A mere Xerox of the first

By Al S. Mendoza

 

WE yearn for a rematch?

Because we believe that a rematch will avenge Manny Pacquiao’s loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr.?

Quit the crap, fellers.

In the return bout, Pacquiao will lose again.

In a third fight, Pacquiao will lose again.

Not to brag, but did I not say here that Pacquiao’s only chance of victory is by knocking out Mayweather?

Because he failed to put Mayweather to sleep, Pacquiao lost by unanimous decision.

If we insist the judges were wrong in awarding Mayweather the fight, we do not know our boxing.

And if we also say that Mayweather can easily be tagged with a knockout punch, we also know nothing about defense in boxing.

For, the truth is, knocking Mayweather out would be almost next to impossible.

It is like ignoring the screaming reality: Mayweather Is unbeaten in 47 fights before he defeated Pacquiao (57-5-2, win-loss-draw).

In the May 3 (Philippine time) fight in Las Vegas, Mayweather was the pure master and Pacquiao the perennial pupil.

Because Mayweather was in tip-top shape, he merely toyed with Pacquiao.

Mayweather’s running, dancing and clinching had all been executed to the letter.

Thus, our beloved PacMan was reduced to running after Mayweather, like a pickpocket victim giving chase to a thief—in vain.

How many times have I said that no one can beat Mayweather with punches that can barely connect?

When we thought Pacquiao would unload punches in bunches, we saw him getting out-punched instead as compubox stats showed.

Pacquiao was aggression personified in the fight?

Sadly, he didn’t do enough, stopping each time on his tracks when there was that opening to pepper Mayweather with machinegun hits.

Or did Mayweather obliterate Pacquiao’s power punches with a defensive strategy that he’s been known for the last 17 years or so?

Seemingly, yes.

Indeed, against Mayweather, Pacquiao, shoulder injury notwithstanding, was reduced to chasing the wind instead of Mayweather’s chin.

This wasn’t a fight at its best at it lacked the slambang action we all wanted to see.

But who said Mayweather would engage Pacquiao in brutal combat?

In his entire career, Mayweather would box but not brawl, employing defense as his primary offense.

It was, yes, the richest fight in history, grossing $500 million.

But, no, it wasn’t “the battle for greatness.”

It was more of “the battle for fastness”—Mayweather being so fast in eluding, escaping, Pacquiao’s numerous assaults.

So that if they should fight again, it would be a mere repetition of the first.

Still, chances are it would happen.

And, again, we’d spend some good money—even if we knew we would merely see a xerox.

As I also said here so many times already, it is in boxing that suckers teem.

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(Condolences to the loved ones of Henry Cojuangco, who succumbed to aneurism on May 12 at age 73.  I will cherish our memories together, when Henry was team manager of the San Miguel Beermen whose exploits I had covered in the 1985 World Club Team Championship in Girona, Spain.  Rest now, my friend.)

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