Trainers, Fighters, Managers and more give their opinion on Mayweather/Marquez

In a fight that is sure to affect the landscape of the boxing world, former pound for pound King Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather makes his grand return to the ring against proven former champion Juan Manuel Marquez. Pitting Mayweather’s boxing savvy and ring intellect against Marquez’ technical brilliance may not captivate audiences like other upcoming contests but it will surely answer a few questions about the careers of both men.

When talking to people in the boxing world it is obvious that Mayweather is favored to win the fight for a variety of reasons. A good core of people feel that Marquez will do more tha n enough to keep the fight competitive but very few can actually envision him coming away with the win.

8 Count News recently touched base with a variety of people involved in the boxing game, from fighters past and present, managers, trainers, writers, and more. This is what everybody is saying about the September 19th Mayweather/Marquez clash…


Former IBF Cruiserweight Champion Al Cole

“I think mayweather will win and also marquez has to put on a lot of weight. Pacquiao was a much smaller opponent.

Former two time champion and current trainer John David Jackson
“I have to go with Mayweather in this one. I think Marquez will give him a tough fight but I think Floyd will get to him late. I could see him cutting Marquez up pretty good, busting him up.”

Ryan Songalia (wwwBoxingScene.com writer)

“The first thing I noticed at the Mayweather-Marquez press conference at the Empire State Building was not the negligible size disparity but the scarring on Marquez. Marquez20has been in a lot of wars and no amount of urine consumption can erase that.

That being said, we haven't seen Mayweather in the ring for a long time now. There is no knowing what Mayweather has left anymore until we see him in the ring. What I will say is that Mayweather does not like to lose; even if that means having an opponent jump two weight divisions to fight him. Mayweather's brain trusts understand that his appeal is his "0". Hence, the fascination with making absurd comments like "I'm better than Ali and Ray Robinson." Of course we know that's not in the ballpark of reason but it's what makes Floyd Mayweather Jr. who he is.

Marquez has traditionally not fared well when he fights people who will attempt to box him. Marquez needs to stand his ground and counter to be effective. Fighters like Freddie Norwood, Chris John etc. have made Marquez look awkward at times by taking a step back. Marquez found himself on the canvas against Pacquiao and Barrera while trying to go out and be aggressive.

It's like Paulie Malignaggi said a while back when I asked him about the fight. He said, "It's just a little too much to handle when you have skill and size to deal with." Marquez's best shot is to get in close and throw combinations, which Mayweather has done less and less of. I think we'll see Mayweather trying to potshot and get comfortable for the first few rounds then take over down the stretch.”

Former world title challenger and current trainer John ‘Ice’ Scully

“I will go with Mayweather, even with the long lay off. I always have the impression that Mayweather is the type of guy who never gets too far out of shape and I think even during his lay off he was able to maintain some level of conditioning and sharpness. This certainly isn't a guy who took a long lay off and gained thirty pounds of fat. I think Mayweather will look surprisingly sharp after such a lay off, I think Marquez will make it an interesting fight but one thing about Mayweather so far in his career is that whenever his back has been against the wall he has stood up tall and answered every question asked with flying colors. Now, as much as I think Mayweather will come back without breaking much of his stride, it is still an X factor. If there is ever a time when he could or would be stale this would be the time. His first fight back against a very capable guy. If Marquez can box and make it a thing where he has Mayweather missing single shots and is countering Floyd20with sharp shots of his own it could disrupt his game and maybe cause some doubt to creep into his head. I think Marquez either needs to have very early success or after the halfway mark he needs to really turn on the gas and make Floyd doubt himself, make him think maybe Marquez will be the stronger man down the stretch. Ultimately I think Floyd wil be highly motivated and will shine but if that isn't to happen I think it will be because Marquez starts fast and gets him out of his game or because Marquez wins a game of extreme endurance over the long haul.”

Dibella Entertainment Matchmaker Joe Quiamboa

“I like Mayweather because he is too big and too fast. I think this would be a bout which has 2 counter punchers and when that happens, somebody has to take the lead. i think Marquez, being the smaller or the two will have to be the one leading and that will be his downfall. Although you have 2 great fighters in there, I don't expect any fireworks btwn these two. The only X factor is how people w ill react or demand a Pacquiao fight if this fight ends up as I think it will.”

Cruiserweight Contender Matt Godfrey

“I just expect a great fight. I hate to have to choose one over the other.”

Thomas Hauser (www.SecondsOut.com and www.MaxBoxing.com writer)

“Mayweather. Given his skills, plus he's just too big for Marquez”
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Las Vegas based trainer Don House

“I think this fight should be called "the beauty and the beast". The beauty being the way Mayweather fights, the beast being the relentless attack of Marquez. Some years ago my fighter gave Marquez his first loss, Freddy Norwood, between you and I, I thought we loss that fight. A matter of fact we fought on a Mayweather undercard in Vegas. I see this fight going the distance. One thing about Mayweather he will be in the best shape and for this fight he better. We already know what shape that Marquez will be in. Tip Top Shape. If Mayweather can box Marquez for 12 rounds and stay off the ropes I think he will win. On the other hand Mayweather loves to put himself on the ropes and fight off of them, I think this will be a big mistake for him. Marquez has great boxing ability, nothing flashy, simple, clean, but nice and he gets the job done. I think his job is to rough Mayweather up a bit, push him against the ropes and hit him anywhere, the arms the head, the hips, and where ever he can hit him and get away wit h it, make the fight tuff for Mayweather, mess up that pretty face. If He can do this Marquez wins. The pressure is on Mayweather, protecting that unblemished record, Marquez has loss a few times and hit the canvas and in one fight three times still came out smelling like a rose. This is a tuff one to call. But I am leaning toward Mayweather.”

Boxing manager Jackie Kallen

“I would like to see Mayweather win so he can fight the winner of Pacquiao/Cotto. Boxing needs a super fight like that to help bring the sport back. Good fight either way. Despite the long layoff, I see Mayweather beating Pacquiao (who beat Marquez last year). I see it as a distance fight, although both fighters have high KO percentages. I think their defensive skills will be in high gear and they will give and take for the entire fight. A key word that stands out to me is hunger. Does Mayweather still have it? Does Marquez? Who wants this more? That will be the key.”

Danny Serratelli (www.BrickCityBoxing.com writer)

“I think it can go either way, obviously Floyd is a big favorite. If Mayweather wins it will be because he will no mix it up, will run and will dictate the tempo of the fight. If Marquez can impose his will and won some rounds it would become interesting. Early rounds both men size each other up and Floyd tries to take a little more with each passing round, while Marquez starts getting a little desperate by the mid way point. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Floyd hasn't fought in a while and Marquez has. Can Marquez be aggressive enough to take Floyd out of his safety first mode. Will it make a difference to Floyd if he wins without entertaining the crowd? All of these questions will be answered on September 19th.”
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Lightweight Contender Jorge ‘The Truth’ Teron

“I'm still on the fence about who I think is going to win between Mayweather and Marquez on Sept 19th. If I absolutely had to choose one side I'd go with Mayweather but I can also see Marquez winning the fight. I think Mayweather's speed is ultimately what's going to earn him a close decision win on Sept 19th. There are several factors that come into play in this fight. Like how comfortable is Mayweather going to be in the ring after such a long layoff or how is Marquez going to respond to fighting at a new weight class. All questions that make this such a tough fight to pick. I can see the fight playing out several ways. If Mayweather still has the tools that made him the pound for pound best fighter in the world before he retired then I see him winning in a close spirited fight but if Marquez adjusts well to the new weight then he can present a lot of the same problems Castillo did when he fought Mayweather the first time. So again if I had to bet on someone my money is going on the fighter hasn't lost a fight yet which is Mayweather but Marquez20has everything it takes to make this a close and very interesting fight.”

Heavyweight Contender Cedric Boswell

“I think Floyd will win, I think Marquez will be a very game fighter but Floyd will be too big and strong for him. I think Marquez will almost match speed but not strong enough. Diaz and casomayor shook Marquez up a little bit, Floyd is punching alot sharper then them. Floyd win by tko in the later rounds.”

Ryan Bates (Las Vegas boxing correspondent, 411mania.com co-Host, "3 More Rounds")

“Juan Manuel Marquez is not commonly considered #2 pound-for-pound for no good reason. He's one of the few people who has actually stood toe-to-toe with (and maybe bested, depending on who you ask) current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao. He has power, he has a solid chin, and he has more intestinal fortitude than most U.S. politicians. He has the ingredients to pull off the upset. But can he do it? I don't know. Up and down, the deck is stacked against him, from the venue to the catch-weight. Maybe not like the deck Paulie Malignaggi was given to play with in Houston, but still, the proverbial planets are more aligned with Mayweather. Furthermore, love him or hate him, to deny Mayweather's wicked smart boxing brain and lightning fast speed in his hands and feet is like saying that grass is orange. I expect that the fight will go similar to DLH/Mayweather, in that Marquez will put the pressure on Mayweather for five solid rounds, while Mayweather taps-and-runs; as Marquez slows, Floyd will tap a little more often, edging out rounds for a split decision. That being said, I could never bring myself to actually picking the Pretty Money Boy Child, so I pick Marquez for the upset.”

Former amateur champion Eric Kelly

“Floyd will take the fight .Floyd is the more slicker and elusive boxer. Speed and skill always over comes power. Floyd is great on the inside and out, he makes angles and opening's and is very precise. It'll be a one sided boxing match and then Floyd will open in the mid rounds en route to a late round TKO or unanimous decision. Watch out when on the inside for Marquez’s incredible uppercut. Marquez is one of my favorite fighters and is strong; he is relentless and never lets up. His body and head attack is ferocious. Let’s hope that Floyd’s rib is very well healed and they he can out box and keep Marquez at by.”

Heavyweight Contender Travis Kauffman

“I like Floyd Mayweather because he is going to be naturally bigger and stronger. I think Marquez comes out strong anc gives Floyd a little trouble for the first 3 rds until Floyd gets off the ring rust then Floyd k o's Marquez in the 10th or 11th.”

Aladdin Freeman (www.BraggingRightsCorner.com writer)

“I think Floyd but a tough fight but based on his speed and the fact that he is the bigger man I like him. Plus I saw Nacho watching Jose Luis Castillo fight Floyd..Marquez isn't that type of fighter. Also, although I love Marquez, he sometimes gets hit cleaner than he'd like and that cost him in the Judges eyes vs. Manny and could do the same here.”

‘Mighty’ Mike Anchondo

“I've always lived by the rule that you can't hurt what you can't hit. Being that Mayweather is faster then Marquez, I do think he will be able to pull out the victory. There is a chance though, if Marquez puts enough pressure and uses his precision, he will be able to pull off an upset, as Castillo did in their first fight. If he can get in and fight at cloe range, he'll be able to slowly, and methodically chip away at Mayweathers body. I'm rooting for Marquez to win, but in reality, I know Mayweather will win. I see it going the distance, Marquez has too much pride to not do it. Let me tell you though, if there's an upset, boxing and Mexico will have a huge uprising and it will help the future and attitude in the sport.”

Welterweight Contender David Estrada

“I think mayweather will win cuz he got more speed and power. Hez a bigger man too. I think mayweather stayz away from him the whole fight and landz a punch or 2 everytime marquez makez a=2 0mistake. He might even stop him late.”

11-0 Jr. Welterweight Prospect Raymond Charles

“I think Mayweather’s style is going to easily beat Marquez. Marquez is versatile but Mayweather’s style is going to give him all kinds of problems. I see Mayweather dominating the fight.”

Ben Thompson (Editor, www.FightHype.com)

“Mayweather by Split Decision. I think it's going to be a chess match and, in my opinion, Mayweather is a little better at playing chess than Marquez. I think the layoff will see Floyd a little rustier than normal, throwing his timing off and causing him to miss a little more than usual in the first four rounds. By the middle rounds, Floyd will find his rhythm and begin to take over. In the late rounds, it might be closer than a lot of people, including the judges, expect and I can definitely see Marquez getting the nod on 1 of the scorecards while Mayweather earns the decision on the other 2. A rematch won't be necessary, but don't be surprised to hear quite a few people, including Golden Boy Promotions, asking for one. The intangibles are obviously the weight difference (Floyd being a welterweight and Marquez being a lightweight) and Floyd's long layoff. In my opinion, however, the most important intangibles are the judges and whay they prefer to see when judging a bout. I think there's going to be a lot of close rounds that come down to who landed the more accurate and telling shots and if this fight does end up going to the scorecards, I think the eyesight and personal preferences of the judges are going to be EXTREMELY important when determining the outcome of this one.”

Former Title Challenger Billy Irwin

“Mayweather wins easy. Will stop him. Mayweather is too big and fast. Mayweather can outbox him when he wants and out punch him. I do not see it as being that competitive.”

Dennis Guillermo (Indianapolis Fight Sports Examiner.)

“This fight will be closer than most think. I favor Mayweather but if he shows up with any kind of rust, Marquez is more than capable of decisioning him. Mayweather is an excellent defensive fighter on top of being faster and stronger than Marquez. Marquez is an intelligent fighter who can adjust on the fly and really give Mayweather fits. I am concerned of two things though. How will Marquez be affected by the extra weight he is packing? Will it significantly increase his strength or will it just slow him down? What's the condition of Floyd's ribs? I kn ow Marquez will test it out, so we'll see.”

Light Heavyweight Rubin ‘Mr. Hollywood’ Williams

“I think Floyd will win unanimously. I see a very competitive first six rounds then he will pull away second half of the fight. Marquez, skill wise, is right there but floyd is stronger and faster the only difference.”

Johnny Schulz (www.15Rounds.com writer)

“Obviously a hand picked opponent with the naturally bigger Mayweather with a 5" reach advantage can easily out box a come forward fighting Marquez who will have problems getting to Mayweather. I see Mayweather being a slick outside boxer to a UD winnig nearly everyround. Early and late rounds should be exciting and the mid rounds should be a clinic.”

Boxing Manager Cameron Dunkin

“Floyd is too big, too quick and too fast. As a great a fighter as Marquez is and he is a GREAT fighter, Mayweather is even GREATER in my opinion. I see Floyd winning a unanimous decision (like 10-2 or 9-3). These are two real pros and I don't think anything outside the ring will affect either one of them once the bell rings.”

Troy Ondrizek (www.BoxingScene.com writer)

“Mayweather is who I think will win, by SD. Marquez is a phenomenal counter-puncher and to me is the better overall fighter. But the speed of Mayweather and his great sense of spacing and distance will catch JMM coming in, because Floyd won't give him many opportunities to counter. Marquez will take the fight to Mayweather early with limited to no success. Floyd will land the cleaner shots early. The middle rounds will be Marquez' for the most part, as he makes better mid fight adjustments than any other fighter of his generation. And it is here he'll find the most success and this will be the most entertaining part of the fight. Floyd’s size and strength advantage will carry him in the late rounds; it'll be Marquez's skill that keeps him standing late because Floyd will start throwing with more purpose and in greater amounts so the fight won't go to the judges. Judges don't necessarily favor the styles of both men and Floyd won't want to leave it to them, but he will. X-factor will be Floyd’s size and speed, the fight will be close because of Marquez' skill and brilliant boxing mind.”

Former Welterweight Contender Nick Acevedo

“I would like to see Marquez win because he's a warrior but I think Mayweather is going to be to fast and too slick for him. I feel Mayweather's speed and conditioning will win him the fight. I think Mayweather will out point Marquez and win a decision”

Aaron Skinner (www.8CountNews.com writer)

“Many people are claiming this to be a tune-up fight for Mayweather in preparation for a fight with Pacman. Sure Mayweather and Pac are 1A and 1B as P4P kings, but Marquez is no slouch. He is another P4P top 20 fighter. Tell me who else, has given Pac as much trouble as Marquez has? (And not once but twice) This is no tune-up fight and Marquez will be in top shape looking to become the first person to beat Mayweather.
There are a lot of variables that make this fight interesting. How did the time off hurt Floyd? He was known for his world class speed, but is it still there after the layoff. How does the extra weight help/hurt Marquez? He is n't a spring chicken and won't have to strain to make weight, but he will most likely be slower than he usually is. Come fight time, Mayweather will be the biggest fighter Marquez has ever fought and that extra power Floyd will carry could be key in breaking Marquez down. In my opinion, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the best fighter the sport has scene in a long time. Love him or hate him, you have to respect him. I think Marquez will fight like the Mexican warrior he is, but in the end Mayweather will just be too much for him and squeak out a close UD.”

Source: http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/1925/2009-09-17.html