So, I was reading this interview with Marquez's coach and I don't know what to make of it. Why would he go on record and state a lack of confiedence in his fighter? Is this just a decoy to get May to go to sleep? What do you think?

By Hesiquio Balderas
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 25 Aug 2009


In a recent interview with the Mexican media, legendary trainer Nacho Beristain said that Juan Manuel Marquez is not 100 percent ready for his upcoming fight with five division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. Beristain says Marquez is too slow at the higher weight and that he is not happy because the work they have been doing is not working.


"Juan Manuel is very strong, he looks like a natural welterweight, but it worries me a lot that we can't get to the speed level that we are looking for us to be at ease, we can't compete with a fighter of the quality of Floyd Mayweather with that fu***** lack of speed. The sparring partners are not a problem, it is the work we did to increase the muscle. He is tense and as I said he is very strong and buffed, but he has no speed at this point and that is because the weight lifting he did was excessive. Is like a soccer player after working with weights they are strong but they lack the speed and the rhythm to compete. That is the way Juan Manuel is right now I am desperate at this point. But there is still time to get him speed but the problem is that the weight lifting is giving us a hard time." said Nacho who know Juan Manuel extremely well.

If that is true, then Marquez has slim chances to upset "Money" Mayweather and search for the third Manny Pacquiao clash, as we all know Marquez has gone up to lightweight and now to welterweight to chase Pacquiao and make a trilogy of theri epic battles.

I can see that happening,muscle will do that to you as a fighter ! Regardless I still think JMM gets destroyed I like him the man gots heart ! But he is in for a ass whoopin! Floyd looks thin and ripped ,come fight night floyds speed will hurt marquez

Sugar Shane lost that speed and pop when he bulk up in weight going to the WW division until he stop. There's ample time to regain if they can do it rightly. But nevertheless, Mayweather will look like a smaller man during fight night because he will run for the whole 12 rounds. I never saw a man as coward as Floyd, and I never saw a man as happy as Manny Pacquiao during fight night.

JMM got a pride and skills not heart. The likes of Gatti, Duran, Pacquiao, Ali(to name a few)are the example of heart boxer.

Wow...really??? I could have sworn JMM got up after 3 knockdowns in the first round against Pac and fought him to a draw. Sounds like heart to me. JMM came back to KO Diaz after being buzzed quite a few times by Diaz in the early rounds and did not get succombed by the Diaz buzzsaw. Showed heart in that fight too.

Duran sure showed heart in his rematch with Ray Leonard,huh?

Yeah, don't pay any attention to gbh. He has the reasoning ability of a toothpivk

I love the name Nacho.

Yeah, JMM has a big heart. I'm sure after he was knocked down 3 times by Pacman the Pacman fans were saying " Why the hell wont he just stay down?" Its called heart baby.

I think that is the only thing he has against Mayweather.

The sparring partners are not a problem, Said Nacho here but on

August 8th Nacho said..


Now unless he's flown in some partners outside of Mexico, this sounds to me like he's trying to fill the media with a bunch of stories hoping Mayweather's camp buys this.

I don't buy it one bit.

I see what you're saying but to me it's a mixed message which is why I don't buy any of it. I would never buy (as a fan or fighter) a story from a camp where they're speaking of their "challenges" if you will.

All I was posing was in one story he had a problem finding "replicas" for lack of a better term of Mayweather.

Then in this story where he goes on to say that sparring is fine (lets say they got those replicas suddenly or not just some good sparring) but now he's putting out there that Marquez is tight and doesn't have elasticity within in his muscles.

What I see are two stories floating to the media within three weeks putting up some type of doubt. That just doesn't jive with me because even when there's doubt in camps they don't come out (till after the fact) and say it during camp.

i take that interview with a grain of salt... if anything marquez is looking good in training... i dont think it will matter cuzz mayweather SHOULD put a whoopin on him regardless... i think the marquez camp is feeling confident and thats just a ploy... i think this could be a better fight than people think but i espect money may to win big in this one...

you are on the money.. the marquez camp is feeling confident of victory...

If I were going to fight Mayweather, I'd make sure to spar with Joan Guzman. He's the closest thing out there to PBF. I don't care how much I'd have to pay him.

i agree.. a paulie mall.. wouldnt hurt either...

Point taken but to get those guys would cost more than the $5-10K they normally offer. I'm sure there are some quick amateurs or guys early in their careers thats got some good defense, quickness and adaptability they could get if they really wanted to seek. (thats where a good manager comes in).

Joan isn't a bad suggestion adn would seem affordable also. But to me it's as simple as getting guys with the right attributes and then have them try to mimic what they do what you want to work on. Heck like it's done in all other sports with a 'scout team'. Their whole purpose is to mimic the opposing teams offense/defense.

That's ideal in most any other situation but here the problem is that Mayweather has a style that is extremely hard to duplicate. The shoulder roll is the main problem, you won't find many amateurs or pros who can pull it of like PBF can. I still remember that during his training camp for the Mayweather fight, Hatton was sparring with Rock Allen. It seems to me that many of those guys are merly thinking "Mayweather has fast hands so I'll just find a guy who's just as quick". Mayweather's speed is not the most difficult thing to overcome, in my opinion, it is his defense. That's what these guys have to focus on.

JMM camp might feel confident ! Like they have the game plan 2 beat Mayweather and let me guess its " lets put pressure on FLOyD .LOL, ca mon that's everyones game plan against this man ! Don't they realize he is a defensive specialist the man don't get hit! The shoulder roll is a great asset as well as floyds defensive stance which is a lot more wider than usuall, and its gotta be tought to find sparring partners ,amatuers or pro,yeah they look for guys with speed buts its Floyds defense that's the problem ,and his counter punching! Amatuers won't work , what trainer u know lets his amatuer fight fight with the left hand down??? What upcoming pro does it ? If they do they don't got defense , yeah we hear paulie might be good but the man has no defense ! Look what hatton did...
They way to beat floyd is not pressure him , he's a defensive fighter who waits and is patient and has a wide stance ,he don't stand upright like most pros! JMM or anyone who ever wants a shot 2 beat floyd ,,make him come 2 you,,,,, he would have to stand upright in a offensive postition that would give the other man a shot to win....
And IMO I don't see anyone in the game doing that! No one in boxing at 140-147 can beat Floyd mayweather...

Most of you guys are right its Floyd's defense which is hard to mimic. Pressure worked for Castillo but it wont work for everybody. Some say make Floyd open up, well hell Floyd is as accurate a puncher there is. Hell you can go as far as saying he's a fucking surgeon when he lets his hands go. Look at him when he use to be more offensive minded. I could be wrong but I dont think you want Floyd getting comfortable letting his hands go. I believe you have to hurt him and some how discourage him to get him unfocused. I think thats the best strategy to beat Floyd. Now how you discourage and make him lose focus is beyond me. Glad I dont have the duty in being the trainer of the opposite side of the ring.

Yeah, just because one fighter had success pressuring Mayweather, everyone else thinks that's the best way to go. What Mayweather wants is to be pressured so that he can counter. Sometimes though, you have to fight fire with fire, just like Campbell did against Diaz. In this case the fighter who will beat Mayweather will be someone who can outbox him from the distance. Zab Judah was doing it but then Mayweather switched gameplans, started pressuring Judah who can't fight on the inside and was able to regain control of the fight.

Now imagine if Judah was more skilled, he could have kept Mayweather at bay and he had Mayweather in the strange position of being the agressor. Judah however is not all that skilled, talented yes but not a whole lot of dimensions in his game.

I think it depends on the type of pressure...cause you can come forward all night and get chopped up if you dont have anything working behind it. DLH showed how much a good jab can throw money gay off his game. A jab...whether its to his shoulder or anywhere. Now do i think JMM can pull it off...I doubt it cause in the end i think he is too small and may pretty well get K.Oed.

Now a Cotto or a Mosley could very well have the best chance at beating Floyd. Cottos speed and jab have always been underrated..he is one of the best body punchers in the sport and I see him style wise matching up against Floyd very well. Mosley has the speed to compete with Floyds speed also the endurance and power. I have always said and will continue to say...if Gayweather fights Mosley he will lose. Cotto of course has stamina issues and I've seen him rocked too many times so thats a toss-up...but Shane has all the tools to put scary boy floyd to bed!

Here's my opinion of why I think JMM can pull off the upset.

1. He knows the way to beat Floyd is by using a double jab followed by a right hand cross. Mayweather cannot fight when being jabbed. He just freezes or goes back in a straight line (hence the right hand follow).

2. JMM is a boxer puncher. How many of those has May fought? I can't think of any and none on the level of JMM.

3. Ring rust will make May tentative for the first few rounds and if JMM can get those in the bag he can steal some later rounds and win on points. May is now a 1 punch fighter. It's sad because when he punches in bunches no one can beat him.

Trust me....I would love it if Marquez pulled off the upset! The reason I dont think he has much of a chance and will probably be outta there pretty early is....I think Gayweather feels he has something to prove and is gonna come out blazing...and since Marquez is kinda a slow starter and likes to work his way into the fight he may be in trouble early. If thats the case then hes done. He was in trouble early against Diaz and if it happens against Floyd I dont think he'll get a chance to recover. He is a boxer-puncher but at lightweight...we'll see if the power carries over.

The only chance Marquez has is if Floyd is his usual self and backs up all night and he is able to jab and steal rounds being more busy. If what Gayweather said is really true and he has been focusing on offense and becoming a more exciting fighter then it will be an early night for Marquez....and I hope Floyd fights a real welter for his next fight like Mosley or Cotto.