It’s The One, Mayweather-Canelo, the biggest fight of the year, one of the few boxing fights that will have the attention of the world on it. Check out how ThaBoxingVoice staff see the fight playing out and who wins:
Jeff Rufino: Mayweather Split Decision
This fight will go very similar to the Mayweather De La Hoya fight in that Canelo will have minor successes inside but ultimately will be unable to catch up the Money May.
Shade Awad: Mayweather Unanimous Decision
152lbs will not be the deciding factor on this fight. The main factor is timing. Is it the right time for this fight, Yes. While Canelo isn’t the fastest or strongest puncher at Jr. Middleweight his timing is the best. He times his punches and will attack Floyd to the body constantly. He will win a couple of the earlier rounds until Floyd figures him outs and starts countering. Canelo isn’t busy enough to win on a big stage. Canelo will lose a valiant effort 116-112 on the scorecards. Mayweather UD
Peter Clarke: Mayweather Unanimous Decision
The only way to beat Floyd is the do 3 things, use the jab, go to the body, and you have to be able to cut off the ring well. Canelo can go to the body, but he only uses his jab part of the time and he doesn’t cut off the ring well enough. Mayweather by UD, (9 rds to 3).
Suzan Classen: Canelo by decision
My pick is Canelo for more personal than actual technique and skill. I want to see Mayweather lose bottom line. I do have concerns with Canelo, which is his stamina and his focus because of the pressure of Mayweather who is a technician. I want him to win this fight but it may get the best of him. If Canelo can pull it off, it will be by decision.
Jacqueline Purcell: Mayweather Unanimous Decision
This is THE ONE, the fight that everyone wanted made, a chance for Canelo to skyrocket to the top of the top in boxing and, if victorious, to take the reins as the King from Floyd Mayweather, but I don’t think it will happen. Yes, Canelo looked great against Trout, and No I do not think Oscar De La Hoya would put his cash cow on the line unless there was a real belief that Canelo could pull off the win but I just don’t see it. Mayweather is not ready to lose, and he still has a few fights on his record breaking contract with SHOWTIME, so I do not think that he would have agreed to the fight if he didn’t see weaknesses in Canelo. There is also the factor of Canelo’s list of opponents, which everyone questioned before the Trout fight, has Canelo ever faced someone the caliber of Mayweather? Can he handle it? I don’t think so, Mayweather by UD.
Eddy Narvaez: Mayweather Unanimous Decision
We will see the old Mayweather in this fight, on his toes. It’s no secret that Canelo is bigger and stronger. Mayweather will be a fool if he stays in front of him. Mayweather is no fool. 12 UD for Mayweather
Gil Aviles: Mayweather
Floyd by wide UD or late stoppage, basically it will be a little too much too soon, for Canelo. Floyd will make him look foolish and tire him out, surviving some scary moments early as well. He will start pounding Canelo hard to the body after round four and it will start getting ugly for the bigger but slower and greener Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. I can see Floyd actually ruining the young fighter. He looks extremely sharp and seems to be punching extremely hard based on the open work outs last week. On the other hand, Canelo looked slow and heavy during his workout. He will have a real hard time making the contracted 152 lbs limit. Don’t be surprised if he comes in at the full 154 lbs and opts to pay the stipulated fine.
Chris Carlson: Mayweather Decision
Canelo is very patient offensively showing gradual improvement in the last few years. Fighting under controlled and at a measured pace may get him into the hall of fame someday. The problem is that pace suits Mayweather style all too well. That said, I see him pushing Floyd behind the jab throwing shots that land to the body, arms, and shoulders. Once Mayweather gets into a rhythm he will take over in the championship rounds. It will be an entertaining fight, somewhere in the 8-4 or 9-3 range in favor of Money May.
Marco Garcia: Mayweather Decision
My prediction is simple, do not bet against Mayweather! You can love him or hate him but he is fast, technical, powerful, and skilled At his age most fighters are slowing down and his reflexes seem to be adapting well to his “new style”. While I’m a big fan and supporter of Canelo, I still see his flaws which will be his downfall, he doesn’t have the stamina needed to keep up and outwork Mayweather regardless of the power and technique the younger man does posses. I believe the fight will play out similar to the De La Hoya fight as Canelo will use an array of punches to score points but get caught coming in and not be able to do much fighting backwards. If you needed a game plan to win, mixing the early success of Judah, De La Hoya, and Cotto would guarantee you a win. Punch with him like Judah did, stay busy like De La Hoya, and shoot shots off a pivot while backing out like Cotto did, but I can’t see Alvarez sustaining that for 12 hard rounds. It will be a closer than expected UD12 for Mayweather.
Joe Habeeb: Mayweather Decision
Floyd Mayweather has been on top for so long now that it’s hard to pick against him. Even at thirty six years of age, he hasn’t given us any indication that he is slowing down. Although Saul Alvarez passed his first big test this past April against former junior middleweight champion Austin Trout, I’m still not totally sold on him just yet based off of that performance. The fight was extremely close and an argument could be made that it could have gone either way.
Alvarez did well in spots but seemed to fade as the fight wore on. He appeared to be tired late in the fight and was somewhat economical with his punches, which is something that I feel he can’t afford to do against Floyd Mayweather.
At the thirty day weigh-in Alvarez weighed in at 166.8 pounds while already looking very lean. It’s hard for me to imagine that he can get down to the contracted weight limit of 152 pounds without losing some serious muscle in the process. I suspect that his normal walk around weight may be close to 180 pounds, and I really question whether or not he should still be fighting at junior middleweight. It seems to me that a move up to middleweight is not far away. I strongly suspect that having to cut so much weight may be causing the stamina issues for “Canelo.” Mayweather doesn’t have such problems, as he walks around at or around 150 pounds.
Although Alvarez will be the much bigger man come fight night in terms of weight, I don’t think it will matter much because Floyd is used to being the smaller man. Just about all of his opponents usually significantly outweigh him come fight night. Nevertheless, Mayweather will still have a height and reach advantage over the young Mexican. Mayweather has just about every advantage in this fight except for power and weight.
Once the bell rings, I see Floyd doing what he always does and that’s pot shot from the outside. Alvarez just doesn’t have the foot speed to get close to Floyd. Mayweather will box smart as he always does and keep that forearm in Alvarez’ chest whenever he gets within an arm’s length.
Alvarez has said that he plans to box Floyd, but I don’t see anyone ever beating Mayweather at his own game. Although Alvarez has power, I don’t feel that he brings enough volume or have enough speed to catch the craftier Mayweather. I’m going with Floyd Mayweather by wide decision.
Victor Salazar: Draw
My pick has nothing technical about it. My pick is full of cynicism. No one is safe when building a brand, ask Manny Pacquiao that. Golden Boy and Showtime are trying to compete with HBO but it still doesn’t have the number of subscribers to do so. Take into the account that Floyd loves his ‘0’, I don’t think they’d give it to him like that. Instead I think both men will have both hands raised in a draw by referee Kenny Bayless. Floyd keeps his 0 intact. Canelo keeps his 0 intact and we’ll be doing this all over again in another year or two in a much bigger fight.
Controversy has built a brand before like it did for Tim Bradley. This fight is about building another brand to take over the reins from Mayweather after he retires and Canelo already has the look now he needs the notoriety.
As for the fight I think Mayweather will win 8-4 but if you feel it’s as close as that or even closer at 7-5, look for the draw here.
Nestor Gibbs: Mayweather Decision
Skills pay the bills. Canelo has never been on this level and has never faced an elite guy like Floyd.
The picks are 10-1-1 to Mayweather, seems like a very wide land slide decision.
