Mayweather vs Pacquiao: Can Floyd beat Manny if faced with adversity?
Boxing is very unique.
Unlike most popular American sports, the Sweet Science has a long rich history in the United States that spans well over a century, boasting legendary figures like Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong, Gene Tunney, Archie Moore and Willie Pep, as well as modern day greats like Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, Joe Frazier, and Sugar Ray Leonard.
One of the most coveted records in all popular sports currently belongs to another ring legend; Heavyweight icon Rocky Marciano. The late, great “Brockton Blockbuster” retired with a perfect record of 49 wins, 0 losses, and 43 knock-outs.
Although a current superstar of boxing has the unique opportunity to match or even exceed the Massachusetts born prizefighter’s distinction, most fight fans and boxing pundits aren’t exactly sure whether this modern-day, defensive master will compete long enough to surpass Marciano’s milestone.
According to the man himself, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (47-0, 26 KOs), the popular feat means very little to him.
“My last fight is in September,” admits Floyd Mayweather Jr. “You know, I got one more fight and I’m going to honor my contract. My last fight will be in September. Just one more, and that’s it.”
The current pound for pound king attributes the surprising decision to a lack of hunger for the “hurt business” at age 38.
“I don’t enjoy it like I once did. It’s at a point where it’s just business. It’s my job. I go to the gym, I train. I know what I have to do. There was a time when it was fun, but I’m at a point in my life where I’m really over all of that stuff.”
In Marciano’s 43rd professional outing, the hard punching champion was pushed to the brink during a cold evening in September of 1952, by a hard punching challenger from Camden, New Jersey. The heavily favored champ had to overcome serious adversity to not only hold onto his world title, but to keep his perfect record intact.
After being floored by Jersey Joe Walcott early in the first round of their scheduled 15 round thriller, via hard, compact left hook, and upon getting beaten up by the determined challenger throughout the great majority of the contest, Rocky was down on all three judges’ scorecards leading into the back third of the fight. In the pivotal and legendary thirteenth stanza, Marciano dug deep and landed a perfectly timed right hand to Walcott’s jaw, hurting the title challenger and sending him crashing to the canvas for good.
At that historic moment in the Rock’s career, the Heavyweight king still had the drive, hunger, and determination to overcome severe conditions in the ring and pull out a hard fought victory.
If faced with a similar situation on May 2, does Floyd Mayweather Jr. still have the heart and passion to pull out a victory?
Does “Money May” still possess the fire inside to overcome his perceived toughest test to date, Manny Pacquiao, in just nine days.
The world will find out when the two perceived best fighters in the world lock horns on May 2.