Floyd Mayweather vs. Saul Alvarez – strategies and conclusions

09/19/201309/18/2013 Ivan Ivanov

The hype has been dispelled by harsh realizations, the euphoria (if any) has winded down and it may be time for some conclusions. Saul Alvarez and his team must have reached several revelations while Floyd Mayweather backed up braggadocio on Sept. 14.

Floyd Mayweather imposed his ‘blueprint” from the start and needed to make only small adjustments as the fight went on. He often anticipated his opponent’s actions taking advantage of the weaknesses he and his father mentioned before the fight. He used one small halfway-back movement on top of his usual routine to dampen Alvarez’s right hand. Floyd positioned himself as his opponents expected but he did not move in the direction his opponent expected. On top of that as an additional precaution he used this unobtrusive angle maneuver which seemed to hypnotize team Alvarez and they did not address that issue. FMJ’s game consisted of performing all the basics of boxing but performing them exceptionally well. His game reminded me of the Cuban amateur style, the same feet position and wide use of all defensive dimensions while throwing long-range scoring shots. Scoring shots favor speed and endurance while power punches consume a lot of fuel. His father’s instructions were “touch him to the body”, not “hit him”.

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SHOWTIME Sports To Premiere Mayweather vs. Canelo, Garcia vs. Matthysse Saturday at 9 p.m. ET/PT

09/17/2013 Showtime Boxing

NEW YORK (Sept. 17, 2013) – SHOWTIME Sports will air Floyd Mayweather’s “masterful” (Associated Press) performance against Canelo Alvarez and Danny Garcia’s “scintillating” (Wall Street Journal) victory over Lucas Matthysse this Saturday on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) as a replay of the blockbuster Sept. 14 PPV event titled “THE ONE: Mayweather vs. Canelo.”

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The Pound for Pound Picasso Exposes Oscar’s Blueprint… Again!

09/17/201309/16/2013 Chip Mitchell

floyd623 Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr put to rest any belief in Oscar De la Hoya’s so called blueprint designed to beat him. The 36 year old Mayweather appears to be like a fine wine, getting better with age as he dominated Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on Saturday night.

In typical fashion, Floyd appeared to take his time in the early rounds to gauge his opponent’s game plan. From then on, the fight was a technical mismatch as the teacher (Mayweather) took the pupil (Alvarez) to school round after round.

In the end, Mayweather was awarded a majority decision. Scores were 117-111 (Craig Metcalfe), 116-112 (Dave Moretti), and the atrocious 114-114 card turned in by the infamous C.J. Ross (seen here boxrec.com/media/index.php/C.J._Ross). I had the fight scored 118-110.

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Left-Hook Lounge: Mayweather’s Greatness, C.J. Ross, & Danny Garcia’s Future!!!

09/16/201309/16/2013 Vivek Wallace

004 Mayweather vv Canelo IMG_9669 Jeff H. (Orlando, FL): I thought Mayweather’s effort was an amazing one. The limited time off seemed to only help his reflexes and sharpness. How did you rate his performance and what do you see next for him?

Vivek W. (ESB): I plan to elaborate on a very deep level about Mayweather a little later in the week in a separate piece. But in short context, I would just have to say that yet again, he proved to the masses precisely how strong of a talent he truly is. It’s one thing to acknowledge how gifted he is. But what amazes me to a depth that knows no end is the fact that this is a man who has done everything from party like a rock star to take two year lay-offs, and in between; yet the level in which he performs is still light years ahead of anyone in the sport. All at the ripe age of 36. A point in which every other fighter (not named Hopkins) is winding down.

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THE ONE Post-Fight Press Conference: Aftermath, Quotes & Photos

09/16/201309/16/2013 Steve Lopez

canelo7657 If this were baseball, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. just pitched a no-hitter.

Fight week in Las Vegas, NV for the biggest boxing event of the year ended on Saturday with another stellar performance by the Pound for Pound king. In front of a pro-Canelo crowd, “Money” Mayweather tamed the Mexican superstar en route to a 12 round decision. Skills certainly pay the bills for Mayweather. Speed, accuracy, precise counter punching, ring generalship…you name it. It was another showcase fight.

Earlier in April of this year, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez unified the WBA Light Middleweight title against Austin Trout and established himself as “the man to beat” at the division. Mayweather just beat the man of the division. At 36 years of age and four more fights left on his exclusive Showtime contract, Mayweather is running out of opponents as he continues to make things look easy. Regardless of who Mayweather chooses to fight next, you can bet the world will still be tuning in.

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Mayweather is Right About One Thing; Garcia vs. Matthysse Ending is a Surprise

09/16/201309/16/2013 Paul Strauss

Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr. or “The One” or TBE (the best ever) if you prefer, is right about being one of the best ever. He describes his abilities accurately when he says fighters always come against him with a plan, but as soon as the fight starts, the plan goes out the window. Money leaves the ring with another win and a wad of cash. So far, no one has been able to carry out their plan and come away with a win.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (and his fans) was certain he had a good plan, and even alternatives if the first one didn’t work. He felt he was “the one” with the necessary skills to carry it out. When the opening bell sounded, both men cautiously circled one another, wary of possible danger. Canelo tried to establish his jab, and sent a few rights to the body. Mayweather countered with his own jab, and both men started to feint.

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Floyd Mayweather vs. Saul Alvarez recap

09/16/201309/15/2013 Ivan Ivanov

The judges did the right thing and agreed on a winner. It wasn’t an easy fight to score but they did not disappoint and the decision is acceptable. It should have been a UD though. Anyway, the fight was tough to score and even tougher to watch. Both fighters underperformed and they had to lure each other out of inactivity while both wanted to box on their own terms and wouldn’t fight the other guy’s fight outside their comfort zone.

There was a hot debate on a size advantage before the fight and it turned out there really was one, only it was in Floyd’s favor. He looked bigger, more muscular with longer and stronger arms. Floyd is about an inch taller and his reach is about two inches longer than Alvarez’s, but their stances and styles made Floyd’s advantage look even greater than what “the tale of the tape” suggested.

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Post-Fight Thoughts on Mayweather-Alvarez

08/02/201409/15/2013 Taj Eubanks

Last evening capped another outstanding performance by master-boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. The atmosphere was electric, the undercards stacked. Floyd, of course, delivered a one-sided (not wholly unexpected) drubbing of the young, game Alvarez, leaving the world wondering, as usual, whose next. However, for this writer, the most pressing questions don’t concern Floyd’s next opponent; rather, the circumstances of THIS fight and the key players involved offer ample opportunity for circumspection, the most pressing ones as follows:

• “Canelo” Alvarez is a sound young boxer and has the heart of a lion, but it was clear that his team either did not have a Plan B once their initial strategy didn’t bear fruit or simply does not have the ability to adjust.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr truly is “THE ONE”!

09/15/201309/15/2013 Showtime Boxing

003 Mayweather vs Canelo IMG_9198 LAS VEGAS, NEV. (Sept. 14, 2013) – The undisputed, pound-for-pound champion put on a clinic against Mexican sensation Canelo Alvarez, handing the 23-year-old superstar his first loss in the toughest test of his career Saturday on SHOWTIME PPV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Canelo (42-1-1, 30 KO’s) fought with everything he had, but couldn’t solve the puzzle of Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather showcased his signature speed and elusiveness in front of a largely pro-Canelo crowd of 16,746 fans en route to a majority decision (114-114, 116-112, 117-111).

For the night’s work, Mayweather collected a guaranteed $41.5 million and Canelo’s WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine Super Welterweight Championships.

“It’s all about skills,” Mayweather said. “I came out tonight and showed my skills. But a true champion like Canelo can take a loss and bounce back.

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Floyd Mayweather dominates Canelo

09/15/201309/15/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

MayweatherAlvarez_Hoganphotos1 Floyd Mayweather Jr. beats WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez by a 12 round majority decision to capture his two titles on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The judges scored 116-112, 117-111 and 114-114.

Class Dismissed: Mayweather Jr. Dominated Saul Alvarez

As it turned out, Saul ‘Canelo’Alvarez was not The One tonight in Las Vegas Nevada. The mystery of the blueprint of how to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. stays intact.

There was effort from Canelo from bell to bell, but its not the effort that is required to beat Mayweather Jr., its something else. What? Apparently this question has not yet been answered.

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