Mayweather says Cotto outranks Augustus: toughest victory of his career.

I did the same thing!!

I've long gone back and forth on whether or not to take Floyd at his word that he felt Augustus was his toughest out. I think everybody's skepticism has to have been eroded by how consistent and insistent he was about that over time. It isn't like Castillo is even slightly relevant anymore as a rival or as a boxer, period - so it isn't like Mayweather stands to gain anything through burying him or slighting what he achieved over their 24 rounds together.

From an outside looking in perspective, I stand by my voting. (Castillo, Cotto, Augustus)

You can't help but wonder about taking his own assessment at face value, though (which is basically the exact inverse of my vote).


Augustus didn't pressure him the way Castillo and Cotto successfully did - the way Ortiz and some others tried and failed to do - he didn't even try to pressure him at all. His game plan wasn't about pressure; he tried a totally different blueprint. A crazy, awkward blueprint. And yeah...it kinda worked. Maybe Castillo landed more body shots and Cotto more jabs, but Augustus probably did tag Floyd with more overall shots than either. Factor in the condition he caught Floyd in, one of the most unsatisfactory training camps of Floyd's career to hear him tell it...

:think

 

Excellent shout, Drew!! :good

Not sure I can quite find space for it in the top three, but top five for sure.



Chavez is another guy, who in terms of overall career may be as overlooked as Augustus if not more.

Augustus at least got and continues to get attention due to his colorful personality. Chavez is just a guy who you never see discussed (other than in tallies of the sport's tragic footnotes, due to the Leavander incident), and that's bananas. One of the very good fighters we've had over the last couple of decades.

 

About three in four people don't see Augustus as a top 2 most difficult night at the office for Mayweather. :think Of those who have Castillo and Cotto in the gold and silver medal spots, they're split almost exactly down the middle on who's in front. Interesting.