Mayweather vs Paul is the perfect fight to put the final nail in Boxing’s coffin.
Mayweather vs Paul Prediction & Results
Floyd mayweather JR (50-0, 27KO) vs logan Paul (0-1)
Mayweather (155lbs) Paul (190lbs)
Floyd Mayweather
To immediately address the elephant in the room, there will be no judges thus no declared winner if Mayweather vs Paul goes the distance. While the rules allow the possibility of a victor via knockout, due to the exhibition nature of the fight, it is almost impossible to tell what unrevealed details lay in the contract Mayweather and Paul signed. Mayweather has been a huge name in boxing since his controversial semi-final at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when he was (effectively) robbed against Serafim Todorov. After instantly transitioning to the pro ranks after the travesty, ‘Pretty Boy Floyd’ tore opponents apart with aggression and power that seems alien to his modern-day style.
As the decisions victories began to pile up around the latter half of the 2000s, Mayweather’s originally clubbing power was beginning to evolve. Rather than leading the fight, Mayweather instead utilised his speed to launch sharp counters out of his almost impenetrable shell. While many believe that Floyd’s defensive movement alone was what prevented opponent’s from landing, it was instead his ability to read then adapt that saw Mayweather pull ahead during the later stretches.
Zab Judah, Shane Mosley and Marcos Maidana I all landed successfully during the first half of their bouts, but around the mid-point, Mayweather had already set in place answers. Mayweather nullified Judah’s unorthodox angles by sticking then smothering, forced an aged Mosley to keep a high pace in the centre of the ring and prevented a swarming Maidana by leading and pushing off with fore-arms/elbows. When considering Mayweather may also have the GOAT gas tank, a slight loss in hand speed or defensive movement starts to seem less dramatic than some analysts are raising.
History lesson aside, Floyd is a different animal than the man who ran rings around the Great Manny Pacquiao. Christ, Floyd is a different fighter to the half-arsed dredges that slept Conor McGregor and Tenshin Nasukawa. Rather than lower myself to reviewing training clips, posted in the usual Mayweather ‘tippy-tappy pads sessions, his last fight with Nasukawa will have to do.
Against the young, powerful and insanely popular Japanese kickboxer, Mayweather appeared happy to waltz through the rounds as a proper exhibition. After Nasukawa landed a hard counter straight and a short combination on the inside, Mayweather dropped his act and immediately stalked his opponent. A huge body hook barely touched the solar plexus, before a clubbing lead left, and Nasukawa was left reeling on the canvas. If an elite kickboxing prospect couldn’t last half a round of an elderly Mayweather’s strikes, how can a Youtuber who gassed against KSI in just six rounds?
Logan Paul
Somehow the easier of the two Pauls, Mayweather has cherry-picked the larger yet more cumbersome brother. Paul has a clear height and weight advantage. Like any great circus show, the Goliath must have a visible advantage over the David. While forty pounds in weight and five inches in height would be a massive advantage to a professional boxer, Paul is a complete novice that won’t be able to utilise his physical handicaps. Moreover, little attention has been paid to the reach, which Mayweather is only flagging behind by four inches. Invaluable throughout his career, Mayweather is guaranteed to make their reach appear equal as he dominates the jabbing war.
Let’s get down to the KSI fight. Their first fight could be reviewed, but there is the acknowledgement that this was the first ‘Youtuber-promoted’ boxing event, and it lacked much of the professionalism that their rematch achieved with the help of promoter, Eddie Hearn. While Paul technically did lose the rematch, the dubious two-point deduction played a large part behind the defeat, and the result of the bout indicates little regarding Paul’s skillset.
KSI’s looping overhands and head-down bull-rushing is a far cry from what Mayweather will bring to the squared circle, Paul’s work in the clinch was surprisingly pleasing. Regularly popping out his jab which switched between head and body, Paul wrapped up KSI when he threw awkward bombs, before using his height to lean on the Brit and sneak in shots to the ribs. Unfortunately for Paul, there is no chance that the Youtuber will be able to win the battle of the clinch against Mayweather, a master of in-fighting. Mayweather often ducks then raises with a raised lead elbow that leaves opponents walking clean onto the sharp point. Paul is almost guaranteed to walk flush onto the ‘dirty boxing’ tactic.
After a first-round barrage from KSI, Paul had already started to flag by the second. Dropping his hands and opening his guard, Paul was forced to catch clear breathing room on the outside. Once again, there is no chance that Mayweather won’t see Paul’s energy issues and push the pressure. Still, Paul’s reactive defence was surprisingly sharp when under KSI’s barrage. Instinctively drawing his guard, rather than attempting to parry like most novices, Paul avoided almost all of the Brit’s ugly power shots. There are areas of tight fundamentals to Paul’s game, but the struggle is piecing it all together on the night against one of the greatest boxers ever. If the jigsaw didn’t fit against KSI, then it won’t piece together against Mayweather.
Predicted Result: Mayweather TKO Round 6
To immediately address the elephant in the room, there will be no judges thus no declared winner if this goes the distance. While the rules allow the possibility of a victor via knockout, due to the exhibition nature of the fight, it is almost impossible to tell what unrevealed details lay in the contract Mayweather and Paul signed. This fight could just as well be a choreographed dance, with a pre-determined victor in a certain round. Based on Logan Paul’s clear issue with pacing, Mayweather’s stellar gas tank, and of yes, the multiple decades worth of elite training and experience, Mayweather has to be ever so slightly favoured in this match-up.
It would be easy to drone on about Mayweather’s achievements in the ring, but we are likely seeing the third evolution of the GOAT. From Pretty Boy to Money to Ultra-Money, Mayweather seems destined to be taking his annual exhibition fights with their huge financial rewards. Going off the last fight against Tenshin Nasukawa, it appeared that Mayweather was more than happy to play-act in the ring until the Japanese up-start sat down on his punches. As seen in viral clips across the internet, Mayweather wasted no time in dismantling the kickboxer with a handful of two-punch combinations that left Tenshin reeling on the canvas. While Mayweather is giving up forty pounds in weight and five inches in height, Mayweather’s reach most importantly is only four inches shorter. Paul has no chance of winning the jabbing war on the outside and will have to rely solely on acting as a weight bully on the inside.
Although Paul lost the rematch to KSI, that was more so to do with a two-point deduction than his inability to put away a fellow Youtuber. Paul has a crisp double jab, switches between body and head, and is active in the clinch. Unfortunately for Paul, Mayweather isn’t going to allow the larger man to weigh on him. A master of in-fighting, Mayweather often raises out of his dipped stance with a raised lead elbow, primed for opponents to walk onto.
Paul’s reactive defence, raising his guard in response to incoming strikes, is sharp enough to surprise viewers, his horrendous conditioning will ensure he drops all defensive measures by the later rounds. If this were a clean fight, Mayweather could clean out Paul in a round. Knowing Mayweather, Paul and Boxing as an industry (rather than a sport), they will allow Paul to find some success to ‘expose’ Mayweather’s age and allow an easier set-up for a Jake Paul fight or some other bullshit.
Result: WENT FULL EIGHT ROUNDS. NO JUDGES/NO DECISION/NO VICTOR.
Tipping Jar
Pintsized Interests is just a baby finding its first steps in the big, bad world of sports journalism. If you enjoy the content that is regularly uploaded then please consider donating via the link below. Any amount is greatly appreciated, and will go towards ensuring the survival of Pintsized Interests in the long-term.
