Teddy Atlas: Mayweather has the edge over Pacquiao

Teddy Atlas talks Mayweather-Pacquiao in his signature style.

(Check out full video here.)

On who has the edge going into May 2

“Floyd has the edge, I believe, as the fight is going to take place now finally in the squared circle. He’s naturally the bigger guy. He has not learned how to lose. That confidence is so important at all times in our life, but especially when you’re going to make a monumental moment like this. Confidence is everything.

“Of course, this fight should have happened six years ago. Since then, (Pacquiao) has been knocked out cold. That memory is still there somewhere. It will be Floyd’s job to bring those ghosts back to the forefront. Bring them to the mind of Pacquiao. The edge: Mr. Mayweather, the money man, the better defensive fighter, the guy that will take advantage of reckless aggression of Pacquiao.”

On what Pacquiao can do

“The greatest strength of Mayweather is his defense. His mind. Sometimes that’s his greatest weakness. The people with Pacquiao need to understand that as I understand that. What I mean by that, is Mayweather gets intoxicated. He gets drunk, and he doesn’t drink liquor as far as I know. But he gets intoxicated with his defensive prowess. He starts slipping and sliding and juking and duking a little too much sometimes, and allows you to get into him.

“Pacquiao can match him just about with hand speed. Pacquiao is a busier fighter. He’s a little busier than Floyd. Floyd doesn’t throw a lot, he throws what counts. Pacquiao will have opportunities when Floyd is into his defensive mode a little bit too much. That will give opportunities to Pacquiao to outhustle him, just outwork him, and grab parts of rounds. And maybe, steal rounds.”

On how much boxing needs this fight

“Boxing survives without Pacquiao-Mayweather, so calm down. Calm down. It’s been around 200 years. They’re not the saviors of boxing as much as it will help their promotion to put themselves forth as such. But they’re not. Boxing has survived for many years without them, and will without them for many years. But it is important to the point that it’s getting us talking about SportsCenter live about the fight. About boxing. That doesn’t happen quite enough. It’s happening now.

“So for the overall sport, you get a fight like this that drives fans to talk, they’re gonna talk at the water fountain, in the car, in the car pools, they’re gonna talk when they’re not supposed to be talking. It’s very important for the fans. The fans, you know what they’ve been like? They’ve been like a guy walking in the Sahara Desert, and their tongue —

“– is just hanging out, and they’re scorched. And they’ve been looking for something to get excited about, and now they think, they look above and they see an oasis, finally. After walking in that desert, and they think that oasis is Pacquiao and Mayweather. I just hope it’s not a mirage. I want them to get water, not sand in their mouths.”