Floyd Mayweather working out Juan Manuel Marquez' hand rhythm in 2009 fight was genius

Floyd Mayweather had virtually flawless technique, but one thing people underestimate about the legend is the smarts that he also possessed.

After he stopped Ricky Hatton in December of 2007, it was said that he was done and wouldn’t need to fight again.

However, he would face Juan Manuel Marquez on September 2009 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, this fight coming 21 months after his first retirement.

The contest went the distance, with Mayweather winning by unanimous decision, taking his record to an impressive 40-0 and remaining undefeated.

Mayweather came into the fight overweight having missed the 144 pounds limit, therefore receiving a $600,000 penalty as Marquez was four pounds lighter than his American counterpart.

After the fight, Money said it took him a couple rounds to feel like he was back in the ring again, which is arguably the between period where he picked up on the tiniest detail in the Mexican.

Late in the first round, Mayweather noticed the rhythm of Marquez’s left hand movements and, as any master of the game would, saw the opening it was producing.

With a just under a minute left, Mayweather delivers a left jab to the right side of Marquez’s face which appeared to stagger Marquez.

With 1:40 left in the second round, the taller and heavier Mayweather would knock down his shorter and lighter opponent with what appears to be a devastating left-uppercut.

Here’s Floyd Mayweather picking up on Juan Manuel Marquez’s hand rhythm and exploiting it. pic.twitter.com/tuK5OddJ9l

Money would then continue the onslaught throughout the fight, landing an impressive 290 out of 493 blows (59 percent) while Marquez only managed to land 12 percent of his.

The bout would go the distance as Mayweather quite