's got good inside craft and heavy hands but he is also a plodding stalker who does not cut the ring off well or have evry quick hands or reflexes. He's NOT an elite fighter and his TROUBLE with lateral movement was exposed during the first half of his title-winning bout versus Miguel Acosta, his gift decision over Richar Abril and his loss to Alvarado. Pac is definitely not finished as world class boxer but beating Rios even by shutout DOES NOT prove that he's all the way back!
@Bundini---You should have seen Manny's face now, many days after the fight and you could see some redness and minor swelling especially in the forehead area---an eye-opener considering Rios uncharacteristic lazy punch output during the fight. Pac competing and beating Floyd? Get real!
He fought more intelligently than he normally does, and took less chances, but he did get hit by some hard punches from Rios, one of them in the 6th round looked to rock Pacquiao a bit.
Manny got hit hard with illegal shots in the liver and kidneys during clinches, that's all. But from the distance, nah, I don't think so. Rios got in less than 10 clean shots to the face.
BQ: Yes, he does. A big puncher like Manny always has a shot. Besides, Floyd, has declined too.
Manny has no defense only movement and can g et out of the way of punches. Floyd is counter puncher too but faster, more agile, and better defense than Marquez. So idk why the hell people really think Pac could beat him lol
People wouldn't want to see this fight if they thought many didn't have a chance.
No..............Rios couldn't get off or didn't throw anything to damage Pacquiao. In his own words...Did I look like a punching bag ? My answer would be DUH!.
I just watched the pac vs rios fight on hbo. This is my 2nd time watching it. Only this time I was sober and there wasn't a crowd of people around me.
Manny got hit TOO MANY times in the face against a C level fighter coming off a loss.
Rios got whooped, but Manny is still not a great pure boxer.
Did you watch the fight more than once and get frustrated how easy it is to hit Manny?
BQ: Does anyone really truly believe he has a shot at beating Floyd after watching him against Rios compared to how Floyd performed against a much bigger and better fighter in Canelo?
