Tracy Patterson: “Pacquiao is fighting mostly A+ fighters, and those guys are not gonna be easy to knock out!”

It is said that better technique can sometimes overcome greater skill. Former world champion, Tracy Patterson, and former Amateur boxer, Vinny Furlani, believe in that saying and have been implementing that into their coaching of boxers.

In this special ‘On The Ropes’ interview, I talk to both Vinny Furlani and former IBF champ, Tracy Patterson, about their newly released book titled, Typhoon Technique – Training, Technique & Titles. Tracy and Vinny talk about what boxing fans can get out of reading the book and share some of the stories included. Tracy Patterson also gives his thoughts on the two biggest stars in the sport, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Here is what Vinny Furlani and Tracy Patterson had to say.

Jenna J: Can you explain to the fans the new project that you have out right now?

Vinny Furlani: It’s called Typhoon Technique – Training, Technique & Titles. It’s a four phased book with subjects like boxing technique — I take the best style and technique out there that we learned from Floyd Patterson. Second, I talk about being in the gym and learning the sport. There’s a section called ‘Tracy’s Take’ and Tracy talks about fights that he’s had in the past, and fighters that influenced him.

Jenna J: What do you think people will get the most out of the book?

Tracy Patterson: It depends on what they’re looking for. If they’re boxing fans and they like reading the stories of a fighter, how a fighter lives and what motivates him to want to reach the heights that they do.

If you just want to learn boxing, the technique, as far as learning how to throw a jab, a right hand, and all the variety of punches and things that fighters do in their daily routine as they train in the gym, they’ll get a lot out of that too. It depends on the person and what they’re looking to get out of it. I think it will please just about anybody that likes the sport of boxing.

Jenna J: I want to get your thoughts on the last pupil that worked with Cus D’Amado, Mike Tyson. What were your thoughts on Tyson and what do you think he could have accomplished in his career if Cus had lived longer?

Tracy Patterson: I just think that he wouldn’t have been abused and taken advantage of the way he was toward the end of the career. Cus would have protected him from that. In fact, I believe Cus told Mike Tyson not to get involved with the promoter that he did. He ended up with someone that Cus didn’t want him to be with.

Everything that Cus told him that could happen with that person, happened. We live, we learn. I’m sure that Mike learned a great deal from it and he got passed it in time. But when you’re losing millions of dollars, and you don’t know where your money is going, I’m sure it hurt Mike and Mike probably felt a certain way about it, and he had the right to. All in all, I think that Mike learned from it and he moved on.

Jenna J: I would like to ask you both a few questions about the boxing scene. Floyd Mayweather will be fighting Marcos Maidana in a rematch. What do you think is gonna happen in the rematch?

Vinny Furlani: To be honest, I don’t want to see that fight again. Maidana put pressure on him but he can never beat Floyd, he’s not good enough. He beat up a guy like Adrien Broner because Adrien Broner just doesn’t have the skills of Floyd Mayweather. Floyd knows that’s a pretty easy fight.

I would much rather see a guy like Shawn Porter or Keith Thurman. Porter happens to be real strong, Thurman happens to be real fast — not quite as fast as ‘Money’ but I’d like to see him fight guys like that. Even a Manny Pacquiao, after beating Bradley I think he gets back into the conversation. I don’t want to see the same thing again, ‘Money’ might have a little easier time.

Tracy Patterson: Floyd’s definitely gonna have an easier time because Floyd is a very intelligent fighter. He already went twelve rounds with this guy and he lost three rounds of the first fight, and that’s not gonna happen again. He’s just too intelligent.

It may turn out to be an exciting fight at the end of the day, but I think that Floyd is gonna dominate that fight. Floyd Mayweather has a very good chin and his lateral movement is second to none. His instincts are still there, right on point. Me personally, I think that Floyd is gonna dominate the fight.

Jenna J: Tracy, as a trainer why do you think Manny Pacquiao hasn’t had a KO in 5 years? What do you think is different about him now, in terms of his training or technique that could cause him to lose power in the ring?

Tracy Patterson: I don’t think he’s losing power. I just think that he’s not catching the guys the way he was. I don’t think it’s a factor that he’s losing any power. He’s still very fast, if you got fast hands, you got some power coming behind it, because speed equals power.

It’s just a matter of him just catching these guys like he used to — and that he’s not doing. If he starts catching them the way he was, he can take them out. He’s also fighting mostly A+ fighters, and those guys are not gonna be easy to knock out. You’re gonna have to do something special to take a lot of those guys out.

Jenna J: How can people find the book Typhoon Technique how can they get their hands on it?

Vinny Furlani: The best way to get your hands on it is Amazon.com, it’s for sale at $19.50. You can also go to my website, artofboxingtrainlikeachamp.com, it’s available there. In addition to our book, we’ve got a partnership with the person who wrote the Cus D’Amato book, Confuse the Enemy, her books are on the website as well.