Now we are less than a fortnight away, the time for the focus on the big fight will naturally grow more intense, and as the proposed date looms, figures from all corners of boxing are giving their opinion on the proposed outcome.
Kugan Cassius of iFLtv recently spoke to Britain’s former unified world cruiserweight champion and WBA heavyweight champion David Haye, to ask him his thoughts on the outcome.
One of the hotly debated topics among fans is whether this fight has come too late for both fighters, each arguably displaying their own (small) signs of decline.
Of this Haye said;
“No it’s not come too late for me. If they’d have waited ten years it would still be as big. When Floyd said the world will stop I genuinely believe it will stop rotating on its axis. When that first bell rings there won’t be anybody who hasn’t got a radio, a television set, the internet who won’t be watching. PPV, illegal stream whatever, everyone will be watching.”
Wryly he then adds with a smile;
“Though I’d hate for people to get viewing illegally and they shouldn’t watch it any way other than the old fashioned way!”
“This is as big as any boxing match gets, certainly since I’ve been alive.” said the Hayemaker.
“I remember Tyson/Lewis but even that didn’t have the same feel as this fight, and that was talked about for many, many years.”
Probed on a potential outcome by Cassius and a pick, Haye says;
“They are two of technically the best fighters of my generation. I’ve seen both of them. I’ve seen them both individually maybe five or six times, I’ve paid out of my own pocket to go over to Vegas. They are both amazing, both supreme athletes, both warriors and they both have everything a boxer needs to be great.”
Pushed on who he backs, he says
“Well the smart money is on Mayweather, obviously, he’s undefeated. He’s never been in a position where he could lose. Pacquiao does know how to handle losing, he’s been outpointed, knocked out. The Marquez shot, he was knocked out CLEAN by a guy that Mayweather played with.”
“Mayweather and Pacquiao have completely differing styles. Manny is all offence, applies pressure, takes risks and gambles and entertains the crowd. Mayweather has the perfect combination of defence and offence. Yeah he’s more defensive than offensive, but that allows him to win. He doesn’t put himself in the danger zone. It makes for a less entertaining but more EFFECTIVE fighter.”
“If you want to know what’s going to happen in the future then you need to look in the past. I’ve never seen Floyd drawn into a fight, unless it’s of benefit to him. In a fight he does what he wants to do, when he wants to do it. He’s so effective at what he does, it’s hard to bet against him. Its stupid to bet against someone like that”
“If you were teaching a little kid to box, you’d teach them to box like Floyd Mayweather” said Haye.
Twitter @undilutedpoison