Floyd Mayweather getting down to work in Las Vegas (Photo: Naoki Fukuda)
By Chris Robinson
With back to back media days on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week for the respective fighters, we are now in the final phase of camp for both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao ahead of their May 2 clash in Las Vegas.
Mayweather faces Pacquiao from the MGM Grand in perhaps the biggest event in the sport’s history.
When asked for his latest take on the fight, trainer Kenny Porter, who guides the career of his son and former welterweight titlist Shawn, can’t help but have a fondness of facing the night’s victor.
“Can we get the winner?” Kenny asked recently during a one on one with HustleBoss.com. “Just give us the winner. That’s going to be a great fight. Looking forward to it. Hopefully we get a chance to get a ticket and get close and see it.
“Whoever gets their hand raised that night, I just want the winner,” Kenny added.
Shawn (25-1-1, 16 KO’s) is coming off of a 5th round knockout over Erick Bone and is one of the biggest names in the mix at 147 pounds. He doesn’t see Mayweather vs. Pacquiao disappointing in any fashion.
“I think it’s going to be a great fight,” Porter claims. “Obviously something we’ve been waiting for a long time. I really don’t feel it’s going to be a letdown at all. I feel Manny is going to come in there full on energy. I’m curious to see how Floyd reacts but I’m sure he’ll react just fine. I look forward to it being a great, competitive fight.”
When asked what Pacquiao, a good friend and former sparring partner of his, brings to the dance, Porter quickly offered praise.
“I think Manny brings a lot to the table,” Shawn explained. “First and foremost, he’s a southpaw, so the punches are coming from an opposite direction. And you got the fact he will throw anywhere 60 to 100 punches a round. And he’s going to box around and come from different angles. Those three things alone are going to make you make an adjustment.”
Kenny knows the style of both fighters very well and feels that Mayweather has everything in his hands in order to come out on top May 2.
“When you are talking about Floyd, you are talking about a guy who is in the top of the game in his profession,” Kenny explained. “He knows how to make adjustments very well. It’s one of the keys to his success over the years.
“He does have that ability and has proven himself repeatedly to be able to adjust to anything and I get the feeling he will be able to adjust to the things Manny is doing but it’s going to be a great fight,” he added.
Chris Robinson can be reached at CRobinson@hustleboss.com