Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez will step into the ring just hours from now and on the final episode of 24/7, the focus was on the week that was but also the weeks that were, leading up to their mega fight tonight in Las Vegas.
The week before a big fight is not about training or sparring. That was for the weeks leading up. Your body is at its peak and no fighter wants to run the risk of over-training. It’s about maintaining your current level of fitness and conditioning. For Marquez, that included a light early morning jog to work up a little sweat. For Mayweather, it was a mandatory eye exam and then against doctor’s orders… a trip to his gym for some bag work and a Ray Charles impression about as funny as Oscar De La Hoya’s “Chicken joke” on ESPN this week…
If you haven’t seen it, consider yourself lucky…
Both fighters however did have an open workout at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles to help promote and then it was off Las Vegas for the formal arrivals at the MGM Grand. As usual, media was all around as each fighter made their way to sign autographs, take pictures, and do interviews.
The intriguing part of fight week is the downtime. It seemed to have more of an effect on Marquez who was visibly anxious being away from his family, looking for anything to keep his mind occupied with a game of cards and foosball. During training, you’re focused on preparing for war. Then you get to the big week and without the training, time seems to drip like sap. If not as mentally strong as physically, it can break you.
What was touched on briefly towards the end but will be a storyline leading up to the opening bell later this evening, is the fact that the weight limit which was agreed to at a catch-weight of 144lbs. was changed at the last minute to 147lbs. to accommodate Mayweather who came in at 146. A 2 pound difference is not much and may have no bearing on the outcome, but for a fighter who is always in shape and knows his body to a tee, it will be interesting to see what that says about Mayweather and where he stands 21 months after his last fight.
