Mayweather jr. vs Whitaker

It is an intriguing one this.Don't think i've noticed it come up before.

 

Whitaker, about as widely as you've ignored the search function.

 

I am about as big of a Pernell Whitaker fan/admarer as you can get. I rank him #2 All Time. I also have a great deal of aprication/respect of what Floyd Mayweather Jr. can do in a boxing ring.
In the past when this match comes up I have picked Whitaker by close decision. The diffrence being his work rate. However I'm not so sure anymore. Mayweather seems to have a way of taking away his oppoents stringths. Also while he doesn't throw a lot of punches he makes them count.
I/m not declaring Mayweather the winner but I now beleve that it is a mucher closer match up than I used to.
My best guess is that Whitaker wins at 135 8-4. At 140 I lean towrds Whitaker even though I think Mayweather in my opinion has the better resume 7-5. At 147 I'm going with Mayweather 8-4. I need to re watch Whitaker/Vasquez & Mayweather/De La Hoya before making an intelgent decision at 154 but I lean towards Mayweather 7-5.

 

The weight is more or less irrelevant IMO. Mayweather, if anything, became more plodding above 135 whereas Whitaker looked arguably sharper than ever taking the belt off Pineda.

This is going to be a tactical battle however you look at it. Whitaker's work-rate isn't that important, as there won't be many huge exchanges, just popping and moving and the occasional precious few seconds of involved countering. Mayweather will be careful not to stick his neck out there and clinch as soon as he throws, knowing he's in with a crafty sort. Whitaker would work inside given the chance, but there wouldn't be much "chance".

The key to it is this. Whitaker is on a higher intellectual plane than Mayweather and you can see it in the way he fights. Mayweather is very good at performing a routine task: he'll counter a jab with a straight right, he'll lead with the left hook etc. He's a phenomenal athlete and is, therefore, arguably better than anyone in history (including Whitaker) at executing those things consistently. But the important thing is that that's as far as he goes. Whitaker's brain would be working in there, and he'd be one step ahead of Mayweather, anticipating most of this. He'd lean back slightly when he throws the left hand, knowing that the right hand is coming back. He'd dip back on the break, knowing that Mayweather's looking for the uppercut. He's a more advanced, more ieducated fighter than Mayweather, and he won't be presenting Mayweather with the opportunities he needs to look good.

There are obviously other, secondary considerations. You have the stylistic factor. Whitaker is a southpaw; whatever anyone says, Mayweather's style just isn't as effective against southpaws. He has a rhythm-disrupting jab which would prevent Mayweather getting off in a lot of situations, and he'd be forced onto the back foot, unable to lead. Pete wouldn't be waiting on him like Judah did, for instance. Mayweather would do well to jab with him and hope to catch him standing there and then try to work something off of it. It's his best chance of landing.

Mayweather may have physical edges in this, but he's just not smart enough. I think Whitaker would frustrate him badly and pick up a clear UD at any weight.

 

It's a similar thing when comparing Mayweather with Pep on ability - Pep just has too many extras and trimmings that separate him out.

 

You rate Whitaker number two all time at what?

 

It's hard picturing mayweather V any atg, mainly due to his obscure style and the fact his weakness are rarely exposed.

Gotta love Pernell but I'm backing Floyd in this fight.

 

One thing that Mayweather has over Whitaker at any weight is handspeed. Mayweather's handspeed last week against Mosley was quicker than Whitaker's prime days at lightweight. It's a tough one to pick.

 

Whitaker´s superior jab and workrate would see him win this fight. 8-4 in rounds.

 

I used to think Whitaker, but now after Mayweather beat a 38 year old who got outboxed by Miguel Cotto 3 years ago, I just don't know.

 

Forgetting Mayweather's win over the 38 year old Mosley, it's a tough fight.

 

Factoring his skill/talent/abilities. His acomplishploments, the quility of oppoents who he beat either officily or unoifficily. He come out very high in my opinion.

 

I gotta give the edge to Floyd by points. I believe his jab would be the difference. Close one any way you slice it, though.