PRIME Floyd Mayweather vs PRIME Manny Pacquiao, Who would win and how?

[Freedom]

Manny would have won by KO/TKO.

That's why Floyd avoided him for years, until after the final Juan Manuel Marguez-Pacquiao fight.

[Gandalf]

Manny would win by KO.

That's why Floyd avoided him for years, until after the final Juan Manuel Marguez-Pacquiao fight.

The Pac of the DLH/Hatton/Cotto/Margarito was a monster and not only that but threw so many punches and didn't tire. I don't see how Floyd could negate it really. I see it a bit like Calzaghe/Hopkins except Manny hits harder than Calzaghe and knocks Mayweather down a few times.

[ruthless rocco]

Pac tests positive for PEDs in the lead to the fight. He gets a 6 month ban. When they reconvene to negotiate the new terms of the fight, Floyd ends up with an 80/20 split of the purse, and struck rules are put in place in the event Pac tests dirty again. This ensures Pac can't take his A Side Meth in preparation for the fight, and he knows it's an integral part of his success, so he enters the fight knowing he will lose. He loses, outboxed by Floyd. Easy UD win.

[imp]

Pretty boy puts on a 10-2 performance..or KO via counterpunch.

There’s no version of Pac that beats Floyd.

It’s that simple.

[Ron Swanson]

In primes it is worse than the faded version. Manny isn’t smart with movement and prime Floyd had legs. Floyd would have befuddled him and then walked him into traps time and again. I really pity fans that can’t see this obvious truth. Roach knew it, that’s why he kept saying “Floyd’s legs are gone”

[powerpuncher]

Floyd would have won by TKO most likely. There was a reason Roach wouldn’t let Pacquiao bear him when Floyd came back.

[El Kabong]

Pretty boy puts on a 10-2 performance..or KO via counterpunch.

There’s no version of Pac that beats Floyd.

It’s that simple.

You can say that about everyone Floyd has ever fought because he has not fought an opponent at their most dangerous since when? And it ain't like he's been lacking opportunities to do so.

He fought Mosley after Mosley beat a LEGAL Antonio Margarito...props I guess

But as for a guy IN HIS PRIME that Floyd fought...Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo twice, Jesus Chavez, Baldomir, Maidana twice, Roberto Guerrero, I'll even throw in Canelo....now those are good boxers, good strong opponents. But when you look at Floyd's resume they aren't the names that would jump off the page.


Cotto had 2 losses before Floyd even entertained the idea of fighting him, hell Miguel was front row center at the Brusseles fight, Floyd didn't want him. Hatton should have had 1 loss before Floyd took that fight (and at a weight where Ricky was shit), De la Hoya was past it (but it was better than the De la Hoya Pacquiao farce), there's no Paul Williams there (there was never going to be), there was no Antonio Margarito there (there was never going to be).



I don't take any credit away from Floyd I think he was managed very well he built up fights, and he suckers in a lot of "fans"....he's earned every penny of his fortune, he's a hell of a boxer, and like I said he'll continue to make a mint fighting EXHIBITIONS and more power to him, he's going to be considered the greatest of his era.


Floyd COULD just say "I want Canelo at 160" and get a giant ring and make another massive payday, but I am not sure he wants to step on Oscar's toes promoting...don't want to slaughter that cash cow.

[Mark TKO]

I think Pac in his relentless prime gets to Mayweather eventually somewhere around the 9th

[mikeeod]

Prime vs prime I pick Floyd by decision, but could see a case where Floyd stops Manny due to accumulation of punishment and exhaustion on Manny’s part. This isn’t to say that it wouldn’t have been a MUCH better fight, or that it wouldn’t have pushed Floyd more than any other fight he ever had. It also doesn’t mean that I don’t give Manny any chance to win, because at that point Manny was a monster and if he landed a solid shot on anyone he was doing damage.

For me, two things work against Manny here. First, as most have pointed out, Manny struggled with JMM’s counterpunching and defense, and Floyd was better at both. Second, Floyd was/is the naturally bigger man while also being comparable in speed. Floyd’s skills and natural gifts were difficult to overcome for guys his own size and larger, smaller fighters had Virtually no chance of imposing their will on him, as proven/highlighted in his fights vs JMM, Hatton, and Manny.

Why I see Manny giving Floyd fits and being a solid/live underdog is that prime Manny was very active, fast, awkward, aggressive, and possessed a very hard punch. If Manny caught anyone with the right shot he either turned out their lights (Hatton), knocked them down (JMM, Cotto), made them gun shy (Oscar, Clottey, Shane), or broke bones (Margo). Floyd was a masterful fighter, but the right shot by Manny could change history.

Manny’s relentless volume punching could spell trouble for a defensive minded Floyd (I think this would most likely present opportunities for Floyd, who preferred to counter punch and pick foes apart). Maidana, Castillo, and even Jesus Chavez gave Floyd problems with their relentless pressure and high punch output. The distinction/difference between them and Manny (especially Maidana and Castillo) is that they were much larger than Floyd and fought in a physical style that allowed them to bully and manhandle Floyd, where Manny used his legs to create angles.

I think we tend to be a little hard on Floyd because we may buy into his created persona too much, but the guy was an ATG in his prime, as was Manny. This ultimately comes down to style match up and size favoring Floyd, and I see that winning out in the end. One last thing to note: during his prime, when he fought good fighters his own size, Floyd pushed for and usually got the stoppage, as evidenced in his fights vs Hatton, Hernandez, and Corrales. I think this fight is similar to Floyd’s fight vs Judah, but harder for more rounds than Judah was and ending in a late knockout of Manny.