"THE BLUEPRINT: How To Beat Floyd Mayweather"

[sumkalambay]

the guy who wrote these articles is also a trainer.

THE BLUEPRINT: How To Beat Floyd Mayweather, Pt. I
By Springs Toledo

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is returning to the ring. It is divinely ordained. Many boxing aficionados are already scrambling for seats in the choir and clearing their throats to sing again of the glory of “Money”. If the stained glass windows shatter, blame Floyd, for he shall surely be singing loudest.

It is likely that he will choose a beatable but not a bum to bedazzle in his comeback bout. And he will again blaspheme the closest thing to a boxing god in Sugar Ray Robinson. “I respect what Robinson did for the sport,” Floyd has said, “but I am the greatest.” Let the rational among us politely remind the man and his fans that Floyd Mayweather Jr. isn’t nearly ready to carry Robinson’s spit bucket or say his name without bowing his head. If Floyd is serious about achieving an elite legacy, he should step off the stage and into lions’ dens; stop jabbering and start jabbing, in the direction of Mosley, Cotto, Paul Williams, and Pacquiao.

Indeed, the glare of perspective has a way of separating delusion from dogma when it comes to comparing Floyd to more proven quantities and surveying what he has and has not accomplished. It does not, however, detract from the glittering skill and talent that this five-division champion undeniably possesses. Floyd has both style and substance. His personality may be that of a classic narcissist, reflective of the bad taste and boorishness in vogue today, but his training is old school. It is rooted in a solid foundation of skill that only appears after years of practice –and it’s a family tradition among Mayweathers. The demon speed, reflexes, timing, distance negotiation, and cat-like coordination rounds out the technician in him.

And that is not all he brings: Floyd is also a conditioning fanatic in the Holyfield-Hopkins mold. Working out is part of his lifestyle. He’ll do roadwork at odd times, often simply because he knows that his opponent won’t. He has reason to feel confident; notwithstanding a mere 39 fights that include one gift decision (Castillo I). That confidence, that fanfaronade, hasn’t hurt him yet.

Yet.

Like any other artist and tradesman, fighters settle into their individual systems. Human systems contain patterns and habits. They have weaknesses. Great boxers, analysts, and trainers identify an opponent’s system and intend to find those weaknesses. Eddie Futch solved the conundrum of Ali and beat him twice through the instruments of Frazier and Norton. Two decades later he was still at it, devising the strategy for Bowe to defeat Holyfield and for Montell Griffin to defeat Roy Jones. Futch, a bespectacled old man who served his apprenticeship among boxing’s greatest generation in the 1940s thus defeated three undefeated champions –without breaking a sweat.

Archie Moore was a master strategist for almost as long as Futch. Sports columnist Jim Murray watched the early rounds of many Moore fights and was reminded of a skilled mechanic

“…opening the hood of an engine and exploring around inside for the weaker spots. Only, when he finds these, he doesn’t repair them. He makes them worse. It’s a trick a lot of mechanics have, but with Mr. Moore it’s a high art form. A loose bolt here, a slick valve there, and by the time Arch has got through tinkering, the transmission falls out.”

Granted, the Mayweather machine is a Maserati –known for speed and performance. He is not easy to undermine; and the mechanic who tries is going to have to deal with high voltage shocks while he’s working. However, if he has commitment, experience, conditioning, and athleticism of his own, then his tool box is sufficient, though not enough. What he needs is a strategy to defeat the system that is Floyd Mayweather Jr. What he needs is a blue print.


Understanding Floyd

Floyd’s natural talent and proficiency has been acknowledged. Let’s pop the hood and see what’s underneath:

Floyd seeks easy glory and the ring is both stage and showcase. He does not relish violence or crave the kind of blood-spattered glory of rougher men. He sees himself as a performer first and the sound of money is his applause. How else do you explain his forays into the WWE and “Dancing with the Stars”? Here is a man desperately trying to fill a starved ego. This is perhaps the major reason why he is a great competitor who will not lie down under pressure. He has finished fights with painful injuries to his left shoulder (during the first Castillo fight), his left hand (which he shattered on the head of Carlos Hernandez), and his right hand (against Baldomir). “My body’s tearing down,” he admitted on HBO’s 24/7. Brittle hands are the explanation for the patty cake drills he does on the mitts, as well as his reluctance to fight inside or work the body. Past injuries also explain his diminishing punch output. He has evolved, or devolved, away from the more aggressive boxer-puncher we last saw against Sharmba Mitchell and into a hit and run spoiler.

Look closely. His psychology is peculiar. He comes across as supremely confident to the saucer-eyed and the young at heart. Those more seasoned witness the constant bragging and posturing and see a man who is not at peace with himself. Few “gangsta” types are, with a notable exception in Frank Lucas who reminded us that “the loudest one in the room is usually the weakest.” Floyd is not as strong as he pretends and if you know what to look for, you’ll see fragility. Sometimes he’ll even show you. He’s cried at press conferences and his public angst over his undeniably strong father turn my worrisome head towards Dr. Phil –or Freud. Some may argue that it’s partly an act. I would retort that even if he is inflating it, lies don’t float without the helium of truth.

Floyd Joy Mayweather Sr., the alpha male of the clan, is kept at a safe distance. The fighter prefers the more amenable personality of his father’s younger brother (and former “Black Mamba”) Roger Mayweather. Uncle Roger is the trainer and chief second, but his role is more intimate. He is like a eunuch from the late Roman Empire, who acted as a shield between the emperor and the rest of the world. Loyal and trustworthy, Roger soothes the child-king who secretly fears failure, who fears exposure.

These fears may be why Floyd exercises caution when choosing whom he will fight. Pitch a tent in his head and you’ll see how it is very possible that the limelight Floyd craves fills the voids left by a hard, disapproving, and often absent father. So the son pursues big names like Oscar and Ricky, yet must protect himself from failure, and so avoids lions …like he avoids his father. Those competing goals of glory and low risk clashed as public criticism increased after the Hatton win. And what did Floyd do? He took his ball and went off to safer playgrounds.

And now the child-king is back, resplendent in a robe that is too large for his legacy and too small for his ego.
Check back on TSS for technical specifics in Part II...

[sumkalambay]

here's part 2.

THE BLUEPRINT: How To Beat Floyd Mayweather, Pt. II

By Springs Toledo

Channeling Harry Greb

To beat Floyd, you have to fight him with intelligent disdain and exploit his vulnerabilities –physically and psychologically.

Sure, almost every one of Floyd’s high profile opponents has proclaimed the intention to “pressure” him. That simply isn’t enough. Floyd is a matador. Hatton-sized, one-dimensional bulls can’t get by his talent, while aging or inadequately conditioned bulls like De La Hoya and Judah can’t maintain the attack. Almost every one of Floyd’s opponents fought him for extended periods at precisely the wrong range. Matadors like ring center and no one is going to out-matador a speed demon like Floyd. Those who tried should have worn a blindfold because at least they’d have had an excuse for embarrassing connect percentages.

Jose Luis Castillo, an average athlete at best, found remarkable success in the first fight because he understood how not to fight Mayweather. He got into tight formation, held his hands high, tucked in his elbows and weaved his way in until he pinned Mayweather on the ropes. Once he got there, he punched with him. By round 7, he was snorting like a righteous bull.

Trying to slip Floyd’s shots and then counter is an exercise in futility. He’s too quick. Get inside and rip shots. This can draw him out. When Floyd punches, he leaves windows open like everyone else. Don’t look for openings because you’re probably not quick enough to catch him –so punch with him.

Vernon Forrest’s revelation about how he dealt with Shane Mosley’s speed was no secret to anyone who knows their way around the ring. Jabs can neutralize speed. Many trainers will tell you that Floyd would not be an exception to that. I think they may be wrong. Floyd is a master at timing and countering jabs. There is a qualifier: if you are a stronger man with an educated jab, aim for his chest to try to get him off balance. Think about throwing what used to be called “straight lefts” at the cusp of his left shoulder where he was injured. Vary it, shoot rising jabs, and double it to foil the counters. Use it to ram your way inside.

Floyd is increasingly unlikely to concentrate any kind of attack to the body. I don’t think he wants to risk punching an elbow and breaking a hand. He’ll jab to the body to probe and set things up, but he is almost a headhunter like Ali. The head, after all, is on a spring and is therefore less likely to hurt your hand unless you land one on top of the head. Floyd learned that the hard way. You, however, should go to his body. Sam Langford already told you why (“the head got eyes”). It is baffling to me why so many of Floyd’s opponents concentrate their attacks on his head. Baffling! They only miss; and thereby offend judges, increase his morale, lower their own morale, get countered, and tire out. Go downstairs! “When the belly is hurt,” mused A.J. Liebling, “the legs sympathize.” Body punching is an investment that eventually pays dividends against a man who relies so much on mobility. President Obama says it’s time to invest in the future or face tougher times. He’s right.

The “L formation” or “Kronk Defense” is part of Floyd’s system. The right hand is held high to parry jabs and block hooks while the left hand is held across the belt line. The chin is tucked in behind a shrugged left shoulder. Floyd uses this stance to invite your right so that he can roll back and counter with his own right. Set a trap: feint the right and then whip a left hook so you can catch him throwing his counter right. He also has a habit of bending at his waist and to his right. The cure is simple: Shoot a left cross at his heart or at the cusp of his left deltoid. Get close, feint the right, and as he bends to your left, shift your weight on to your front leg and leverage short left hooks and hybrids, mixing in short rights and right hooks to the body.

Remember that Floyd is exceptional with angles, particularly when he sets up left hooks. Angle with him and throw your own left hooks to prevent his escape and to set up your rights. Floyd also has a habit of sliding outside and away from punches. You can see this on the tapes. If a right is thrown, he slides outside and to their right. If a left hook is thrown, he slides outside and left. He is able to do this because the opponent is often at mid-range when he’s throwing his shots. Close the distance, shorten up the shots, and bar the exits. You do this by cutting off the ring, controlling him with hooks, and by putting your non-punching arm around his waist just long enough for you to pivot at him or step over. If he gets away, cut the ring off again or chase him down.

In real terms, Floyd’s experience is beyond 39 fights. While most fighters have been plying their trade since adolescence, Floyd has been doing the same since before kindergarten. Part of the secret to his reaction-time is that he understands probability. Although there have been high profile innovators like Ali, Roy Jones, and Hamed, most boxers are blue-collar conservatives. It’s how they learn their craft. Trainers use a form of classical conditioning where “this” causes “that”. In other words, boxers are trained according to certain rules and expectations –for example, right crosses often follow left hooks, and the counter for each is often the other. Preparing for probable responses is part of fundamentals.

An experiment can illustrate what I’m getting at: The next time that you step into a crowded elevator, don’t face the door like everyone else. Face the wall opposite the door. Take note of the reactions of the people around you. Some will stare, distracted. Others will move away, disturbed. This is why Aaron Pryor beat Alexis Arguello and could have beaten him all week long and twice on Wednesday. Alexis was a stand-up technician who could not adjust because Aaron’s frenetic and unfamiliar style defied expectations. Aaron was as disruptive as a rebel on an elevator and he short-circuited Alexis’s system.

What Floyd does is similar to Alexis, only he takes it to another level. Floyd bases his reactions on two things: fast twitch fibers and good odds. He gets downright Pavlovian –he offers a stimulus and anticipates what your response will be. Then he exploits your predictability. Lead and respond unexpectedly and you will not only disrupt his game, you will find him. Floyd is conditioned to expect 1 or 2 or maybe 3 shots thrown in succession. So throw 5. Mix in rare punches like overhand rights and right hooks. Feint often. Feinting is a foil for speed. Vary not only your attack, but the speed of your punches, and your feints as well. The only constant is that you have to get inside and pin him to the ropes and the corners.



A few of Floyd’s opponents demonstrated a rudimentary understanding of how to best fight Floyd. Gatti tried to use his strength and get him off balance. Oscar periodically pinned him on the ropes and landed shots up and down. The athletically gifted Judah was able to impose his southpaw style for four rounds. They all eventually failed because of faulty strategy. Castillo got inside, brawled intelligently, concentrated on the body, and closed off exits –but was robbed in the first bout. In the rematch he forgot how to fight Floyd and became a somnambulist –repeating what have become the typical mistakes of following Floyd, headhunting, and fighting conservatively from the wrong range. They all got bedazzled.

If Floyd returns to the ring and fights stylistic straight men with inadequate tool boxes, then he will continue to mesmerize, but will never convince. If Floyd is serious about improving his legacy, he and his system will be tested. Watch for the challenger who enters the ring with a blueprint structured around ‘intelligent disdain’ –and based on the principles of infighting, body work, and unorthodoxy described above.

I’ll be there as a witness –with two empty seats reserved for master strategist Eddie Futch and ring mechanic Archie Moore. And after the fight is done and the din has died, I’ll find a church on a dimly lit street …and listen to the sound of a silent choir.

[The Fightfan]

Good read. Then again easier said then done. Good stuff though

[sumkalambay]

yeh the guy knows his stuff.

he also believes that with Freddy Roach's backing, pacquiao will beat mayweather.

say what you want about roach's character, but the guy was the mastermind behind Pacquiao vs. Barrera I.

[LukeH]

Its an interesting read, and he does sound very detailed in what he says.

To pick up on one point though, ( I havn't seen the first fight against Castillo) but he himself says Floyd was injured in the first bout. Is it more likely that Castillo 'knew how not to fight Mayweather' then 'forgot' in the second fight. Or Mayweather was hindered in the first fight becasue of an injury and then performed how you would expect when he was fully fit?

I also think to say he doesnt deserve to carry SSR spit bucket is abit disrespectful, he may not have the 'greatest' record, but to deny he is one of the 'best' fighters is IMO a little silly.

[Jesse James]

Dude called Roger Mayweather a eunuch. Pretty funny, but I think it's Ellerbe that's the eunuch. Roger seems to be as hard-nosed, and as ignorant as Floyd Sr. Other than that, quite a well writen piece...for a boxing trainer.

[jon09]

Good read and I am reminded of the old saying about how everyone has a plan until they get hit. If anyone is able to follow a game plan then it would be the Pacman. But I'm sticking with Floyd and will say his 0 will stay in tact after its all said and done. But very valid points and observation. Thanks Sumkalamby

[sumkalambay]

Its an interesting read, and he does sound very detailed in what he says.

To pick up on one point though, ( I havn't seen the first fight against Castillo) but he himself says Floyd was injured in the first bout. Is it more likely that Castillo 'knew how not to fight Mayweather' then 'forgot' in the second fight. Or Mayweather was hindered in the first fight becasue of an injury and then performed how you would expect when he was fully fit?

I also think to say he doesnt deserve to carry SSR spit bucket is abit disrespectful, he may not have the 'greatest' record, but to deny he is one of the 'best' fighters is IMO a little silly.

mayweather looked pretty unimpressive in his 2nd fight with castillo.

the guy makes a good point about floyd being reluctant to fight on the inside because of his brittle hands. i think he'd have out-done castillo on the inside. and he did in one of the closing rounds of the first fight when he finally engaged there.

i don't think he's denying that floyd is a great fighter.

[fanjohn]

Interesting read. Thanks TS for sharing.

[Taeth]

I think this guy is making a ton of mistakes when he considers Mayweather. Just to name a few.

1. Mayweather does tend to bend at the waste, but its almost always under the jab and he moves in close and smothers his opponent.
2. When Mayweather fought Castillo he didn't use to hold or throw his right hand as much, now if a guy didn't throw punches Floyd would keep them away as best he could with jab, but he would also potshot and hold them if he became bothered.
3. THe thing about feinting a right then throwing a left against Floyd wouldn't work, he doesn't move his right hand over to block the cross, he uses his shoulder, that means his right hand is still there to block the left hook that is coming in, but more importantly he is usually moving back out of the range and the left hook would fall far short.
4. Mayweather's defense I don't think is probability based, at least not on a conscious level, I've seen guys use so many different rhythms and combinations and angles against him, and he dodges them all.
5. He is thinking that guys are using the wrong strategy when he isn't considering that Mayweather is adapting and making in-fight changes to his style.

I think you can beat Mayweather, but you have to be built like Hearns or Paul Williams, or Sugar Ray Robinson. Guys who are much taller with similar speed to Floyd. I think Paul WIlliam's one problem is that he is terrible against movement, whiel I think Floyd would back Manny up, I don't think he would try to stand and fight Williams, I think he would move away and pot shot Williams because he has awkward moments where he is easy to catch if you are quick enough.

[Cortez The Killer]

This is some deep psychoanalysis. The author must be a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist or something.

I think there's a relatively new field called sports psychology. Interesting if it works, to analyze your opponents weaknesses and break them down physically, mentally, and emotionally

[Nameless]

This is a very good read but I see a problem:

If you make things too complicated, it means that it'll involve so many things that one can lose the focus on the essential in the end. i am not saying what he says is wrong, there is a lot of interesting facts into the thing but if I would be Roach, I would make it a bit simpler than that.
I agree that somebody built like williams would be better designed for the task of beating Floyd but I think that throwing a lot of shots and having the power to intimidate him are 2 keys elements to beat Floyd as he tends to back up a bit in these moments (a bit like the first fight with castillo or some parts of the match against sharmba Mitchell). Pacman has the speed and timing to land some serious bombs, it's gonna be very tough but I think he has some of the required tools to make it or at least, to believe in it.

[deadlypete]

interesting read....wether floyd is emtionally fragile due to a crazy overbearing papa needing a eunch like soothing encouraging uncle to fill in that void of rejection and confusion is well a load of frackn shit.....
Floyd is just a beautiful complete fighter incredibly intelligent very versatile can work out a fight plan even when in the ring...is not a robot like alot of boxers but has the talent to make adjustments against any oppenent in the ring.....and floyd is honest he is in their to make moni and thats the name of the game....and i personally would love to c him fight manny as this will truly secure his greatness as the complete undefted package.....floyd to beat manny easily

[Kel]

interesting read....wether floyd is emtionally fragile due to a crazy overbearing papa needing a eunch like soothing encouraging uncle to fill in that void of rejection and confusion is well a load of frackn shit.....
Floyd is just a beautiful complete fighter incredibly intelligent very versatile can work out a fight plan even when in the ring...is not a robot like alot of boxers but has the talent to make adjustments against any oppenent in the ring.....and floyd is honest he is in their to make moni and thats the name of the game....and i personally would love to c him fight manny as this will truly secure his greatness as the complete undefted package.....floyd to beat manny easily

So when he says he is back for the love of the sport you admit he is a lying cunt?

[Taeth]

This is a very good read but I see a problem:

If you make things too complicated, it means that it'll involve so many things that one can lose the focus on the essential in the end. i am not saying what he says is wrong, there is a lot of interesting facts into the thing but if I would be Roach, I would make it a bit simpler than that.
I agree that somebody built like williams would be better designed for the task of beating Floyd but I think that throwing a lot of shots and having the power to intimidate him are 2 keys elements to beat Floyd as he tends to back up a bit in these moments (a bit like the first fight with castillo or some parts of the match against sharmba Mitchell). Pacman has the speed and timing to land some serious bombs, it's gonna be very tough but I think he has some of the required tools to make it or at least, to believe in it.

Floyd hardly backed up at all against Sharmba Mitchell, and Castillo didn't throw a lot of punches, at least not from the outside.

I guess there are two ways to beat Floyd, but one of them is to beat him on the scorecards which most of the fans wouldn't consider beating him at all, and thats just to throw a lot of punches and hope that judges score the fight for you due to aggression and output. Oscar almost succeeded in this.

I think there have a been a few fighters who have almost had the blueprint to beat Mayweather, if Oscar had truly elite speed, or if Mosley had a better outside game, or if Winky wasn't so stationary and one handed, even when he fought Mosley twice, I just think Floyd would be able to stay away from him and potshot him all night. I think it takes more than a style, but also great athlete to also beat Floyd convincingly. If they are orthodox they have to have a great jab, be bigger than him and throw a ton of combinations with lightning quickness. If they are southpaw then they have to have elite speed, be elusive and throw in bunches, preferably with a greater reach than Floyd.

I just think a guy like Whitaker would create a few more problems than Pacquiao for Floyd if he had a little more speed. I don't think Pernell was quite fast enough to land that lead left, and its so hard to work the jab even as good as his was against Floyd when its southpaw vs orthodox.

An interesting fight for me would be Berto vs Mayweather. I think Andre is faster than Floyd, he has better range than Mosley because he throws good straight punches, while Mosley mostly throws hooks and an awkward jab. However, I haven't seen Berto make mid fight adjustments when its comes to stopping opponents from landing on him, or against Forbes, he didn't change up the tempo at all, and he had a hard time landing because the only time he moved was when he was going to throw punches and Forbes read this quite easily. If Berto truly learned how to feint and stay defensively accountable while maintain a good punch output(I don't mean squaring up and throwing stupid haymakers), I think he could give Floyd a lot new problems he hasn't had to solve yet.