Has there ever been an athlete who's retired for 2 years and come back better?

As I've been saying since the Marquez fight. Mayweather physically is a different fighter. He's far stronger and muscular it seems since the Hatton fight. While against DLH he looked sluggish, lacking core strength and pitter pattered his way to victory, he is now possibly the strongest Welterweight in the division.

And he's done this while maintaining his speed. Mayweather is now a full fledged welterweight in size and strength, when against Judah, Hatton and DLH I felt he was a welterweight in name only and was at the low end of the spectrum in terms of physical stature.

Seen most of Mayweathers fights since he first started, many more then once, twice....20 times, and this is the best I've seen him in terms of reflexes, timing, and strength. Not knockout power necessarily but physical strength. I've always said that Floyd was at his best at 140, not 130, based soley on his speed and strenght combo at the weight, but at age 33, considered ancient in boxing terms, we may be seeing the best Floyd Mayweather.

In terms of athletes who've retired and come back better, the way Mayweather has, only Jordan comes to mind. Even Ali lost a step or two when he was forced out of boxing for 3 years.

 

If Floyd hadnt been so adamant about testing, I would believe he was on PED's. his body has certainly added bulk but maintained his speed like Pacquiao. As to why I dont believe Pac is juicing. We are just seeing 2 once in a lifetime phenoms in action right now.

 

Cotto and Margarito were average fighters at best. Torres, Corley and even Malignaggi rocked Cotto. Margarito lost to a green Williams, and Santos.

Mayweather would have given these guys a beating. They were never on his level as Mayweather showed when he completely outclassed Mosley.

 

Shane Mosley is every bit as good as anyone Floyd fought at 130.

Floyd's not a great fighter now, only great performances? Nonsense.

Floyd makes fighters look shot and terrible, just like Pacquiao does. If Mosley had went ahead with the Berto fight, he probably would have won by knockout.

Floyd was just athletically superior to everyone at 130. He was bigger, stronger, faster, we saw against Castillo in his 1st fight at 135, he was still green and had alot of growing to do. This verson of Floyd would have destroyed Castillo in 5 rounds, or the one at 140 for that matter.