Brick City Boxing

By: Christian Cruz

When former P4P numero uno and welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr (39-0-0) announced his sudden retirement after his last fight in 2007, it was met with criticism, and was seen as an eventual escape from facing real competition in a division littered with quality oppositions. His overall career, was actually widely criticized, even though it bannered a flawless record of no losses and world championship belts in three different classes. For someone blessed with abundant talent, great boxing skills, and good pedigree, Mayweather, Jr. was perceived to have been only looking for easy money fights instead of fighting the best available opposition, especially during his stint at the welterweight division. Potential big fights with Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, and even Paul Williams were on the horizon after his victory versus Junior Welterweight champ Ricky Hatton, but as what happened, he retired prematurely.

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His fight with Hatton, not surprisingly, only bolstered the negative perception about his supposed “soft” competition. He faced a fighter who was moving up to the welterweight division, and whose last fight (and his only other fight) in that division was a showcase of struggle. Ranged against a limited but legitimate welterweight in Luis Collazo (26-1-0 at that time), Hatton showed in that fight, and probably the boxing world as well, that his strengths and effectiveness at 147 were nowhere near or the same when he was at 140, where he held the IBF, WBA, and IBO belts since 2005. Although Hatton won in the end, it was a very disputable, controversial unanimous decision.

Less than a month from now, Mayweather, Jr. will be returning to the ring after almost a two-year hiatus, taking on the challenge of lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (50-4-1). And just like before his retirement, his return is also met with loud howls of criticism and the reasons are obviously plenty.

Because any way you look at it, the Mayweather, Jr.–Marquez fight is simply a case of one very skilled super featherweight fighter moving up to an uncharted division to battle one very skilled welterweight; a mismatch in terms of size. Mayweather has been fighting comfortably in the welterweight division for years now, while Marquez has gone up to lightweight just recently, which is two divisions down from welterweight, and though he looks stronger and gives impressive display of absolute heart, grit, and toughness there, he sometimes looked more vulnerable than ever, especially against his fight with former lightweight champion Juan Diaz, who bullied and pressured him effectively early on.

Aside from the size difference, Mayweather, Jr., like Marquez, is fundamentally sound offensively, and even has a significantly better defense overall. And for everything El Dinamita would bring to the table, Mayweather has them in aces: both are naturally accurate counterpunchers and technically well-rounded boxers, but Mayweather has all the physical advantages—faster, quicker, stronger, and more athletic. And let us not forget the age. Marquez, at 37, has been defying Father Time for some time now, and has been in bloody battles in almost all of his recent fights, most notably against Diaz, Casamayor, Pacquiao, and Barrera. Sooner or later, the wear and tear would pop out, and with him going up in weight once more, and against an equally elite boxer in Mayweather, Jr., who knows? There is a big chance this could be it.

The odds are very much stacked big-time against perhaps, and arguably, the best Mexican warrior since Julio Cesar Chavez in this match-up, and it will take a great combination of heart, skills, determination, and conditioning on his part to upset the heavily-favored Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Realistically, the only hope Marquez can hold on to is to have the Pretty Boy feel the effect of his ring inactivity and the reported injury he got from a sparring session leading to this fight, and wilt under his now-aggressive style of offensive attack. This will be a competitive fight, if only because Marquez’ toughness and skills will not allow it to become such a one-sided blow-out, but eventually, Mayweather’s equally elite boxing skills, considerable size advantage, and style shall prove to be decisive in this clash.

It is clear even before the announcement of this fight four months ago, that this is merely a tune-up for Mayweather, and whatever promotional gimmicks the spic doctors from Golden Boy Promotions and his own promotion would want us to believe, the fact remains that Mayweather is taking the path of least resistance here in his quest to land a huge showdown with the current P4P king, Manny Pacquiao. Among the active boxers in his division, he could have faced the WBA world champion in Shane Mosley and regain back his belts. But Mosley, who pulverized his last two opponents, “Tijuana Tornado” Antonio Margarito in nine brutal rounds, and Fernando Mayorga in the 12th round, and who despite his age, is looking stronger than ever. Stylistically, and with his size advantage, Sugar Mosley should give Mayweather a really difficult fight. Another potential big fight for Mayweather that he could have chosen is a fight with Puerto Rican and WBO Welterweight title holder Miguel Cotto, who at this point, is at his prime and should be ready for any challenges. Unfortunately, it seems Mayweather, Jr., not unlike before he retired temporarily, has decided to take the criticisms once again than to take the best available fights and have the chance of forever silencing his detractors and critics alike.