Mayweather too skilled for Marquez, says fighter's uncle

Boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. (L) of the U.S. and Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico pose during a news conference at the MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Nevada September 16, 2009.

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez may have the ideal style to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr on Saturday, but the American's uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather believes his nephew's superior skill will be insurmountable.

Marquez, who has won world titles in three weight divisions, is renowned for his counter-punching and the older Mayweather cautioned that a different approach would be foolhardy in the non-title welterweight bout.

"If he (Marquez) fights like a real head-first fighter, he's gonna get knocked out early," Roger Mayweather told reporters at the MGM Grand on Thursday.

"He's got a little bit of head movement, he's got some boxing skill and obviously he's got some tough will," the American said of Marquez, who has a 50-4-1 career record with 37 knockouts.

"So he ain't the easiest guy to beat. He ain't bad. It's just that he's facing the best guy in the sport."

Mayweather Jr., 39-0 (25) has not fought since December 2007 when he knocked out Britain's Ricky Hatton in the 10th round, but his uncle did not believe the layoff would be a factor.

"I know one thing about layoffs and I know about fighters," Roger Mayweather said. "What did you think Sugar Ray Leonard had? He had a five-and-a-half-year layoff. He had two detached retina surgeries, right.

"But he still beat the greatest middleweight. He beat Marvin Hagler when he was laid off five-and-a-half-years. Fights are won by skill. That's all there is to it."

BEST FIGHTER

During the younger Mayweather's absence from the ring, most experts have anointed Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines as the best fighter in the world, courtesy of his victories over Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya.

Roger Mayweather, however, ridiculed the idea.

"I don't see how Pacquiao is best," he said of his undefeated nephew. "He's already got a loss. How is he gonna be the best if he already got a loss?

"Floyd ain't lost...so how is he not the best? You can't be the best fighter just because you beat Oscar De La Hoya. Floyd beat De La Hoya too and he did it at a higher weight (class)."

If Mayweather beats Marquez on Saturday and Pacquiao overcomes Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto at the same venue in November, the scene could be set for a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao clash in 2010.

However, Roger Mayweather believes American Shane Mosley would pose a much tougher challenge than the Filipino southpaw.

"Shane gives him a better fight than Pacquiao would," he said.

Not that he thinks Mosley, or any other fighter for that matter, would actually beat Floyd Mayweather.

"My nephew's the most skilled fighter in the world, period."

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)