That sounds pretty accurate. When you think of how many fighters rank higher than him from his own era even: Roy Jones Hopkins De La hoya Pac Chavez Whitaker 50th or higher sounds about right
Around 40th-50th. Oscar De La Hoya is definitely greater. Biggest name on his resume is a semi-shot Pacquiao and Jose Luis Castillo, a rematch that resulted from what should be a loss for Mayweather. Didn't fight many stylistic threats. Had weak competition generally which is not entirely his fault.
Oscar was washed up and almost beat floyd and you're actually trying to rationalize how Oscar would come up just as short prime for prime? LOL Oscar' had knocked opponents down with that right hand, its a myth he didn't have one. Shane was just as fast if not faster than Floyd, when I first saw shane fight, i was like HOLY, his speed and torque was second to none. Floyd was fast but I wasnt as impressed when I saw him the first time. Prime for prime, Floyd wouldn't dare step in the ring with either Oscar or Shane and both of them would destroy him. And oscar was almost as fast as shane, both their speed and power would end Floyd's night before the 12th round. Those are 2 men vs a boy in Floyd, prime for prime.
Top 25 in my opinion will be the conservative consensus among all industry men in a matter of several years after his eventual retirement. Emotions always take longer in fans to subside. Most in the industry rank him here or higher as of now, many did years ago, but I've lowered the number a tad to allow for open mindedness. The best of his era spanning 15+ years, however, which shows the difficulty it will take to surpass to an agreeable top 10 or top 5 spot given what other eras demanded from and brought out of top fighters.
Well @Flexb I guess Mosley and Oscar should have fought him when he was begging for those fights. Oscar didn't come close to beating Floyd. Hell he should have lost to Whitaker. Mosley would never beat Floyd. I just think Mosley would have always struggled with a great pure boxer like Floyd and lets say, Vernon Forrest.
I don't like Floyd but he was/is a great fighter. He's not TBE, he's not even as good as some of the guys he beat IMO, but still great. I honestly feel that prime vs. prime Floyd Jr. would have lost to DeLaHoya, Mosley, and Pacquiao. I feel like he did lose to Castillo (their first fight), DeLaHoya, and Maidana (1st fight). I thought the rematches with Castillo and Maidana were much closer than people will admit and his fight with Pac could have been a draw. He did not have easy nights vs. Judah, Cotto, and Alvarez. Even Hatton and Ortiz gave him some trouble prior to getting stopped. There is no shame in having trouble with these guys, but he's not TBE.
Mosley landed a massive bomb on Floyd. Shook him but Floyd still stayed up and was starting to walk him down towards the final minute of that round. Mosley lost 11 rounds against Floyd and both fighters where past their prime. I'm not saying Mayweather blows him or Oscar out prime vs prime. I do think he beats them clearly by UD. They simply can't outbox him. Just the way it is.