Floyd Mayweather Was Smart to Make Manny Pacquiao Bout 'Boring'

If you could describe the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao bout in one word, what would it be?

Dull, overrated or boring? Plenty of fans, respected boxing journalists such as Larry Merchant and fighters like Sergey Kovalev used the "B" word when describing the fight. Who is the person taking most of the criticism for the way the fight transpired? The winner, of course.

Mayweather is constantly taken to task for his style, but can we really argue with the results?

One commenter on an article I wrote said:

"I don't think I could sit through 12 rounds of Mayweather, even if it was free. I spent the week before the fight watching about 10 fights of each fighter. At least I enjoyed watching the Manny [Pacquiao] fights. I couldn't sit through the Mayweather fights. Just too boring." 

Hmm...we're all entitled to our opinion and our preferences are based on a myriad of factors, but in looking back over both fighters' recent in-ring history, Pacquiao's last 10 fights include three losses. One of the defeats came by way of one of the most vicious knockouts I've seen in over 30 years of following the sport.

Pacquiao's a great fighter but why would Mayweather want to swap places with him?

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For as long as Mayweather continues to fight, winning should always come before excitement. It's the formula that has led him to a 48-0 record, unspeakable riches and very limited physical damage in what can be a brutal sport. If you think that's "boring," then so be it, but Mayweather would be pretty dumb to try to become your favorite fighter.

Among other things, boxing is designed to be a battle of styles. The fighter capable of controlling the style and identity of the fight will usually win. Many people lose track of this or completely disregard the concept.

Mayweather is a pure, defensive-minded boxer. Pacquiao is more of a offensive-minded slugger. This isn't a measure of their courage or quality as fighters, it's their style and in-ring personality.

If the Cincinnati Reds' Billy Hamilton was trying to be considered a better player than his teammate Joey Votto, leaning on his strengths would be the smartest course of action.

If Hamilton started swinging for the fences with a noticeable uppercut in his swing, it would be counterproductive. He is a speedster who makes his living getting on base and wreaking havoc as a stolen-base threat. Should he try to prove he's a home run hitter just to appease the fans that only dig the long ball?

Likewise, Mayweather is a fighter who makes his living by being elusive, sticking and moving out of the punching range of his opponents. Fighters like Marcos Rene Maidana and Jose Luis Castillo did the best job disturbing Mayweather's rhythm. Pacquiao couldn't do anything to stop the dance. Thus it became a systematic dismantling of a future Hall of Famer and a bore for the fans looking for a bloodbath.

This isn't professional wrestling where a performer is charged with reading the emotions of the crowd and licensed to change the script to increase crowd engagement.

The fighters are there to win, period.

Every fight is an equation. The dominant skills and traits of the fighters dictate the amount of variables. In 48 professional fights, Mayweather has solved every problem and cracked the code for each opponent. While clearly focused on the bottom line, he is aware of the way some may view his approach. He makes a good point on the subject in the video interview below from FightHype.com. The relevant portion begins at the 8:04 mark of the video.

Many of the critics just want to see Mayweather punished and beaten up. Some hate him, others have it in their mind that a bloodied face is a badge of honor in the sport. Again, we all have our preferences, but how many would choose that profile over Mayweather's in-ring reality if it were their own bodies and minds at risk?

We'd be lying if we called the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao scrap eventful. Mayweather's plan was to dominate space, control distance and tempo. If that strategy is executed properly, there won't be a ton of action for casual fans to enjoy.

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

That said, those who truly appreciate the sweet science can't help but be impressed by the masterclass of talent. That's especially the case when the man on the losing end is as good as Pacquiao.

If you simply watch the fight as if there's just two guys in the ring boxing without any acknowledgement of their accomplishments and place in history, you missed a good amount of the appeal of the event. Rarely do we get an opportunity to see the two best of an era fight each other.

If we understand the magnitude of seeing Mayweather and Pacquiao stand across the ring from each other, then we're able to enjoy half of the appeal of the bout. Only the hardcore boxing fan understands that concept. Another chunk of the draw was gaining a definitive answer to the biggest debate in the sport. We finally got a chance to see which fighter is the best of this era.

All things considered, and with realistic expectations, we got what we should have anticipated.

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