mayweather is the smarter fighter, come on now. look how many mistakes marquez has made in many of his fights, getting dropped so many times against various levels of opposition.
He reaches offensively when overconfident. Floyd rarely ever has to get that close to an opponent because of his reach, hand-speed, and experience. Marquez does more with less and makes more dramatic adjustments now fighting years past his prime and past his best weight, and is very creative in reading his opponent and making what he wants happen in the ring despite often having numerous disadvantages in age, size, speed, power, etc.
Mayweather it took Floyd two fights to figure out how to convincingly beat JLC Marquez took three fights to figure out how to conquer pacquiao. Marquez has been dropped by the left hook how many times in his career now? Mayweather had Zab figured out by the end of the 2nd round. Marquez took 4 rounds to piece out Casamayor. you won't ever see Mayweather getting dropped by the same punch 3 times like Marquez did. Mosley hurt Floyd once with the right and that was it. Zab flash knocked down Floyd one time only.
You ain't never see me get knocked down three times from one punch. This Mayweather quote wasn't meant for Marquez but it fits him perfectly.
We have yet to see Floyd fighting on past his peak as Marquez has been. You make great points, but I'll stick with the safe bet Floyd until we see how he fairs having to rely less on his physical gifts. And whether from overconfidence or not, mistakes are mistakes. Floyd rarely makes any, because he's always in control. The fact Marquez adusted each of the times it happened and it didn't happen again in those fights tells me it was more due to sloppiness and a tactical error than anything.
Floyd is turning 35 next month. I think its time to say that Floyd is still great with less athletic ability. I've never understood the whole, "Well since he isn't as athletic then he is the smarter fighter". That doesn't matter when it comes to adjustments. If that was the case then many other fighters would be able to adjust. Adjustments have very little to do with athletic ability. Plus Floyd has never mentioned his athletic ability. He always says he beats opponents because he is smarter than them mentally.
I think they are about equal. The reason Marquez makes more mistakes is due to his Mexican pride. He sometimes choses to engage in too many brawls, when he could box his way out of the situation. Floyd on the other hand is always a defensive fighter first. The more exciting style is always going to have more flaws. It's a give and take situation. If you chose to fight in a more exciting style then you will tend to make more mistakes, but the benefit is that you are a fan friendly fighter. It is the opposite for the fighter who choses to fight in a less risky style.
dont think u can compare ring "smarts" between the two because of the way jmm vs money played out. jmm was completely physically outgunned in that fight he could of been twice as ring savvy and still lost.
Marquez has been dropped by a left hook twice (Katsidis and Mayweather.) Marquez figured Pacquiao out from round 1 to round 2 of their first fight. It did not take him 3 fights. Against Casamayor, Nacho told him in his corner to literally "Give him the early rounds". Again, Marquez has less athletic ability and size advantages to be as defensively successful as Mayweather is. Getting dropped 3 times and having the levelheadedness to then figure them out over the next 11 rounds is a much more impressive display of ring IQ than just fighting someone at a distance and countering them with speed and long arms. I'm not saying that's all Floyd does, but it's a comfort zone he's able to relax in because of advantages that have little to do with Ring IQ.
JMM is smarter in the ring... he's just not as good because he doesn't have the same physical gifts that baby ***** Jr. has!
or you can be smart enough not to get dropped 3 times in 1 round by the same punch. Mayweather did the right things to protect himself and put out a follow up after Mosley hurt him. Marquez on the other hand fell for the southpaw measuring jab + drop a straight left bomb combo 2 more times after his ass initially smacked the canvas from the move. He made the choice to stay flat footed, try to fight his way out without thinking it through first, and paid the price an extra 2 times for it. manny even hit him with the same measuring jab + straight left a few more times, but they didn't knock him down liek the other 3. Mayweather figured out Mosley's feinting body jab + right trick only after 2 attempts. PBF figured out how to land the straight right to the body continuously without being countered after Zab flash kd him in the 2nd round by countering that punch. pacquiao caught Marquez with a short left in their II fight that was similar to a hook.