Face The Jury 3.13.10: Pacquiao vs. Mayweather

Posted by Ryan Bates on 03.13.2010

Though we may not see it in the ring, the two men (and more specifically, their images) will meet in the jury of my peers. Patrick Cassidy and Ramon Aranda argue the two sides in our monthly courtroom showdown.

The Court will now hear the case of Pacquiao v. Mayweather. All rise, the Honorable Judge Rhino presiding.

JUDGE RHINO: Only a month or so ago, we were looking forward to what would be considered the biggest, most important fight of our era. Now, with that fight only a feasible scenario in "Fight Night Round 4," both men have moved on: Manny Pacquiao will be taking on the rugged Joshua Clottey in Dallas, TX on March 13; Floyd Mayweather has his dance card filled with the veteran Shane Mosley May 1 out here in Las Vegas. While these fights would be great fights (and really, they are great fights) normally, the main problem in this scenario is that Pacquiao and Mayweather aren't fighting each other. This has left both men's public images on wobbly legs.

However, to both men's credit, neither are taking an easy substitute: Josh Clottey must always be considered a live underdog, and Shane Mosley is certainly a credible and dangerous threat to Floyd. So we must look into the strange possibility that one man (or even both men) could possibly lose.

VS.

Counselor Cassidy: You will defend that a Josh Clottey upset would be MORE damaging to Manny Pacquiao's image and reputation than would a Shane Mosley upset be to Mayweather.

Counselor Aranda: You will prosecute that a Josh Clottey upset would be LESS damaging to Manny Pacquiao's image and reputation than would a Shane Mosley upset be to Mayweather, thereby counterclaiming that a Mosley upset would be MORE damaging.

The Court will hear the prosecution first.

Counselor Patrick Cassidy, defense, Mayweather: Ladies and Gentleman of the Jury – It seems like just yesterday we were salivating at the opportunity to see two of the best fighters of recent memory slug it out in a fight that would have broken records at the box office and ignited a rebirth of the sweet science. Sadly, egos and poor negotiations got in the way of such a fight and now we're left with two separate bouts which are desirable but not on the level of Mayweather vs Pacquiao. We are now left with only the hope that the fight can one day be made but that is far from a guarantee. For those hoping to see the fight we must hope that both men are victorious in their upcoming bouts. However, the real pressure falls to Manny Pacquiao whose credibility is far more in jeopardy than that of Floyd Mayweather.

Let's first take a look at the actual match ups. From a simple standpoint of opponents it's obvious that Floyd Mayweather has not only the tougher opponent but the honor of fighting for one of the most prestigious belts in boxing... the Welterweight championship of the world. Clottey is no tomato can but he's not in the same league as Shane Mosley who has been consistently at the top of the pound-for-pound lists for over 10 years. Every time we've written the man off, he's found a way to surprise his critics. It's therefore no argument that Mosley is too old; if anything he's been a better fighter in the past five years than the five years before that. His speed is not as strong but he's a much smarter fighter and possesses an ability to control his opponent and fight like few others.

Clottey is a strong opponent, no doubt, but we must take into consideration the fact that he did lose to Miguel Cotto and we all know how Cotto fared against Pacquiao. Now, some would rebut that "styles make fights" which is true but what makes this different is that Clottey's style is awfully similar to that of Miguel Cotto. Aside from an attack the head at a greater efficiency, Clottey is not going to run from Manny Pacquiao or look to do much counterpunching which is exactly what got Cotto into the trouble that he did. Pacquiao is capable of taking a welterweight's punch and Clottey doesn't have a massive one. This is important to show that Clottey seems to be the perfect opponent for Pacquiao to shine and anything other than a dominating performance will be seen as a disappointment. With that said could you imagine the type of impact an actual upset to Clottey would do to Pacquiao's reputation? Certainly his work ethic would immediately be called into question and how serious he took his opponent. These are not labels a fighter wants. On the flip side, people expect Mayweather to win but it wouldn't be an absolute shock as Mosley has proven himself to be an elite fighter which Clottey has yet to do.

Finally, look at the fact of the two men's personalities. Mayweather's appeal extends not only from his abilities inside the ring but his charisma and ability to control the argument in the media. The man is a master of self-promotion and would be adept at putting damage control in place if he were to lose. Pacquiao on the other hand is humble and not a big time self-promoter in America. His appeal comes from his incredible abilities and crowd pleasing style. He does not have the mouth of Floyd Mayweather which could be seen as a positive but it would not be in defeat when he would need to justify such a poor performance.

These facts prove without a shadow of a doubt that Manny Pacquiao not only needs to beat Josh Clottey to maintain his reputation but he needs to dominate. Thank you.

Counselor Ramon Aranda, prosecution, Pacquiao: Although Manny Pacquiao has had two fights at welterweight now, both knockout wins over Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto, there are those who discredit his victories by pointing out that De La Hoya was over the hill and weight-drained as well as saying that Cotto was damaged goods. His critics say that he still needs a better win at 147 pounds and Joshua Clottey certainly presents that challenge. Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) is a hard-as-nails fighter who's losses have come to Cotto (albeit controversially to some), Antonio Margarito (in a fight he was winning until he injured his hand) and a DQ loss to Carlos Baldomir that was an aberration. Sure, Manny Pacquiao is "expected" to win but Clottey has been no easy task for any welterweights and should have no problem taking Pacquiao's punches.

Say what you will about Clottey but he stands about as much of a chance to win as did Cotto or De La Hoya before the excuses started flying. Should Pacquiao lose, I expect the reasoning will be that Clottey is a full-fledged welterweight who can still fight with the best of them. Pacquiao will be excused for a loss given the size disparity and critics will simply say that the weight jumping finally became too much. They'll point out that he's better at junior welterweight and all will be forgiven.

Mayweather, on the other hand, despite being a slight favorite over Shane Mosley is finally taking on a top notch fighter in his OWN weight class. Mosley looked good in his last time out and there will be plenty of those who favor him to beat Mayweather when they face off in May. The problem with a loss here for Mayweather is that since he's been accused of not taking on true welterweights, a loss would only cement the notion that he's been avoiding better fighters for a reason. A loss would give his critics reason to assume that he's not as good as he claims to be and that Mosley just proved what would happen if Mayweather actually stepped up in competition. His legacy would take a hit and his ego would likely explode.

JUDGE RHINO: The Court will now hear rebuttals from both sides.

Counselor Cassidy: It's certainly arguable that Mayweather has some past demons and his ego is quite important to himself but you could have made the same argument about Roy Jones when he was in his prime – a flashy fighter who fed off his pound-for-pound rankings. Needless to say, his first loss only ignited a flame inside him and he was dominant in the fights after his loss. If Mayweather loses, I could see the same thing happening. Losses are terrible but their's also those that are so vain they become determined to avenge that loss. If anything, Mayweather's return would be heavily promoted and he'd certainly have the chance for redemption as it's one of boxing's favorite storylines.

Pacquiao is just too cemented to his legacy as the best to take a hard loss such as one against Clottey. Pacquiao is a humble man who is not very interested in self-promotion. That makes a loss so hard to come back from. Pacquiao's popularity and legacy is tied to his in-ring exploits; he is not Tyson, Ali, or any other charismatic fighter. His legacy will be determined by his in ring work and he can't afford at this point to derail a legacy that's being built towards being one of the greatest of all time.

Counselor Aranda: My dear jurors, I need not look further than Mr. Cassidy's own highlights of both Mayweather and Pacquiao's personalities to explain why in fact a loss would hurt Mayweather more than it would Pacquiao. As Mr. Cassidy states, Mayweather is indeed a master of self-promotion and as such, a loss would not only be heartbreaking to a man so keen on staying unbeaten but would give the critics more fuel to burn him. Pacquiao, as he's pointed out is a humble man who unless he gets taken out David Diaz style, can shrug off a loss to a tough individual in an unnatural weight class. Sure there'd be those who'd say that all the distractions finally caught up with Pacquiao and that would probably be true. But what of Mayweather?

What could he possibly say if he lost the fight? "OK, I finally stepped up and got beat?" Surely he'd get a new one ripped into him for the years of trash talking and taking on lesser foes at his own weight. Let's not forget he completely ignored an agreement on a catchweight with Juan Manuel Marquez to gain an advantage. Should he go in against Mosley with no advantages in weight, experience or strength and only a bit of an edge in speed and lose, he'd have nobody to blame – though we know he would. From the promoters to his publicists to his trainer, everyone... but himself, of course.

Mr. Cassidy says he has the ability to control the argument in the media and while he has the gift of gab, I'd point out some recent interviews to demonstrate that he can't run an interview the way he used to anymore. (Exhibit A: Getting punked out by Brian Kenny on ESPN Friday Night Fights; Exhibit B: Getting completely lambasted by RA the Rugged Man on Sirius XM Satellite Radio.) The point being this: no one is taking his bull anymore and a loss would hurt him badly.





JUDGE RHINO: The Court will now allow for final rebuttals and closing remarks.

Counselor Cassidy: Ladies and Gentleman of the Jury, look no further than Mr. Aranda's arguments as to why this loss will be more damaging to Pacquiao. In a fair and equal system we are not meant to decide the merit of an argument on a hypothetical or the possibility of a future event. We simply have to look at the simple facts of the case. Manny Pacquiao is in a fight with very little incentive for himself and and the risk of losing far more. Josh Clottey is not Shane Mosley and never will be. Shane Mosley is one of the greatest fighters of the past 15 years and yet we're even arguing the merits of such a case. Mayweather will certainly take a hit by a loss but he can recover if he wants to. Pacquiao is less likely given the fact that his political career is about to take off. Mayweather does not know much else other than boxing. This is his life and will force a career recovery if he loses. Can Pacquiao possibly recover when it seems he's looking for a way out rather than staying in?

I ask you to look at the simple merits of the case and that is at the end of the day Shane Mosley is a legend while Clottey is simply a contender. Just remember that fact, and that's the keyword... Fact.

Counselor Aranda: As Patrick states, Pacquiao is cemented in his legacy and is a humble man. A loss would hurt his stature, sure, but shouldn't affect his legacy in the long run.

Floyd on the other hand has made excuse after excuse while ducking and dodging the best fighters in his weight class, and if he loses after FINALLY stepping up, it'll open up a huge can of worms in the way of non-stop criticism. I'm not too sure Floyd's ego could handle it. Knockout or decision; if he loses, it'll crush him.

JUDGE RHINO: Jury, as you deliberate, remember that a "guilty" verdict will find Floyd Mayweather Jr. guilty of having a weaker reputation, with a loss from Mosley hurting him more than a loss from Clottey would hurt Manny Pacquiao. A "not guilty" verdict will find Floyd Mayweather Jr. innocent of that crime, and pin the guilt on Manny Pacquiao.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

Foreman Jonathan Yaghoubi: We have, your honor.

JUDGE RHINO: How does the jury find?

Foreman Yaghoubi: In the case of Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, we, the jury, find Floyd Mayweather Jr. guilty of having the weaker image.

Mr. Cassidy makes solid points that Clottey is not on the same level as Mosley so Pacquiao would be losing to the lower level fighter. However, Clottey is a damn good fighter who could have easily won his fights over Cotto and Margarito. If he won those two fights, he would be known as one of the best.

A loss by Mayweather would certainly hurt his reputation way more than Pacquiao. Floyd takes so much pride in being undefeated that he really feels he is the best of all time because of it. His resume is not even on the same level as Manny and he has never been considered a "fighting champion." Mosley is a great fighter but he has not fought in 16 months and is almost 40 years old. A Pacquiao loss would hurt but I think he has established so much in his career that he is an all-time great no matter what happens in this fight. A loss by Floyd and his legacy and rankings as a great will go down big time.



JUDGE RHINO: The jury finds Mayweather guilty of a weaker image which will take more damage in the case of a loss. Sentencing will be postponed, however, until May 2, 2010. For if one or both of these men actually do lose, their real sentence could be harsher than any of us could imagine.