Which case had a more bad effect on modern boxing; Mayweather or Wilder?

Mayweather was far more skilled and talented than Wilder, but he did far more harm to the sport. Wilder never really hurt the sport at all, he was always entertaining.

Mayweather's safety first, overly defensive style put a lot of people to sleep, and created no excitement. Mayweather was too cautious to try for a stoppage against overmatched opponents, and just tried to run out the clock for dull decision wins. He also avoided several fighters while they were in their prime, and fought them after they had been KOed (Pacquiao, Cotto, Oscar) or faded with age (G Hernandez, Mosley). He would bring smaller boxers like Hatton up from 140 and JMM up from 135, but he would never go up a division to fight Golovkin, Trinidad or Forrest. He was reluctant to fight outside Las Vegas, where dishonest judges had his back (as in Castillo I) and his personal dodgy referees like Joe Cortez could help out. The boxing media was far too soft on him, the only one who was honest was Larry Merchant, who he got fired from HBO.

 

But lots of promoters want a Wilder... And if they can get a mediocre fighter to a title, protect them from serious opposition and build a massively inflated reputation from knocking out bums... Guess what they'll do?

 

The big thing with Mayweather is he's made everyone since obsessed with the zero - and in many cases, extremely cautious beyond reason.

 

Yeah, that's cool. But it doesn't mean Wilder had a bigger effect on Boxing than Mayweather.

 

tf kind of question is this? mayweather had the worst effect in boxing history.

 

Well no, although the thread title does specify "bad" influence...

Wilder was so protected because of the zero obsession that ramped up significantly with Mayweather.

The difference is Mayweather was actually a good boxer and a legit champion - sure, he was managed, but he wasn't manufactured. Wilder, on the other hand, clearly was.

 

I have often said that the two boxers that damaged boxing the most were Riddick Bowe and Floyd Mayweather. Riddick Bowe started it by throwing his belt in the garbage rather than face the best available contender. (Lewis) The fact that Bowe did it despite the fact that he was already in a tournament to face the winner of Lewis-Ruddock made his actions even more gutless. A slap in the face to boxing. The idea that heavily promoted (and highly paid) fighters like Bowe could avoid the best available challengers with no negative repercussions forever damaged boxing. And, has many others have said, Floyd took this ball and ran with it. Waiting fighters out, dropping belts, fake retirements, unreasonable catch weights, crooked judges, and PED cover ups. The best fighters rarely fight the best anymore. And boxing is much the worse for it. Interest in boxing is basically at an all time low (outside of the UK)

 

Yep.

Which just goes to show that, when all these Blockheads talk about how American fighters have fallen, we still have the greatest fighter pound 4 pound in recent memory.

USA! USA! USA!

 

Tbf, this has plagued boxing as a professional sport since its inception.

 

I blame Floyd for this protect the zero culture in boxing nowadays, especially amongst the young black fighters. Along with the conveniently timed “retirements” and blatant PED coverups, I have no idea why other fighters would want to be anything like him. Talented no doubt, but just an absolute weasel of a man with absolutely no charisma.

 

Mayweather, and it isn't even close. Only casuals believed Wilder was the real deal after lining up 38 no-hopers before being exposed by Fury. Floyd rang in the new era of fighters who are more concerned with preserving the zero in the loss column than taking on serious challengers.

 

Yup - and one of those, arguably, was Wilder himself.

 

I've never understood all the criticism Floyd gets
Ok he did fight Canelo at a catchweight amd i think there was something similar in another fight, but overall he has been amazing
One of the best ever
Fought the who's who
Never lost

 

Floyd has among the deepest resumes of any fighter in the modern era