Post: #209

(07-20-2017 10:16 AM)Fortis Wrote:  Rush, I feel you but that argument essentially sounds like "he could get lucky." Yes, I can throw a punch that MIGHT knockout another fighter. Everyone has a puncher's chance, but you know you're fucked when every scenario everyone can construction where you conceivably win a fight is if the other guy is unprepared and unlucky. That's not fighting, that's gambling.

Whenever guys start talking about Conor's gonna punch from angles that Mayweather isn't used to and all that I sorta raise and eyebrow and go "wut?"

Why?

I think Pacquiao was the quintessential latino/asian swarm fighter. Just for those who aren't familiar, swarm fighters are guys who are super aggressive, throw a bajillion punches and get on the inside and (hopefully) set up a knockout.

They're famously effective against patient fighters like Mayweather--and that still didn't work.

I can't see McGregor putting on higher pressure than Pacquiao can. I simply don't see it. Pacquiao had/has god-tier footwork, power, stamina and he punches from absurd angles. Angles where you literally can't believe he can generate sufficient power to put you on your ass--but he does it. Can we honestly put McGregor's footwork, handspeed, and stamina on the level of a consummate professional boxer's? I'm gonna say no.

I don't see that in McGregor. McGregor's style is predicated on using spacing and waiting for the other guy to overextend and then landing an absurdly strong counter punch off the left hand.

Now ask yourself this: when was the last time you saw a counter puncher give Mayweather trouble? I honestly can't remember. Mayweather is probably the most patient man in the boxing game. He literally frustrated Ortiz, a world-class boxer, into illegally (and obviously) head-butting him. That's godly mindgaming and patience. The guy literally cracked and did something illegal on camera just so that he could try to get a hit in on Mayweather. Mayweather's patience is the antithesis of McGregor's punching style.

I don't see McGregor being able to make the man who doesn't make mistakes make a mistake. I really like McGregor. He's an interesting dude who brings a lot of press to fighting sports, but I think people are getting a bit high on his gas.

If you want to see what Mcgregor looks like when he's shut down (game plan denied) just watch his bouts with Diaz. Diaz stuffs all his punches, denies all his kicks and McGregor is pretty much on the defensive--and this was in MMA.

Do I see McGregor suddenly, in 5 months, learning to swarm fight? lol no
Do I see Mcgregor being more patient than the most patient fighter ever? No

I'd really love to see a good brawl but you have the ultimate counter brawler (Mayweather) vs a guy who isn't even actually a good brawler (McGregor).

Floyd will likely win [Which is my belief], but if Conor does, it won't be due to luck. It will be due to holes in the current structure of boxing which have been neglected due to years of thinking: "We've hit the apex of knowledge" I.E: Successful boxing looks like 'X'.

The only area of intrigue in this fight isn't: Will Conor be a good enough boxer to hang with Floyd. He won't be. The question is 'Will Conor bring something new to the game'.

That's the only question. All other discussions are pretty cut and dry. We know Floyd is a boxer 10,000x better than Conor. We know in a boxing fight he wins 99.99% of the time.

What a small contingent of people are wondering however is whether Conor, by virtue of the evolution of fighting through MMA, will bring something new to boxing.

In terms of how Conor will approach the fight. He would never 'swarm' fight period. He will fight from distance.

He isn't a true counter striker either. He actually leads. Cut's off angles and initiates the striking to force a counter. Usually through a pawing right, which won't be ineffective with a 2 inch reach advantage.

Against Diaz, his biggest issue was cardio. Conor led for the majority of both fights and dropped Nate 3 times in the rematch [Nate himself is one of Andre Ward's main sparring partners - A LHW boxer on the P4P list].

Once again however, like many things in this fight, cardio will be another unanswered question. MMA is 5x5minute rounds with grappling, leg kicks, heavy clinch work etc. Boxing is 3 minute rounds, and he'll be facing a low volume counter striker.

I've been a boxing fan for a long time and I honestly feel that it has stagnated as a sport. I feel there is nobody challenging the status quo and as a result, what works has remained the same for decades.

In virtually every other sport, there's been a constant evolution. Boxing however, is unique in that there is blind ego to what they do. Outside voices are typically shut down and it's a reason the sport itself is dying. They're an establishment of relics much like the Democratic Party.

While Conor could very well come in, be shut down within a round and take an accumulation of punches that see him stopped by the 6th, he also brings something very different to the table. We can hypothesise how ineffective it may or may not be, but at the end of the day, we need to see it to really know.