"Mayweather Jr. Is Boring!!!" The Perspective Of Ignorance

"He's too boring!" I can't tell you how many times I've heard/read this about the former undefeated pound for pound champ, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and every time I do I have mixed feeling. On one hand I want to slam their head into a car windshield while shouting profanities at them, on the other I want to hug them and tell them "it's not your fault...you were born this way".

I'm 21 years old, many people would say that's too young to know what I'm talking about but I've been boxing competitively for ten years. I've competed and won in J.O. Boxing (Junior Olympic boxing) twice and am training to fight in the next Olympics. I'm not telling you this to boost my own ego, just to counter that I do in fact have some basis to argue. 

Look I know I come across as brash, headstrong, and maybe intolerant but I promise you I'm not. I'm truly not one to put others down on their opinions because, truth be told, difference in perspective is what the world go 'round. This topic is no different, I can understand why someone would see him as boring. However, I believe those who see him fight and say "that was dull" just simply don't know what they're talking about. The highest connection percentage of ANY boxer's career, he's been knocked down ONCE and that was the fight he broke his hand in (he still won by the way), slick, sly, fast, Mayweather is the prototype pound for pound fighter. Now enough of me talking your ear off, let me explain to why Mayweather is not just NOT "boring" but in fact, entertaining. 

Folks criticize his fighting style-saying he runs away in the ring, he doesn't take any risks. Again, I say to you, you're all too wrong. 1.) When we see Mayweather "running away" in the ring, that's what we practitioners call, circling. The point of circling is to keep your opponent from setting his/her feet thus preventing them from efficiently aiming shots and more importantly throwing power punches. Many fighters have used this method, Sugar Ray Robinson (perhaps the originator of the craft), Ray Leonard, most notably Muhammad Ali. Where the star of this article, Mr. Mayweather, stands alone in this is that these fighters listed ALL kept a rhythm while they tried to keep their opponent off theirs. Ahhhh, the flaw reveals itself. This is why those fighters would get caught in slugging matches with set fighters or "heavy hitters" and would eventually kiss the mat. A prime example is Ali vs. Frazier. Ali was swift, light, and explosive; Frazier was heavy, powerful, and a brute. He caught onto Ali's rhythm and was able to interfere, which of course lead to Ali getting planted. Mayweather has NO rhythm and he makes a point not to. He makes his opponent fight to his own beat, which is nonexistent so it is very hard to pace and connect with him. 2.) To those who say Floyd doesn't take any risks, the man's defensive style (which is the source of his offensive style) is the most risky style you can have. Any given night it can be exploited if not maintained and executed properly, as exhibited in Mayweather/Zab Judah. The reason it seems he doesn't take any risks, my friends, is because he is so unbelievably good at it. When it comes to defense the man is an artist; He's Picasso, he's a Rembrant , he's Da Vinci, he's a defensive technician. Impossible to connect solidly slipping punches, using this opponents energy and momentum against them as he expels little. 3.) THE HIGHEST landed percentage of any fighter's career, I mean c'mon people do I really have to keep going?? He lands an astounding 60% and up in all his fights, how are you not entertained?! 

Alright, I'll sum it up. Mayweather's defense is entertainment in itself- and I can safely say that no other boxer has that going for them. Lastly, he is a sniper of a striker, and I mean surgical precision. Floyd Mayweather is the EPITOME of why they call it "the sweet science" of boxing, and if you cannot see that you don't know boxing. My advice, try watching UFC.

-Mickey