Manny Pacquiao shows his body to select journalists after training at the Wild Card gym in Hollywood, CA on Thursday afternoon, 23 April 2015. REM ZAMORA/INQUIRER PHOTO
LAS VEGAS — Zero.
That was how former light middleweight champion Ishe Smith described Manny Pacquiao’s chances against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. when the two welterweight kings step into the ring on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here.
“I don’t see any way he can win,” the 36-year-old Smith, who dropped by the Mayweather Boxing Club, told INQUIRER.net. “Honestly, I don’t. No way.”
“I see him putting up a good fight, it’s going to be a good fight but I don’t see him winning. Zero. Zero chance,” Smith said.
Smith, one of the many fighters part of Mayweather Promotions, understandably has very high praise for the pound-for-pound king, whom he thinks will win in dominant fashion.
“Floyd Mayweather is the best. I believe he’s going to do what he has to do to win the fight. It’s going to be a great fight. But like I said, he’s TBE, the best ever, so he’s going to make it happen and do what he has to do to get the victory,” he said.
While many are leaning towards the fight going the distance, Smith is not taking away a knockout into the equation.
“Possibly, late in the fight for Floyd. Manny’s gonna try, he’s not gonna back down but you know Floyd is a great counterpuncher.”
Smith, who lost to Cuban Erislandy Lara four months ago in a title fight, also said Mayweather, apart from being a defensive genius, is just too smart in the ring.
“His mind. He’s very intelligent. His boxing IQ is better than most boxers in the game, better than probably all fighters in the game.”
Smith, who owns a record of 26-7 with 12 KOS, has an upcoming fight against Cecil McCalla (20-1, 7 KOs), on Thursday at the Palms Casino Resort.
Originally posted: 2:06 PM | Tuesday, April 28th, 2015