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I know, there's probably enough stuff Mayweather vs Pacquiao related out there, but I wanted to put something together in advanced of May 2nd. I plan to have a look at Mayweather and then a prediction.
Should be a good fight, but could easily be a slow one (which I imagine would be good for Mayweather).
Anyway, feel free to have a look, the link to the full write-up is at the bottom. Have a good weekend!
Manny Pacquiao - Fighter Analysis
The mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 KO's) and Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KO's) has finally been made official. Nothing more needs to be said from me regarding the arduous process that involved getting both men into the same ring. I don't care. It's here now, and I can finally begin a technical analysis for each boxer as they prepare to meet one another.
Manny Pacquiao is easily the most complete fighter that Floyd Mayweather has ever fought. While some fans and boxing personalities have speculated that Mayweather has been waiting for Pacquiao to slow down before he took this fight, I am not sure that this was his intent (nor - if that's the case - do I think it was the wisest of choices).
We all know Manny Pacquiao as the whirlwind boxer-puncher that has buried opponent after opponent under a pile of gloves. It is this fighter that people believe would have frustrated and overwhelmed the cagey Mayweather six years ago when this fight was first being deliberated. Nowadays, people aren't so sure. In his last five fights Pacquiao is 3-2. His level of activity looks diminished and he hasn't had a knock out since 2009. However, although Pacquiao has slowed down and looked very mortal in recent years, he has not necessarily become a lesser boxer.
Pacquiao's movement, effective southpaw punching style and improving boxing acumen will be integral to his success when he steps through the ropes against Floyd Mayweather on May 2nd.
Deft Footwork and Use of Angles
Pacquiao's footwork gets a ton of praise due to its speed, but it is a speed that is wisely employed.
Timothy Bradley said that Pacquaio is far better defensively as a boxer than people think because of his footwork. In a split-second, Pacquiao can close the distance, score some damage and then pop back out of range before his opponent has the ability to respond. A moving target is harder to hit, and Pacquiao's footwork is his greatest defensive asset. It brings him into position to unload his punches, and - when he is at his sharpest - promptly moves him out of danger.
Figure 1.1 - In and Out Movement
Figure 1.2 - Side to Side
Notice that in both examples Pacquiao either controls the range (Figure 1.1) or controls the line of attack (Figure 1.2) to keep himself relatively safe while in turn landing power shots of his own.
Pacquiao's Southpaw Punching Style
Boxing as a southpaw is statistically unusual (according to some estimates only 10% of boxers are southpaws). Due to this rarity, there is a good deal of unfamiliarity when a right-hander fights a lefty. Everything is the reverse for a southpaw when they fight a right-hander for a number of reasons. The range and angle of their punches changes. The placement of the gloves means that certain punches need to be executed differently. The lead hook comes at a closer and awkward angle. The direction in which a boxer circles to avoid the power of his opponent must change when fighting someone that is mirroring his stance. The lead hand and how it is used also changes because the glove of each lead hand interferes with the other. In fact, hand fighting with the lead hands can become as much of a chess match as the rest of the fight. Also, when two orthodox boxers fight they aren't usually encouraged to throw their right hand without any set up. However, when a southpaw and an orthodox boxer fight they can get away with this (in fact, it's often encouraged) because the rear straight has a clear path since the opponents shoulder doesn't get in the way. These are just some of the differences that exist when a southpaw fighter exchanges punches with an orthodox fighter.
Pacquiao used to bee-line and spam left hands until his opponent would wilt and break under the pressure. Over the years his natural speed and power were not enough as his competition improved. Roach giving him a right hook was a natural progression since it works so well with a straight left. Slowly, over the years, Pacquiao has mastered the many strategies and angles of southpaw punching.
Right Hook
One of the best weapons a southpaw has is his right hook. It's not only his closest power punch, it also comes at an unusual angle for an orthodox fighter to receive. If a fighter is too concerned with the southpaw's left, then the right hook can catch him blindly. Against Mayweather, Pacquiao's right hook will be instrumental in countering his jab and taking his attention away from Pacquiao's left hand.
Figure 2.1 - Countering the jab with a right hook
In Figure 2.1, Pacquiao is administering one of his most savage beatings when he stopped Miguel Cotto in 2009. Cotto is a very good with his jab, and one of his best traits as a jabber is how well he times it. This was very problematic for Pacquiao because a well-timed jab can frustrate a fighter that relies on his speed. Pacquiao had to make adjustments after a difficult first round and had to anticipate the effective jab of Cotto. Doing so let him take it away as a weapon during their bout. Snapping his right hook over the leader shoulder of Cotto, he connects on the temple. It doesn't look like a hard shot, but the shoulder whirl and snapping force of the punch makes it deceptively painful. As many fighters (Shane Mosley and Timothy Bradley for example) have noted, you don't understand Pacquiao's speed until you get in there and get hit by him. His punch lands with more of a jolt than a thud. Combine that with his blinding speed and you can begin to appreciate the dangers of Pacquiao's punching.
Figure 2.2 - Using the hook to intercept his opponent
Pacquiao also uses this hook to intercept his opponent as they try to close the distance and attack him. He has picked off numerous fighters coming in with his right hook because it is not only very fast, but also very compact (at the time many were surprised when he out-hooked Ricky Hatton in 2008).
Although the above examples demonstrate the right hook as a punch to the head, make no mistake, Pacquiao should be throwing that right hook to the body when he fights Mayweather. It not only will suck some air out of Mayweather throughout the fight, but it will also pry open his vaunted defense as he tries to protect his left side. Maidana showed us that throwing the right hand to Mayweather's body is not only a pretty straightforward task, it can also open him up to other shots (not often, but often enough), and Pacquiao would do well to duplicate that success.
For the rest of it go to: http://a-neutral-corner.blogspot.ca/2015/03/manny-pacquiao-fighter-analysis.html
Should be a good fight, but could easily be a slow one (which I imagine would be good for Mayweather).
Anyway, feel free to have a look, the link to the full write-up is at the bottom. Have a good weekend!
Manny Pacquiao - Fighter Analysis
The mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 KO's) and Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KO's) has finally been made official. Nothing more needs to be said from me regarding the arduous process that involved getting both men into the same ring. I don't care. It's here now, and I can finally begin a technical analysis for each boxer as they prepare to meet one another.
Manny Pacquiao is easily the most complete fighter that Floyd Mayweather has ever fought. While some fans and boxing personalities have speculated that Mayweather has been waiting for Pacquiao to slow down before he took this fight, I am not sure that this was his intent (nor - if that's the case - do I think it was the wisest of choices).
We all know Manny Pacquiao as the whirlwind boxer-puncher that has buried opponent after opponent under a pile of gloves. It is this fighter that people believe would have frustrated and overwhelmed the cagey Mayweather six years ago when this fight was first being deliberated. Nowadays, people aren't so sure. In his last five fights Pacquiao is 3-2. His level of activity looks diminished and he hasn't had a knock out since 2009. However, although Pacquiao has slowed down and looked very mortal in recent years, he has not necessarily become a lesser boxer.
Pacquiao's movement, effective southpaw punching style and improving boxing acumen will be integral to his success when he steps through the ropes against Floyd Mayweather on May 2nd.
Deft Footwork and Use of Angles
Pacquiao's footwork gets a ton of praise due to its speed, but it is a speed that is wisely employed.
Timothy Bradley said that Pacquaio is far better defensively as a boxer than people think because of his footwork. In a split-second, Pacquiao can close the distance, score some damage and then pop back out of range before his opponent has the ability to respond. A moving target is harder to hit, and Pacquiao's footwork is his greatest defensive asset. It brings him into position to unload his punches, and - when he is at his sharpest - promptly moves him out of danger.
Figure 1.1 - In and Out Movement
Figure 1.2 - Side to Side
Notice that in both examples Pacquiao either controls the range (Figure 1.1) or controls the line of attack (Figure 1.2) to keep himself relatively safe while in turn landing power shots of his own.
Pacquiao's Southpaw Punching Style
Boxing as a southpaw is statistically unusual (according to some estimates only 10% of boxers are southpaws). Due to this rarity, there is a good deal of unfamiliarity when a right-hander fights a lefty. Everything is the reverse for a southpaw when they fight a right-hander for a number of reasons. The range and angle of their punches changes. The placement of the gloves means that certain punches need to be executed differently. The lead hook comes at a closer and awkward angle. The direction in which a boxer circles to avoid the power of his opponent must change when fighting someone that is mirroring his stance. The lead hand and how it is used also changes because the glove of each lead hand interferes with the other. In fact, hand fighting with the lead hands can become as much of a chess match as the rest of the fight. Also, when two orthodox boxers fight they aren't usually encouraged to throw their right hand without any set up. However, when a southpaw and an orthodox boxer fight they can get away with this (in fact, it's often encouraged) because the rear straight has a clear path since the opponents shoulder doesn't get in the way. These are just some of the differences that exist when a southpaw fighter exchanges punches with an orthodox fighter.
Pacquiao used to bee-line and spam left hands until his opponent would wilt and break under the pressure. Over the years his natural speed and power were not enough as his competition improved. Roach giving him a right hook was a natural progression since it works so well with a straight left. Slowly, over the years, Pacquiao has mastered the many strategies and angles of southpaw punching.
Right Hook
One of the best weapons a southpaw has is his right hook. It's not only his closest power punch, it also comes at an unusual angle for an orthodox fighter to receive. If a fighter is too concerned with the southpaw's left, then the right hook can catch him blindly. Against Mayweather, Pacquiao's right hook will be instrumental in countering his jab and taking his attention away from Pacquiao's left hand.
Figure 2.1 - Countering the jab with a right hook
In Figure 2.1, Pacquiao is administering one of his most savage beatings when he stopped Miguel Cotto in 2009. Cotto is a very good with his jab, and one of his best traits as a jabber is how well he times it. This was very problematic for Pacquiao because a well-timed jab can frustrate a fighter that relies on his speed. Pacquiao had to make adjustments after a difficult first round and had to anticipate the effective jab of Cotto. Doing so let him take it away as a weapon during their bout. Snapping his right hook over the leader shoulder of Cotto, he connects on the temple. It doesn't look like a hard shot, but the shoulder whirl and snapping force of the punch makes it deceptively painful. As many fighters (Shane Mosley and Timothy Bradley for example) have noted, you don't understand Pacquiao's speed until you get in there and get hit by him. His punch lands with more of a jolt than a thud. Combine that with his blinding speed and you can begin to appreciate the dangers of Pacquiao's punching.
Figure 2.2 - Using the hook to intercept his opponent
Pacquiao also uses this hook to intercept his opponent as they try to close the distance and attack him. He has picked off numerous fighters coming in with his right hook because it is not only very fast, but also very compact (at the time many were surprised when he out-hooked Ricky Hatton in 2008).
Although the above examples demonstrate the right hook as a punch to the head, make no mistake, Pacquiao should be throwing that right hook to the body when he fights Mayweather. It not only will suck some air out of Mayweather throughout the fight, but it will also pry open his vaunted defense as he tries to protect his left side. Maidana showed us that throwing the right hand to Mayweather's body is not only a pretty straightforward task, it can also open him up to other shots (not often, but often enough), and Pacquiao would do well to duplicate that success.
For the rest of it go to: http://a-neutral-corner.blogspot.ca/2015/03/manny-pacquiao-fighter-analysis.html
