Probably the two main challenges Floyd never took at WW (seeing how he's now going to face Pac). How does he far against these huge, strong WWs? And how much does it effect his legacy that he never fought them?
Margarito probably poses a challenge, as he was cheating with his handwraps at the time. Paul Williams gets outboxed.
I think he would have beaten them both, the claim that he ducked them is unfair in my opinion. You can't fight everyone, and neither one stayed long enough at the top to make a strong enough claim. Margo got beaten and Williams moved up. Williams would be the toughest one I think, he was faster, more versatile and competitive at a higher weight than was Margarito. Margarito was to onedimensional, I think Floyd outboxes him without to much trouble.
I don't think Margarito's pressure is educated enough and Floyd can likely take a safe victory by staying on his bike, no shame in that though. Williams poses a completely different problem, one that Floyd would do very well to adapt and overcome. Williams does leave himself open a lot and doesn't always use his ridiculous height advantage to good effect
Both are very big, strong an durable WWs with an enormous output. Margarito for one was a bit like a bigger version of Maidana while Williams had several of the same qualities but was a better boxer. I'd be interested in how Floyd would react when these guys just walks through his punches, because I think they would. I don't know about the politics at the time, but I can see why Floyd would rather face Judah and Baldomir than these guys.
I have a hard time forgiving Margarito for the cheating so I might be a bit biased, but I honestly don't think he would be that big a challange. I agree he is a bit like Maidana, but I don't think those fights would have been that close had Floyd still been in his prime. Margarito is to slow and predictable and I see Floyd getting on his bike and outboxing him for a loopsided decision win. Williams is a more interesting opponent, he had the tools necessary but the thing is he never used them. Instead of using his size and reach and good skills he simply went in there to slug it out, allowing smaller men to outreach him. My gut feeling is that a master boxer like Floyd would take advantage.
Makes Margarito look the idiot he is. Slightly quicker, harder punching Baldomir. Big rangy southpaw in Williams, possible nightmare for Mayweather.
I know its controversial but I don't think Margarito cheated outside of attempting to vs Mosely. There really to me was never any real evidence that he got away with it in previous bouts That said I think size and work rate are interesting as Floyd as seen in the Oscar fight when presented with a big guy that he cant muscle can be one shot at a time and languish on the ropes a little. That said I figure he moves enough to isolate the exchanges and lands enough pin point shots to win a decision in probably a good fight. even and outclassed Margarito with one eye hurt Pacquiao to the body and kept coming all night. I expect moments for Margo but to lose I was watching Williams vs Wright the other day and I think Williams is slow to return his hands and throws a lot of arm nothing punches though maybe if he throw 5-6 1-2 will have some real power. I think Floyd can create and angles and counter and cause problems. He can also do what Hopkins did vs Keith Holmes and go inside on the tall guy and smother his work
I thought Maidana was a little more crafty with his punches and more awkward especially with the looping right hands, a punch that I think is key to attacking a shoulder role Maragarito might be a little too basic and predictable
Margarito is way too slow and flat footed for a 2007-08 version of Floyd. Granted, he could take a punch, but if Floyd stayed on his bicycle for that fight, I don't think margarito would be able to cut the ring off and Mayweather could pot shot his way to a victory. Paul Williams is an interesting fighter based on his size and incredible work rate. However, he could be very sloppy at times with his combination punching, his defense was rudimentary (his blitzkrieg offense was his best defense,) and was an easy target to hit with overhand counters. Boxers with good technical and counter punching ability posed great problems for Williams. I saw him get clearly outboxed by Lara, Quintana and Martinez. Hard to think Floyd wouldn't have been able to outbox him as well.
You got a point there. But Floyd could get a measure of respect from Maidana with his punches. Could he get that from Margarito who even after the beating by Pac could walk through the best from Cotto until his injured eye gave up? Took the best from a young Martinez as well, as Williams did from a mature Martinez (first fight). Both these men were brutally tough and durable. Floyd is favorite against both, but stylistically I think they pose a challenge.
Margarito would be the easier of the two, people forget that Cottonwas comfortably out boxing him in their first encounter, admittedly he was taking too much punishment but he was getting the job done until the cement started kicking in. Yes i do believe Margarito was cheating for the Cotto, Mosley AND Williams fights. Margarito was favourite to stop Moseley who was seen as shot, it doesn't make sense why he wouldnt use loaded wraps against the bigger threat in Cotto? I recently watched the Williams fight and notice something....Williams was schooling Margarito for the first half of the fight, second half of the fight Williams seems reacting very badly to all the single shot swings Margarito was throwing, i urge everyone to watch this fight and compare Williams reactions to Margaritos punches in the first half.of the fight and the second half. I dont believe he used wraps for all of his fights, only the big ones. For further clarification, watch some of his earlier fights....look how fast Margarito looks and then compare that to The Williams and Cotto fights where he looks super slow. After losing to Williams, Margarito fought Golden Johnson in his very next fight, in this fight Margarito looked faster than ever and was throwing combinations (probably wasn't wearing wraps as he wouldn't need them)
Williams beats him Margarito is 50/50 Floyd doesn't have the power to hurt Toni and Floyd doesn't deal well with pressure
Margarito was slow, flat footed, face first and about as one dimensional as they come. Floyd would run circles around him. Infact Floyd would have a field day. Cotto thoroughly outboxed Margarito the first time they fought until the plaster started setting in, he decisively won the rematch as well. No way does Floyd lose to someone as basic as that. Since Floyd has been active, the ONLY guy who possibly could have beaten him was Williams. Williams most likely could have beaten them all. Pacqiauo, Cotto etc
I think Margarito, say about 2005 when Floyd turned down, beats Floyd on volume alone . Floyd couldnt hurt him, but Tony may wear down Floyd. Williams I think beats him also. especially the williams that kept his hands moving against Margarito.