The first fight was won as much by feet as by hands. Floyd didn’t out-throw Manny — he out-positioned him. In the rematch on September 19, 2026 (Sphere, Las Vegas, Netflix), footwork and distance will again decide who controls the ring and the scorecards. Film study and analyst rewatches (Bad Left Hook, Bloody Elbow) spell it out: every time Manny stepped in, Floyd slipped, blocked, or tied up, and when Manny was off balance Floyd landed the lead right or jab. Floyd’s footwork kept him off the centerline; Manny’s feet were too static and he didn’t cut angles. So the rematch is, in large part, a footwork fight. Here’s how each man uses his feet — and what has to change for Manny to win.
Floyd: Ring Generalship
Mayweather’s edge has always been ring generalship: knowing where he is, where his opponent is, and where the next step goes. He uses footwork to keep the fight at his range, to reset when he’s in trouble, and to create angles for his counters. He’s constantly aware of position — that’s why he could outpoint Pacquiao without out-throwing him. Bloody Elbow’s breakdown of his game stresses that he wins by winning exchange after exchange: he either initiates the exchange or ends it by disengaging. When he attacks, his body is already moving to an escape route; “the head must move with all punches.” So his feet aren’t just for moving — they’re for controlling when and where the fight happens. In 2015, the 20-foot ring at the MGM Grand gave him room to move and control distance; the same logic applies in the rematch. Bad Left Hook’s rewatch noted that Mayweather was “jabbing on the way out,” and that when he was on the ropes he spun out or tied up — “so much as showing a jab raises Pacquiao’s awareness”; Floyd controlled when exchanges happened. If he can do that again, he wins the same way.
Manny: Cutting the Ring and Angles
Pacquiao has to cut off the ring and use his foot speed to get to the sides and front of Floyd, not just follow him in a line. In 2015 he too often went “toe-to-toe in the center at the distance of Mayweather’s jab” instead of pushing Floyd to the corners (Bleacher Report). So Floyd always had an exit and the same counter. We didn’t see enough lateral movement or entries from different angles. Freddie Roach has said that cutting the ring is a skill many fighters — including De La Hoya — never fully learn, and that the “dance between elite athletes before they throw a punch” often decides the fight. Roach had stressed cutting the ring and moving right; Manny kept moving left and following in a line. In the rematch, Manny’s ability to move right (off Floyd’s right hand), close the space without walking onto counters, and create angles will determine whether he can impose his fight.
Technical read: The Philly Shell’s pivot works best when the opponent stays at mid-range. Stepping out (right) and closing takes away the illusion and forces Floyd to square up (DBT Judo). That would give Manny a leverage advantage with his lead jab, open the lead hook to body/head, and make the left straight easier the moment the lead shot gets blocked or evaded. So the footwork adjustment isn’t generic “pressure” — it’s specific: step right, close, and don’t follow in a straight line.
What the Tape Showed: Rounds 1–3 and 4–6
In rounds 1–3 Manny didn’t cut the ring; he followed Floyd in a line. Round 4 was what he needed more of — ropes, combination, left, body — but he didn’t build on it. Rounds 5–6 his footwork was mostly straight in and out; he still wasn’t consistent with the right hand. So the pattern was clear: when Manny used his feet to get to the sides and put Floyd on the ropes, he won the round. When he followed Floyd straight back or stood in the center at jab range, Floyd won. In the rematch, the question is whether Manny can sustain the former for more than two rounds.
Who Controls the Ring Wins
If Floyd controls distance and position, he’ll land the cleaner shots and win rounds. If Manny’s footwork forces Floyd to fight in spots and in the pocket, Manny’s volume and pressure can win. So the rematch is, in large part, a footwork and distance fight: who controls the ring, controls the fight. Watch for Manny moving right, cutting off the ring, and closing the space — and for Floyd spinning out, tying up, and resetting when he’s in trouble. That’s the battle inside the battle.
Train Like Floyd or Manny for the Rematch
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