Why is Mayweather not the greatest of all time?

He was a great fighter, but in terms of achievements, several guys achieved way more to the point I don't see a case for him being number 1.

For me, in terms of greatness, what you actually did is what counts, and I cannot see what he did as measuring up against Fitzsimmons, Greb, Robinson etc.

I can see him in the lower half of the top 10 though.

In the end, it's all just opinion anyway.

 

Floyd is a great fighter no doubt. But there are a few reasons why isn't the GOAT:

• He never beat a ATG in their prime
• He cherry-picked opponents in his 2nd run
• Never unifed or became undisputed
• Implented catch-weights & rehydration clauses in his fights above 147
• Never fought anyone with a longer reach than his (Dela Hoya didn't have a longer reach than him).
• Didn't fight any black fighters in his 2nd run when he became the A-side, except an old, shot Mosley & C-level Berto.

 

I don't think there is any doubt about Floyd being an exceptional fighter. Of course he was . I think the rational debate is over how great a welterweight champ he was and comparing him to Robinson, Leonard, Hearns and others .. I don't think he beats Robinson, Leonard, Hearns ( Floyd was a better fighter but a bad match up at 147 ) ... I don't see him beating the Duran of Montreal .. he'd survive but it would be a survival fight ..

 

Lmao at didn't fight anyone with a longer reach or "black fighters in his second run". How are these points relevant whatsoever? What fighters did ray robinson fight who had a longer reach than him? What difference does it make what color his opponents were ?

 

Floyd doesn't crack the top 10 imho.

 

I can't wait for J.C. to weigh in on this!

 

Perhaps I should have phrased it better. Floyd capitalised on fighting Latin American fighters on Mexican holidays. He never really gave black people a shot at the title that were deserving & even said black fighters don't sell. I mean Alexander, Bradley & Clottey were far more deserving than Ortiz & Guerrero. That's just my take on it.

 

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Why is he not above Robinson, Leonard and Duran? are you serious?

 

Who is the best fighter he ever beat when that fighter was on his prime?, Diego Corrales?, can't put that win up there with the likes of Ali beating Foreman and Liston, Duran beating Leonard, etc...

Who is the best pure boxer he fought? Zab Judah?, underweight Marquez?, who is the best brawler he fought?, Maidana?.

Floyd is a great fighter, extremeley talented and he has a strong argument for being the best ever and the best defensive boxer of all time, he's the most consistent boxer ever but he openly said that for him the business was more important than the legacy and the consequences are that many people would rather rank other fighters ahead of him that were always looking to fight and beat the best.

 

Because he sucks

 

I know people hate him and seem to underrate him especially in classic (on the flip side some modern fans lack the historical perspective to contrast), but I think a case could be made....I don’t...but I don’t think it is unrealistic either.

if you compare him against guys of the past who fought every 3-5 weeks sure he looks like he was inactive. But in contrast with his era, he was as dominant for as long a period of time as just about any great. He was seen as the best for multiple years again putting him on par with the greats of the past. He has beaten 2 of the “greatest” of the modern/recent era in Canelo and Pac, beat more ranked welters than a guy like Hearns and that was still well above his prime weight.

again I don’t rate him top 10, but to say it is unreasonable or unrealistic or label those who do as an idiot novice isn’t fair either. Just as many modern fans may have a modern bias so do many classic fans who are biased by nostalgia. I cringe when I hear guys talk about the decline of boxing as if modern greats are insignificant in comparison to the greats of the past.

the eras and the amount of fights guys have has changed and you can not consistently contrast modern guys under a lens of comparing activity if the past.

just my $0.02

 

He rarely took anything but the most calculated risk, especially past the half way point of his career. After that it was all about selling his brand to the public rather than enhancing his legacy in the ring. He was as much businessman as he was fighter. Even more so by the end. He wouldn’t have half the legacy he’s made for himself otherwise.

That’s because his way worked out a lot better for his goals than it ever would’ve if he did things the way we wanted him to. He may not be as highly regarded in the boxing community as he could’ve been, but why would he even bat an eyelash at that notion? Which sounds better to you?

1) Convincing the world that you’re the greatest in the ring because of what you sold them in the media, and getting there by taking the easiest route while making the most money?

Or...

2) Gaining more respect from an increasingly niche community of people?

If you think I’m giving him a back handed compliment, to an extent I am. I’m part of that niche group, after all. I’m not being unrealistic, though. His salesmanship contributed more to his status than anything he ever did in the ring, and he proved a lot in the squared circle. Think about it:

In 2007, after a decade in the ring he was entering his first retirement at 39-0. He was widely regarded as an all time great, but nobody outside of die hard fans or boxing neophytes took him seriously as “TBE” or whatever. Not with such a puny body of work by comparison to history’s elite. Even if he made a comeback, his best days were in the rear view mirror.

But then, he came back and actually managed to make it a serious debate in the mainstream consciousness over the next decade. And after only 11 additional fights. One would think he’d have to run the gauntlet of the world’s best pound for pound fighters to make that kind of leap in legacy.

Instead, he did it by beating guys like Conor McGregor, Robert Guerrero, Victor Ortiz, Andre Berto, a nearly 40 year old Shane Mosley, and by scraping past Marcos Maidana (twice).

Hmmmm...

 

Anyways, probably top 30.