A fighter doesn't get to be 43-0 inside the boxing ring without displaying solid defensive ability.
Undefeated champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. may seem ripe for the picking at age 36, but his remarkable defensive ability makes him a heavy favorite to defeat challenger Robert Guerrero in Saturday's WBC welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Mayweather has always been one of the best at avoiding punches and wearing his opponent out, and experts and fans will be talking about his unbeatable style after Saturday's clash with Guerrero.
There's no denying it: "Money's" ability to dictate the tempo of a fight has been vital to his success over the past two decades.
Not convinced? Just ask Mayweather himself (via The Telegraph's Gareth A. Davies):
You don't just get to the pinnacle without facing and fighting the best competition. I just feel like I was before my time. I beat everybody in the 90s, and everyone in the 2000s. Now here we go 17 years later. My main focus is to win, and I'm always going to be able to control the tempo.
Sure, Guerrero will be one of Money's toughest tests to date, but even the 30-year-old southpaw star will struggle to land significant blows and impact Mayweather's confidence in this weekend's bout.
He'll have to remain patient while staying aggressive over the course of 12 rounds in order to hand Money his first career loss, something no other boxer has been able to do.
Needless to say, the odds are stacked against Guerrero.
He's better off catching Mayweather with a lucky strike than trying to outbox him for 36 minutes. And he'll have very few opportunities to connect on a devastating blow with Mayweather bouncing around the ring, effortlessly ducking and dodging jabs and crosses.
Plus, it must be noted that Mayweather hasn't fought in a year since defeating Miguel Cotto in Vegas on May 5, 2012. While Money's team will be worried about rust rearing its ugly head on Saturday night, Guerrero should be wary of a fresh Mayweather turning into an invisible target.
On top of Mayweather's seemingly impenetrable defense, Guerrero will also have to protect himself from Mayweather's impressive array of strikes.
Guerrero's last five fights have all gone to a decision, while three of Mayweather's last four have ended in unanimous decisions. Barring a surprise, Saturday's fight will likely go the distance, allowing Money's fluid defense to steal the show inside the MGM Grand.
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