Pacquiao vs Mayweather 2: How Floyd Wins with Timing and Counters

Floyd Mayweather doesn’t need to outwork Manny Pacquiao. He needs to out-time him. The rematch on September 19, 2026 (Sphere, Las Vegas, Netflix) will turn on the same equation: can Manny land enough clean shots and impose his pace, or does Floyd’s counter system win exchange after exchange? Here’s how Floyd’s counters work — the pull counter, the lead right and check hook vs a southpaw, and why timing beats speed — and what Manny has to do to beat them.

The Pull Counter

Floyd's pull counter — bait the punch, pull, then fire the right

Floyd’s signature weapon: he baits a punch, pulls his head back just enough so the shot falls short, then fires the straight right before the opponent resets. He used it against Maidana, Marquez, Pacquiao, and many others. Against Manny it was there whenever Manny lunged with the left. Film-study breakdowns (Bloody Elbow) stress that vs a southpaw Floyd does not use the pull-to-right-cross against Manny’s left cross — he prefers duck under or slip right and step back. The pull counter is used vs the southpaw’s right jab: elbow check or pull back, jab misses, right cross. So when you watch film, don’t expect Floyd to pull from Manny’s left the same way he does from an orthodox jab; he’ll duck, slip, or step out and then counter. Against Pacquiao’s lead left and combinations, the answer is timing and single-shot-then-escape, not a naked pull. In fight one, Floyd’s 48% power punch connect rate (81 of 168) showed how effective that was. For the rematch Manny has to not commit as much or throw in a way that doesn’t leave him open — feints, level changes, combinations — so Floyd can’t pull or counter for free.

Lead Right and Check Hook vs Southpaw

Floyd's jab and lead right — bread-and-butter vs southpaws

Versus a southpaw, Floyd’s lead right hand is his bread-and-butter. He gets his front foot to the outside of Manny’s front foot and lands the straight right or the lead right to the body (liver). Same side as the jab, so it works like a jab; it sets up combos and controls pace. Bad Left Hook and Bloody Elbow both name it as the key weapon vs southpaws: positioning and footwork create the angles for it. When he’s on the ropes or in a corner, the check hook and pivot get him off the line and catch Manny coming in. So Floyd wins by:

Controlling range
Landing the lead right and body right
Pull counter when Manny overreaches
Check hook when Manny pressures Bloody Elbow’s sequence examples: lead right, duck under left hook, pivot, disengage with jab; or Manny with Floyd on ropes, left to body — Floyd head control, pull back, Manny missed — Floyd right cross, step back. That’s the pattern. If Manny can’t disrupt it — by moving right, cutting angles, and not following in a line — the same pattern will win the rematch.

Timing Over Speed

Floyd's focus — faster to react than to out-speed

Floyd doesn’t have to be faster than Manny in raw hand speed. He has to be faster to react. Opponents consistently say his reaction time is what makes him impossible to hit clean. Robert Guerrero: “You blink your eye and he is already reacting.” Anthony Crolla (BBC Radio 5 live): “Once they get in there and realise how hard it is to hit Floyd Mayweather, it just breaks their heart.” Andre Berto (FightHype): Floyd puts you in a place where you’re punching and he’s looking; if you keep swinging you hang yourself; he manages the clock, grabs when he needs to, then “Bop! Bop!” — just enough to win the round. So the rematch for Floyd is the same game plan: stay at range, use the Shell and footwork to deflect and evade, and counter when Manny commits. Bloody Elbow’s framing: Floyd wins by winning exchange after exchange; he either initiates or ends each exchange. That’s how he imposes his rhythm and shuts down aggressive opponents. If his timing holds up at this stage of his career, the result can look like 2015 again — a decision built on cleaner, more efficient punching and ring control.

What Manny Has to Do to Beat the Counters

What Manny has to do to beat the counters

Don't lunge with a single lead left — use feints, level changes, and combinations so Floyd can't time one response
Move right and cut angles — so the lead right and check hook aren't there for free
Body then head — so Floyd's guard and reactions are split
Stay disciplined — so he doesn't chase Floyd into counters

If Manny does that, we get a different fight. If he doesn’t, Floyd’s counters will decide the rounds again.

Train Like Floyd or Manny for the Rematch

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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.