ThaBoxingVoice was able to get heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder’s pick on the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, and it was a similar refrain that we have been hearing from many in the boxing business… Floyd’s defense is simply unbeatable.
“It’s gonna be a great fight, I like both fighters, both fighters are great fighters but you know I always stuck with Mayweather ‘cause of the defense. I think he’s definitely got some of the best defense in the world and for that reason I’ma go with Floyd.”
Floyd’s defense is reaching a mythical status. It seems that now it is being put into rarefied air along with Michael Jordan’s “will to win” and Ted Williams’ superhuman vision. Many in the sport have seemingly given up on the possibility that it may be beatable.
Deontay’s prediction may have been status quo, but his next comment crossed into semi-controversial territory as he brought up the possibility of judges being unjustifiably partial to Manny Pacquiao if the fight is close.
“I think it’s gonna be a twelve round fight but for some reason, my gut feeling, I feel that if… [it’s a close fight], I think for some reason they’ll give it to Manny but I don’t know, we’ll see… The things that have been going on in boxing, you see it one way, it looks good but then it goes to the other guy… with all the controversy that’s been goin’ on with Floyd… and people that…”
… and then Deontay quickly transitioned to another topic before he got too deep.
Here is the thing… if it is a “close fight” then of course Manny has a chance of taking the decision. That’s how close fights go. Either fighter can win. Deontay doesn’t call out a specific reason why it would go to Manny so I will do it for him.
Manny is a much more offensively active fighter than Floyd. It would not be controversial at all for the more active fighter to get the decision in a close fight. Wilder hinted at something more nefarious, but in the scenario of a close match, there is nothing to be particularly suspicious about. All things equal, a close fight should lean Manny’s way due to his style.
“I’m just happy that the fight is happening, because I don’t like negative people, negativity and everybody ‘all he’s scared and this and this’, I’m just happy everybody can shut up and just enjoy boxing.”
The most negative thing you can bring up about boxing is in questioning its integrity. Planting the idea that something untoward might be up with the judging in the biggest fight in 40 years is a negative statement by any definition. I really like Deontay Wilder and appreciate his candor, but if he really wants to move past the negativity, he would do both himself and the sport a service by avoiding those types of comments.
