Watching HBO’s reply (love having HBO). Here’s Bad Left Hook’s extensive coverage.
My notes:
Mayweather really can land those lead straight rights. Man he’s fast.
My enduring view of Mayweahter is that he’s one of these athletes that makes it look easy. One of the reasons he looks so good is that his opponents get discouraged and can’t figure out how to continue.
Defense/counter-attack is probably the most consistently successful strategy in all of sports. This bodes well for Mayweather’s chances against anyone.
On the other hand, Mayweather’s style of defense will wear down more quickly than others’ offensive powers. Speed kills, sure, but speed dies, too.
You know when a fighter reacts to getting hit they feel it.. Floyd did that whole smile and “Come on, that didn’t hurt!” routine. The power got to him. Hm…
Saw Floyd’s two hands go up right before the headbutt. My god, Ortiz actually had a chance. What an idiot. An idiot inexperienced kid. A kidiot.
The knockout was pretty unsportsmanlike but not against the rules as many have said. I think Floyd went into that bro hug thinking, what in the hell is this? Fuck it, I’m going to hit him.
Now, knockouts are concussions and sometimes they don’t go away. When you get KO’d you lose some ability to endure blows to the head forever. Arthur Abraham’s despicable foul against Andre Dirrell comes to mind. That guy will never be the same.
So let’s speculate about Pacquiao. Floyd chose his opponent well, here: Ortiz is a less-skilled version of Manny: probably not as quick and not as awkward and not as powerful. But a southpaw and close enough on everything else.
I suspect Manny won’t get frustrated with Mayweather who clearly isn’t going to knock a ready fighter out. With each passing day, Floyd’s abilities erode more quickly than Manny’s.
Five years ago, Floyd by a comfortable UD, I think.
Today? Or in two years when they actually meet? I think Manny hurts Floyd like Mosley did and like Ortiz did. But Manny won’t screw up the finish.
Manny Pacquiao by KO.
Not Unreasonable 