When people talk about Floyd's greatest performances they always go straight for the Corrales, Gatti, or maybe even the Hatton or Marquez fights. But in my opinion his sharpest moments in the ring was definitely against the South African Phillip N'dou. Maybe many of you haven't seen this fight...N'dou wasn't that big a name or well known outside of Europe and Africa but he was an aggressive KO artist with no fear. He came at Floyd hard...kind of like Maidana, and Floyd responded with his greatest counterpunching/ defensive effort ever!! If the link works please take a look or just youtube it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7WWBI7zh0A And definitely watch the post fight interview where Floyd calls out all challengers from 154 on down. Funny thing is that in several interviews with the young Floyd..or PBF as we called him, he considered his most perfect performance to be against another African fighter Justin Juuko. The thing about some African fighters is that they dont quit, they keep coming regardless of how much they get hit. I think that style is perfect for a defensive counterpuncher like Floyd. Check this one out to! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCfUglHDWJc Leave comments if you are impressed!!
That was a great fight, not Floyd's sharpest performance, actually it was probably Augustus' greatest performance! I do love that triple left hook Floyd ended the fight with, that was beautiful!
Floyd was brilliant and Ndou was tough as nails in that fight, unbelievable chin. But people say he was never in an exciting fight
Thats cause they've only seen Money Mayweather at 30+ years of age, they never saw Pretty Boy Floyd, the prime fighter in his 20s.
It's almost like people thought his career began with DLH. His earlier fights are some of the most brilliant performances the sport has ever seen
People forget what brilliant offensive fighter Floyd was on lower weights no wonder nobody comes close to him what a great fight with Ndou.
The shoulder roll, pull counter, triple left hooks, lead straight rights, the in- the-pocket fighting style, he showed his full ars enal in that fight!
One must factor in the opposition. One must factor that in to a large degree. While N'dou was top 10 at 130 when he fought Floyd at 135... c'mon now. If we are talking offensive showcases or pure entertainment, then sure, N'dou certainly makes the list. But "greatest performance?" That goes to some of the lineal champs and future HOF'ers that he toyed with.
NDou was the WBC number 1 ranked challenger with 30 KO's and Floyd was as usual outsized. At that time it was a great performance that put fear into his contemporaries, they were all openly ducking and dodging him. Floyd soon demanded out of his contract with Bob for failure to secure him the big fights
WBC ranks = #1 challenger, sure real life = lower end top 10 super featherweight Sorry. Opposition factors in greatly to something such as "greatest performance" and N'dou literally isn't one of his top 20 wins and clearly so. Yes, that says a lot about Floyds' resume. But it also shows that this is nowhere close to one of his greatest performances. "Most entertaining fights" is a different story.
Like I said it was one of his greatest performances, he showed his full range of skills, talents and abilities. In most fights Floyd seldomly needs to move out of 1st gear to dominate an opponent. Against N'Dou he opened his bag of tricks and it was amazing to see.....a great performance! There is no need for you to call it anything other than that.
Funny thing is that idiots on this board think that Morales or Barrera could compete with this version of Floyd.....pfft
For me it was definitely Chicanito Hernandez, underrated technician, but he could crack. Only losses were to a prime Oscar and Floyd when Hernandez was past his prime. Still made both work very hard for their wins, even made Floyd lose his balance. Chicanito was a brilliant fighter, Imo a much better win than Corrales, who was very good no doubt.