Floyd Will Knock Out Pacquiao in 11 Rounds: First HBO Showtime Worldwide Prediction
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
In two months, on May 2, 2015, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Floyd Mayweather Jr. will face the most formidable challenge of his career, a 12 round world title bout against Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Given that Pacman has agreed to all anti-doping tests now and later, and a 60/40 split on the overall purse, the bout is going to happen finally. At 38 years old, Floyd, now 47-0, will face the 36 year old version of Pacquiao, now 57-5-2 with 38 knockouts, on an HBO and Showtime combined Pay Per View event negotiated by Bob Arum, Al Haymon, and HBO CEO Richard Piepler. The World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization World Welterweight titles, and the World Boxing Association Super World Welterweight titles are all at stake at 147 pounds.
Pacquiao last knockout was a second round destruction of Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grandin Las Vegas, but that was in May 2009, six years ago. Floyd’s 26th knockout was the controversial ‘time in’ knockout of Victor Ortiz in September 2011 at the MGM Grand.
The tale of the tape can be decided by one key distinction: who has been knocked out. Pacquiao has been knocked out in 1996, 1999 and 2012. Pacquiao has drawn twice, and lost by decision twice. Floyd has never been beaten, and Pacquiao is not going to get lucky. Recent press reports have Pacquiao playing semipro basketball games with his friends in the Philippines. In the next sixty days, both Floyd and Pacquiao are going to have a publicity tour blitz to sell the mega fight the public has wanted forever.
Truth be told, Floyd always wanted this fight. Pacquiao always wanted the right dollar amount. This will be Floyd’s last major cash out bout. However much the Europeans will put up for the popular Amir Khan versus Floyd bout and card, Khan cannot match Pacman’s drawing power.
A decision also favors Floyd if the bout goes the distance, but it won’t. Floyd has won 17 twelve rounders, Pacquiao has won 11 twelve rounders. Juan Manuel Marquez proved Pacquiao could be taken out with power convincingly. Pacquiao will start strong like Marcos Rene Maidana did against Floyd. The key issue is whether a ring rusty Floyd will be more fearful of Pacquiao’s reputation than he was of the fearless Maidana the first time fought Maidana in their early rounds.
Floyd has to get down to business and he has to get down to business efficiently and early. Pacquiao has to be put on the defensive. Some early knockdowns by Floyd, with cuts sustained by Pacquiao, will provide the means for Floyd to finish the job. Floyd has a stake in this bout like no other. Floyd wants to cement his legacy as a boxer, not as a big draw. Pacquiao is Floyd’s first mega name opponent to date. Floyd will take no chances, but will also make no mistakes. Pacquiao, eager to prove himself, will be in with a super boxer in a super title fight for the first time at this level. Floyd is a cut above other boxers, including Pacquiao. He will prove it on the evening on May 2, 2015. However, as the bout is perhaps the biggest draw in professional boxing since Joe Louis versus Billy Conn, and Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier, undoubtedly the bookies will be betting big on this one until the opening bell. Despite his achievements, Pacquiao will be the underdog.
Floyd will knockout Pacquiao in round nine, ten or eleven. The punishment Floyd will deal Pacman will be gradual and brutal. In the end, Pacquiao will get counted out and his career will be over, in what will probably be the last major bout for both boxers. Since Floyd has one bout left with Showtime, he will honor it, and finish his career at 49-0 or 50-0 if he takes two more bouts and goes after Rocky Marciano’s sixty year old record.
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