Manny Pacquaio Vs. Floyd Mayweather? Who Wins?

If Floyd Mayweather Jr. comes out of retirement like many recent fighters to fight a guy at the pinnacle of his career, he may get beaten badly. 

Maybe.

But I don't believe Mayweather is out of his prime and he's certainly not rusty. He retired with a lot of fight still in him.

I understand he wanted to get out while he could still talk, eat, and go to the bathroom by himself. 

And he's rich.

If he does come out of retirement to face Manny Pacquiao—I don't think he should—it will be a interesting fight. But it won't be the hit parade between Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya, as Mayweather is a little harder to hit. 

Both fighters are quick. Like Ricochet Rabbit and Speedy Gonzalez, fast is fast.

But everyone, and I mean everyone, who fights Pacquiao says they were dumbfounded by his speed. They knew he was fast, but they had no idea he was that fast. 

Based on Pacquiao's opponents' comments, I say Mayweather will have difficulty with Pacquiao's hand speed. He's never faced a fighter of this caliber, in my opinion, and definitely hasn't faced anyone with Pacquiao's quickness.

I am a Mayweather fan.

He is a superb fighter. He is cunning, slippery, and great defensively. But my big problem with "Money" Mayweather is that he doesn't throw combinations. If he's so great without combinations, imagine how dangerous he'd be with them.

I don't believe you can beat a fighter like Pacquiao without throwing combinations. I don't think you can jab and escape and win a fight. I think that is a bad strategy. But that's the way he fights, and it's been successful, so why change?

Pacquiao wouldn't have to make many adjustments. He hasn't retired or had time off, so he's fresh and at the height of his boxing career.

If he mirrors his fight against De La Hoya and pressures Mayweather in the later rounds he will win decisively. 

He handled De La Hoya a lot better then Mayweather did.

I think at this point in time Pacquiao is on a mission. He has beaten some of the toughest fighters out there. 

I consider Mexican fighters to be some of the toughest around, and he has fought, beaten, and survived the best of the best. 

I think every Mexican fighter he has faced—Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barerra, Erik Morales—is tougher than Ricky Hatton.  Sorry, but it's the truth. 

I don't believe Mayweather's past opponents match Pacquiao's list. This counts for something. This shapes a boxer down the line. 

I know what Mayweather has to do to win: throw the Jab, throw combinations, move in and out, box. 

He won't throw combinations, so I don't think he'll win. You need more than foot movement and a jab to beat a fighter like Pacquiao. 

What Pacquiao needs to do is what he's been doing. Shoot that straight left down the middle. No one can stop it.  Marquez figured out how to stop it, but not until he was knocked down three times. Pacquiao needs to be elusive with his movement—as he was with De La Hoya—turning him, turning him, never being in the same place so he can get hit. 

Pacquiao needs to, and he will, throw combination punches.  He needs to stay disciplined and alert and not get too reckless early.

Pacquioa's jaw isn't made of paper.  In Mayweather's defense, he's as crafty as crafty comes.  He is an excellent fighter, a smart fighter, very fast, one of the most talented in our generation. But even with all these ingredients, he won't be able to put together a dish to beat Pacquiao.

If these two meet, I pick Pacquiao to win this one, pretty decisively.  I don't think it will be close.

I don't think Mayweather should come out of retirement and take this fight.

Why?

What does he have left to prove?