Retired world super-middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Joe Calzaghe believes the only way Manny Pacquiao has a chance of defeating Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Saturday is by applying constant pressure and landing ferocious combinations on the undefeated champion.
Calzaghe, who was also undefeated in 46 bouts, told Sky Sports News HQ: “Manny Pacquiao definitely has a chance. He has to be very fast, [throw] fast combinations, use his southpaw skills, but don’t be too careless because Mayweather is really good with that right hand and that left hook, which is the perfect punch to throw against a southpaw.”
Pacquiao, who is a world champion in a record eight weight classes, is regarded as one of the sport’s greatest, but comes into the hotly-contested matchup as the underdog against the defensively superior Mayweather.
“There is no way he is going to out-box Floyd Mayweather. When it comes to boxing skills, Mayweather is a much better fighter. Manny Pacquiao needs to be aggressive, he needs to throw punches in bunches, combinations, and have a high work rate, like Maidana did,” Calzaghe said.
Although Calzaghe has picked Mayweather to defeat Pacquiao, he feels he can be proved wrong if Pacquiao troubles Mayweather reminiscent to what Marcos Maidana was able to do in their two fights a year ago. Maidana is not as good of a fighter as Pacquiao and Calzaghe acknowledges that, which makes you wonder how Pacquiao’s style is going to make an impact on Saturday.
“Maidana is not as good as Pacquiao, but he did cause problems for Mayweather when he threw combinations and backed him on the ropes and let his punches go,” he added.
That was true in the first fight. Maidana’s punches came from such awkward angles that Mayweather found himself getting smothered early in the fight before finding his groove to dominate down the stretch. Maidana’s inaccuracy played a factor, as well as his mediocre defense. Mayweather landed 54% of his total punches, including 65% of his power shots. I don’t believe we will see numbers as radical against Pacquiao.
“Personally, if you asked my prediction, I would have to go with the undefeated fighter, Mayweather, to win the fight, probably on points, but Manny Pacquiao is a very dangerous fighter, so it will be edge-of-your-seat stuff.”
Floyd Mayweather is looking to become one of the few boxers in the history of the sport to retire undefeated and a majority of boxing pundits and analysts alike believe Manny Pacquiao is the biggest threat to that objective.
Calzaghe knows what kind of pressure Mayweather is under and admits that the American will feel more pressure than the Filipino.
“Speaking personally, there is a lot of pressure in your career when you realize that you could be one of the elite fighters who retire undefeated.
“It’s coming to the end of Floyd’s career, so I think there is a lot more pressure on Mayweather because he has that zero. Manny Pacquiao will be more relaxed because he knows he is the underdog and I think he has one great fight left in him.
“There is going to be a lot of pressure on both fighters, but I believe Mayweather will feel more pressure.”
Is this just business as usual for Floyd Mayweather or he is walking into a trap on May 2? We’ll have to find out as two of the sport’s biggest PPV attractions make the wallets empty in anticipation for the fight of the century. Don’t miss your chance to witness history.
