If Todorov Outpointed Floyd, Pacquiao Can Win By KO

by Alex P. Vidal

“Boxing is what pays my bills.” Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez reminded me of Serafim Todorov, the lankly Bulgarian featherweight terror who beat Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. in the semi-finals of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Todorov, who lost the gold medal to Thailand’s Somluck Kamsing, 5-8, did not allow Mayweather to intimidate him after Mayweather earned the reputation as the first American boxer to beat a Cuban, Lorenzo Aragon, 12-11, in 20 years in a thrilling quarterfinals bout.

Coming off a rousing 14-6 triumph over Germany’s  Falk Huste in another quarterfinal duel, Todorov, a World Cup champion, was underdog when he collided against Mayweather, who had earlier eliminated Bakhtiyar Tileganov of Kazakhstan, RSCI 2; and Artur Gevorgyan of Armenia, 16–3.

Had Mayweather rolled past Todorov, experts believed he would have easily defeated Kamsing for the gold.

Fans could not accept Mayweather’s bronze medal in the Atlanta Olympics and fans described the loss to Todorov as “bum” decision.

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“Everybody knows Floyd Mayweather is the gold-medal favorite at 57 kilograms,” Mayweather said after the loss to Todorov. “In America, it’s known as 125 pounds. You know and I know I wasn’t getting hit. They say he’s the world champion. Now you all know who the real world champion is.”
Claiming the judges were intimidated by Bulgaria’s Emil Jetchev, who was head of the boxing officials, into favoring the Todorov, the U.S. team filed a protest. Three of Jetchev’s countrymen were in gold medal bouts. Bill Waeckerle, one of the four U.S judges working the games for the International Amateur Boxing Federation (AIBA), resigned as Olympic Games and federation judge after Mayweather lost the decision, which was loudly booed by the crowd at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum. “I refuse to be part of an organisation that continues to conduct its officiating in this manner,” Waeckerle wrote in his letter of resignation to AIBA president Anwar Chowdhry.

Alvarez (41-1-1, 30 KOs) fought like Todorov; he tore at Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs) and cutting the ring to land effectively. Alvarez, however, was fighting for 12 rounds for WBC/WBA super welterweight belts, not for Olympic gold, which is only for five rounds. He fought Mayweather in professional boxing, not in amateur. His style could not match Mayweather’s ring savvy. He was a sucker to all of Mayweather’s right and left combinations, and there was no way he could beat the arrogant ex-convict under the Marquess of Queensberry Rules.

In the second round for instance, Mayweather squeezed in a right to the body. Backing away, he left Canelo to punch at air after hitting Mayweather with a jab to the face. There was exchange of jabs and Canelo landed a good right to the body. Mayweather responded with a good left to the face, and jabbed to the body and backed up. Canelo missed a hard left and Mayweather rushed to the body.

DIFFICULT

It’s very difficult to beat Mayweather in professional boxing. Even Manny Pacquiao can’t withstand his rapid punches and slick-moving style.  Pacquiao, however, can demolish Mayweather with a solid punch if he makes a mistake of engaging the Filipino bomber in a slugfest. But Mayweather won’t do that -- in the event he will face Pacquiao next.

Mayweather hasn’t forgotten the fundamentals that brought him glory as an amateur fighter. Compiling an amateur record of 84–6 and winning the national Golden Gloves championships in 1993 (at 106 lb), 1994 (at 114 lb) and 1996 (at 125 lb), Mayweather was nicknamed “Pretty Boy” by his amateur teammates because he had relatively few scars, a result of the defensive techniques that his father and uncle, Roger Mayweather (also a former world champion) had taught him.

If he knows that his opponent packs wallops in both fists like Pacquiao, Mayweather knows how to dance away from trouble and eke out a points victory. He is not a risk taker. He fights to win -- on points.  Pacquiao, on the other hand, always tried his best to score a stoppage win; he didn’t want to take fans for a ride. He wants to satisfy and entertain them with a knockout victory, a risky move that has cost him a brutal KO loss to Juan Manuel Marquez.

(But last Sunday’s fight, Oct. 12, Mayweather won over Juan Manuel Marquez in a 12 rounds split decision in Las Vegas, Nevada.) /MP