Floyd Mayweather's return to the boxing ring ended with a unanimous victory, extending his record to 44-0.
This win is simply a prequel of things to come, regarding Money's dominance after the bell.
It was quite an impressive showing because he didn't have a fight in a year, which included a jail sentence last summer, per the Associated Press via ESPN.com. Still, he worked Robert Guerrero throughout the fight and did not show any signs of lag.
Mayweather timed the majority of his dodges and counterattacks to a T, and that efficiency ultimately led to a strong title defense. Regarding his September bout, Money's hand may be of a concern.
ESPN.com's Dan Rafael writes of Mayweather's hand after taking on Guerrero:
Mayweather's hand looked swollen and discolored when he showed it to media members after the postfight news conference. The health of Mayweather's hand is critical if he is to return to fight an opponent to be determined on Sept. 14.
"He went to the hospital [Saturday] night, and everything is fine," Kelly Swanson, Mayweather's longtime publicist, told ESPN.com on Sunday. "He just experienced some soreness."
That said, there are two good things regarding this situation:
1. There is plenty of time until Money fights again, and
2. He's doesn't need an offensive approach to win.
Mayweather's defense was crucial to defeating Guerrero, which, in turn, allowed him to counterattack at a solid rate. As for his September match, change is not needed.
Given Money's overall performance on Saturday, expect him to enhance that display this fall. With even more time to prepare, Mayweather is provided with an opportunity to polish up every aspect of his game.
His incredible defense is also developing as an even greater advantage. And although it's not appealing entertainment, Mayweather had to improve defensively, as he and his father state in an article by Ron Borges of the Boston Herald:
“I was really happy to be back with my father,” the younger Mayweather said. “After the (Miguel) Cotto fight, I knew I was getting hit too much and needed my father."
“I made Floyd aware of moving his head (again). We were still having a dispute over that (with Roger). I told him ‘We ain’t going to take no more punches.’ Offense was (Roger’s) No. 1 thing. I didn’t want my son doing that. I came back and you saw what happened."
Just like in any other sport, defense is the key to success.
Mayweather proved that to remain perfect, and it will only serve him better when September rolls around. Regardless of the opposition, Mayweather's ability to instantly react after blocking/dodging is his most favorable advantage.
The lack of marketability, when it comes to defense, also assists Money quite well for winning. Fans want to see attacking and big hits connecting time and time again. Unsurprisingly, that's one appeal regarding Manny Pacquiao because he brings plenty of energy to the ring.
In addition to possessing immense confidence, though, Mayweather's strategy has obviously been flawless to this point in his career. Consuming fewer shots and quickly accumulating power when countering has worked out well, thus far.
His next fight will just be further evidence, not to mention an upgraded version, from Saturday's highlight.
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