As a boxing analyst for ESPN and a former referee with over 150 world title fights under his belt, Joe Cortez has the kind of intimate knowledge of the fight game that few of us will ever have the pleasure to accumulate. He was willing to share his views on the upcoming May 2nd meeting between Floyd Mayweather Jr(47-0, 26KO’s) and Manny Pacquiao(57-5-2, 38KO’s) with Esnewsreporting.com, a fight he would have been in line to officiate just a few years ago.
“Floyd Mayweather has to be careful that he doesn’t focus too much on defence and be a lot on the offence. On that night, Floyd Mayweather gonna really raise the bar, so is Pacquiao, it’s gonna be a good fight, a fight the fans have been waiting for for so many years.”
Bearing that last sentiment in mind, I too hope both fighters find yet another level in their respective games to give everyone that has waited for this fight their money’s worth. What’s reassuring is neither man is in the habit of under-performing in their toughest fights. Pacquiao has risen to every daunting challenge in sensational fashion; Morales, Barrera, De La Hoya, Cotto, Margarito. They were all ripped down from their pedestals when they all appeared to be a step to far for the tiny Filipino.
Mayweather, as we all know, is a byword for consistency, stamping his game plan on every fight he’s ever been in, no matter who stands across from him. Can they each take another step up or have their reached the ceiling of their abilities?
Cortez has taken charge of bouts involving both men and the simplicity with which he sums them up is testimony to how good they really are, coming from a man immersed in the sport having seen almost every notable fighter of the last two decades in person, from only a few feet away.
“Watching these two fighters, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, I can tell you as an ex-fighter myself these are two dangerous fighters.”
Both are dangerous, but he slightly favours one.
“I would say Mayweather. I give him the edge for the simple reason that he’s undefeated, but Mayweather’s gotta be careful because Pacquiao has a great punch and Pacquiao’s not out of the picture, he has a lot left in him.”
This view runs contrary to those who predict a whitewash for Mayweather, but his reasoning is sound enough. I don’t imagine this will be a shutout on the cards in either man’s favour if it goes the full twelve rounds; they’re both too high-level. Mayweather has never, ever been schooled in his life, and you can go and look at his record on Boxrec.com to see the men he’s faced over the years. The only fighter to give Pacquiao consistent trouble is the great Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, and that, as much as being a bad style match-up for Pacquiao, is testament to Marquez’s quality and not a mark against Pacquiao. He and Mayweather will both need to be at the very top of their game to have a chance of winning this one.
