Ross, who scored big fights involving Mayweather and Pacquiao during in her officiating career, is of the belief that Pacquiao’s decline is such that Mayweather should be able to take out the Filipino seven-weight champion before the latter rounds.
“I have observed and judged both fighters for most of their careers and have witnessed the effects of age on both,” Ross exclusively explained to World Boxing News.
“I’ve seen more of a decline in Manny Pacquiao than I have seen in Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather still has his punch speed, although he has lost some of his foot speed. He has never been a knockout puncher, but he has enough desire to not go out as a loser.
“Pacquiao on the other hand has weaker legs, his timing is off and he has lost before. He has the heart though and might be able to hold out in the early rounds, but I don’t see it going past the eighth.”
On whether Ross sees an immediate rematch whatever the result, she added: “Knowing that both fighters receive the money they have agreed on whether they win or lose, will either one want to continue to get beat up for no advantage at the end of their careers?”
In an interview with WBN late last year, Ross stated her intentions to make a comeback to judging in some capacity having been out of the sport since September 2013 when Mayweather then went the distance with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez.
Phil Jay is Editor of WBN. An Auxiliary member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow on Twitter @PhilDJay.
