Robert Jackson: This edition of ‘just the facts’ features a young champion and boxing’s most wanted (depending on how you look at it). Trainers &Training, Conditioning & Confidence, plus other pertinent factors will be discussed and analyzed, culminating in a prediction that might surprise you, so read on.
In the skills department there is no better technician in boxing then the man called ‘Money’. Reflexes, athleticism and solid boxing fundamentals along with the Mayweather Style of fighting are part of this man’s toolkit. So hard to hit is Mayweather even while standing diectly in fornt of a foe, due to his highly developed defensive capabilities.
The WBC Champion on this side of the Maidana fight has turned the corner, using a strong base and aggressive style as was evident in his championship winning effort against Andre Berto. Ortiz’ skills can be characterized as workmanlike, and as a generalist Ortiz has no specialty and will depend on his size, aggression and power as tools to get the job done..
Advantage Skills: Mayweather
Training in Mayweather’s case always conjures up images of ‘Lil’ Floyd working the mitts with his Uncle Roger. Many including Ricky Hatton and Brother Nazim Richardson have spoken disparagingly about that mitt work, calling in pitty-pattying in Hatton’s case, with Richardson saying that the mitts work is even better than Mayweather actually fighting (After losing to Mayweather both must have 2nd thoughts about the mitt work). Floyd’s jump rope routine puts his speed and quickness on full display. Floyd is trained to reduce tension in his body which will preserve stamina in a long hard fight.
Victor Ortiz includes with his boxing workouts, routines commonly used by MMA fighters such as hitting a tire with a sledgehammer and shaking the ‘battling ropes’. Ortiz also lifts weights to enhance his strength and power, his physique shows a bulked up appearance because of these routines.
Advantage Training: Mayweather
The trainer in PBF’s corner is none other than the 59-13, 2-time World Champion Roger ‘Black Mamba’ Mayweather, who has translated his in the ring success to a coaching style needed by Floyd from a trusted consigliere. Roger remains calm in the corner during a fight and verbally prods ‘Money’ to stick to the gameplan.
The chief 2nd for Vicious Victor is Danny Garcia also a former fighter. Garcia’s worse moments had to be during and after the Maidana fight but still the bond between trainer and fighter remains strong.
Advantage Trainers: Even
Conditioning for both fighters consists of many miles of running and different calisthenics exercises. Mayweather at the 30 day weigh-in was right on target at 149lbs to make the 147lbs limit. The Vicious one 30 days out weighed 157.5lbs. Neither man has shown signs of fatique, or lack of conditioning in recent fights.
Advantage Conditioning: Even
Confidence is a quality that all championsip calibre fighters possess. Victor Ortiz coming into this fight is extraordinarily confident, almost over confident, does he know something the rest of us don’t know? Mayweather’s cofidence is hard to guage, he’s been uncharacteristically reserved in a lot of ways. Could the long layoff be affecting his belief in himself?
Advantage Confidence: Ortiz
Imponderables and miscellaneous happenings can determine the outcome of an event, this is magnified 100 fold in hand-to-hand combat. Floyd Mayweather had a well publicized falling out with his father during training camp, on top of previous legal issues still pending. Will this blow-up come back to haunt him? Victor Ortiz comparatively had a calm camp, but he’s bulked up very much from the strength training he’s done for this fight, will he struggle to make weight?
Advantage Misc: Even
Even though this writer believes the father/son blowup was partly ‘hype’ for the 24/7 cameras, Mayweather WILL be affected by not having his father with him. But, it won’t affect Mayweather enough to for him to forget who he is in the ring! Tension produces stress produces inflamation, and weight training which has traditionally been a no-no in boxing produces a lot of stress in the muscles which saps the stamina as a fight goes on.
For this reason and others Floyd will win this fight by 8th or 9th round KO or TKO in a fight that he will dominate with his skills.