Pac vs. Floyd: The Predator And The Prey

December 7th, 2009

“Things are not always as they seem. Outward form deceives many. Rare is the mind that discerns what is carefully concealed within.”
– Phaedrus

The process of the hunt is well underway. The psychological part of this fight started a while ago. One fighter is eager and hungry to hunt down and destroy his next target. While the other fighter is just beginning to realize what is happening – he is the hunted.

Floyd Mayweather seemed a little confused that Manny Pacquiao actually really wanted to fight him in the first place. Floyd warned, “Pacquiao knows he can’t beat me. He’s one-dimensional and it will be an easy fight.” Those words were intended to intimidate and discourage Manny but they apparently did not succeed. So then, Floyd demanded Manny to call him out, to verbalize that he wants the fight.

Of course we know Manny was a gentleman and expressed his desire to enter the ring with Floyd. This is when Floyd first began to realize what was happening, what psychologiocal dynamics were taking form – he was the prey and Manny was the predator. So to be 100% sure, Floyd then issued another message to Manny. Floyd said, Okay Manny, if you really, really want to fight the great Floyd Mayweather Jr., you have to do it on my terms on March 13.

A lot of people were unsure if this was a fair and reasonable offer, as it’s just four months away from the Cotto fight. Even Bob Arum did not know for certain if Manny would accept those terms from Floyd. There was not much time to think about it.

We learned last week,Yes, Pacquiao has happily agreed to the fight on March 13. And now a stunned Floyd Mayweather has come to the realization – he is indeed the hunted – and Manny Pacquiao is the hunter.

The father Floyd Mayweather Sr. does not want to believe this critically important psychological scenario to be true, as he knows the established “predator” and “prey” roles will transfer into the fight itself. Floyd Sr. recently stated that he really doesn’t believe Pacquiao wants the fight, that he’s bluffing. But this is what he wants to believe.
Because now Manny Pacquiao has not only answered back, he’s countering by turning up the heat on Floyd. An eager and exuberant Manny Pacquiao said, “Come on Mayweather, let’s see what you got,” which sure sounds like a taunt to me.

The usually talkative Mayweather has been strangely silent since Manny accepted the fight on March 13. The man who says he loves to trash talk and hype up fights with his bad boy image, does not seem to want to engage in trash talk or any dialogue with Manny Pacquiao. Why not? Does the bad boy really want this fight, where he is not the bully? Or is the prey realizing it is not wise to try to engage the predator?

One fact about life in the boxing ring is that once the roles are established, the prey can never conquer the predator. He can only survive.

“No two men can be half an hour together, but one shall acquire an evident superiority over the other.”
–Samuel Johnson

Scoop Malinowski also does Biofile interviews at www.thebiofile.com. He has Biofiled Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, and many other world champion boxers present and past.