Hindi naniniwala si Hall of Fame trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain na si WBC at WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. ang “A” side sa unification bout kay WBO 147 pounds king Manny Pacquiao sa Mayo 2 sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ayon sa trainer ng Mexican world champions na tulad nina four-division titlist Juan Manuel Marquez, WBC featherweight ruler Jhonny Gonzalez at top super bantamweight contender Rey Vargas, na nakakaantok panoorin ang laban ni Mayweather at kaya bibili ang boxing fans ng mahal na tiket sa oras ng laban ay dahil sa estilo ni Pacquiao.
Bagamat bahagya niyang pinaboran na mananalo sa puntos si Mayweather laban kay Pacquiao, mas gustong panoorin ni Berisdtain ang “crowd pleasing style” ng Pilipino na hindi natatakot makipagsabayan sa ibabaw ng lona ng parisukat.
Apat na beses niyang ginabayan si Marquez laban kay Pacquiao at nanalo lamang ang Mexican sa huling laban noong Disyembre 2012 sa 6th round knockout pero lamang pa rin si Pacquiao sa score cards sa dalawang panalo sa puntos at isang tabla sa kanyang alaga. Talo rin siya sa korner ni six-division world champion Oscar de la Hoya na napatigil ni Pacquiao sa 8th round noong 2009.
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“Mayweather has proven to be the best pound for pound, he has never lost, but his style is not very appetizing to pay seven thousand dollars for a ticket,” paliwanag ni Beristain sa ESPN Deportes. “For Pacquiao, of course people will buy tickets like crazy because they know he is going to give a great show. I think at this moment people will buy tickets because of Pacquiao.”
Naniniwala naman ang isa pang mahusay na trainer na Amerikanong si Buddy McGirt na kahit dapat naglaban sina Pacquiao at Mayweather may limang taon na ang nakararaan, dapat pa ring magpasalamat ang boxing fans dahil natuloy ito. Pabor din siya kay Mayweather pero maaring manalo si Pacquiao.
“But it could be a better fight now, being that both guys are a little older and have something to prove,” sabi ni McGirt sa BoxingScene.com. “I think that Mayweather should win the fight, but I won’t be surprised if Pacquiao beats him.”
Para kay McGirt, halatang bumagal si Mayweather sa huling dalawang laban at kung magiging agresibo si Pacquiao ay posibleng manalo ang Pilipino.
“I think he’s [Mayweather] the better fighter. But he’s 38. His last two fights haven’t been Mayweather, you know what I mean, for whatever reason. But I feel that Mayweather is going to step it up and show that he might be 38 in the age but he’s 30 when it comes to fighting in the ring,” dagdag ni McGirt. “Pacquiao has to take Mayweather out of his rhythm. If he doesn’t take him out of his rhythm, he’s not going to beat him.”
