Pacquiao vs Mayweather 2: How Manny Gets Inside the Shell — Angles and Entry

The Philly Shell is built to deflect straight shots and punish predictable entries. To beat it in the rematch on September 19, 2026 (Sphere, Las Vegas, Netflix), Manny has to use angles and entry — not just straight-ahead pressure. Film study and coach breakdowns (Catch the Whip, Evolve) spell out the same playbook. In 2015, Bad Left Hook’s rewatch noted that Pacquiao was “not using the angles he was supposed to be using” and was “constantly over-thinking” — and that Mayweather “controls when he makes opponents think too much.” So the roadmap was always there; Manny didn’t follow it. Here's the full toolkit:

• Don't feed the Shell
• Jab to the chest and flank
• Body then head
• Overhand rights

— and why it's a long-term game.

Don’t Feed the Shell

Use feints, level changes, and footwork to make Floyd react, then attack the opening. Virgil Hunter’s take: Floyd “cons” opponents — feints, rests while they don’t. So the entry has to disrupt that rhythm, not play into it. Catch the Whip’s guide adds: don’t get frustrated. When you get frustrated you get sloppy and easily manipulated, which leaves you open to the counters that Shell users love. Beating the Philly Shell is a long-term game and is rarely cracked on the first try. If your opponent abandons the Shell to adopt a normal stance, that’s a good sign the strategy is working. So Manny has to stay patient and stick to the plan even when rounds don’t go his way.

Jab to the Chest and Flank

A jab to the chest can close the shell (Floyd brings the lead hand up or in); when the shell closes, the head can open. Test your opponent with the jab — forget about the chin and body for now and aim for the chest. When he closes that target, the head will then be open. Mix jabs with feints to disrupt rhythm. Shane Mosley used a chest jab to drop Floyd’s hands then landed an overhand that wobbled him — the closest anyone got to breaking Mayweather’s Philly Shell in that era. Evolve’s breakdown lists it as tactic no. 2: jab their chest to get them to adjust the guard, then right hook to body or overhand right.

Flank — The Shell is upper-body heavy and less focused on footwork. Use that. Move to the sides, force him to turn, and advance with double or triple jabs. See how he responds: does he lean back (exposing stomach and ribs), or hop back or pivot out? Pressure so that he’s forced to lose the bladed stance and square up. Tight hooks in close can glue the lead hand to Floyd’s face so he can’t counter — Julio César Chávez used this successfully against Roger Mayweather. Gazelle hook and overhand from the waist after feinting body/chest are in the same toolkit. Catch the Whip: when your opponent sees your glove starting at the waist he’ll think uppercut or hook; adjust and adapt. Throw a 2-1 (jab-straight) as he expects to parry the jab first and shoulder roll second.

Body Then Head, Overhand Rights

Going to the body forces the lead hand and elbow down; then the head becomes the next target. Fake a jab to the body and chest to get your opponent to lower his arms, then throw the gazelle hook or overhand. Southpaws are “soft downstairs” in the read — rip the liver when they square up. Overhand rights from different positions — not just the classic straight right — can come over the shoulder and catch the Shell from angles it isn’t designed for. Evolve: hide the overhand behind combinations. High-volume pressure also works: shoulder roll users want range and short combinations; they can be overwhelmed with aggression and long combinations. Maidana threw 858 and landed 221; that’s the template for volume. So angles and entry aren’t just single shots — they’re sustained pressure from different angles so the Shell can’t settle into one response.

Punch Arms and Chest (Wear Him Down)

Catch the Whip’s “brute force” method: punch your opponent’s arms and chest. Punching these areas wears him down in the long run and makes his own attacks weaker. The Philly Shell focuses less on footwork, so the body can be a target. This works better with more power and volume. So Manny’s body attack isn’t just to open the head — it’s to drain Floyd’s arms and make the Shell harder to hold round after round.

The Rematch

In 2015, Manny didn’t consistently use these entries; his output was down and his right hand was hurt. In the rematch, angles and entry are the roadmap for how Manny gets inside the Shell and wins rounds:

• Jab to chest
• Feints, flank and advance
• Body then head
• Overhand rights
• Patience

If he does, we see a different fight. If he doesn’t, the Shell wins again.

For a full breakdown of Floyd's style — Philly Shell, shoulder roll, pull counter — see How to Box Like Floyd Mayweather: The 50-0 Blueprint.

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