Floyd will never have a great public reputation nor be seen for the great he is for four reasons. A: His personality, arrogance and convictions around hitting women. B: Despite being above and beyond the greatest fighter of the era, he has a preference to fight safe and maximise the likelihood that he wins, especially later in his career. He doesn't take the chances and ultimately even when he's out classing his opponent, he'll stick to his gameplan of sniping with one time shots and getting out again C: The fact that he's fighting at 147/154 where his punching power is minimal compared to others at the weight class, he simply can't knock people out at this weight. Most of his big fights have happened at these weights when he no longer has stopping power. D: The modern era stupidity and desensitivity that means we want to see bloodsport fighters like Micky Ward or David Tua, rather than skillful fighters who hold true to the "hit without getting hit" method of boxing. People want their fighter to be "*****y" and "take chances" and "hit to get hit", they don't care that it might result in a Gerald McLellan situation. But regardless of all that, he's the main attraction in boxing for one pure reason, people understand he is an all time great and that no one of any era would be a favorite to beat him from 130-147lbs. People buy the fight to see Pacquaio try to beat him, rather than Floyd being Floyd. His next fight will do big business regardless of the opponent and if he has his fiftieth fight, it'll do big business too and you'll get the same comments that have been in the press about Floyd since 2005 - "He runs too much, he doesn't entertain" Doubt he minds, considering he just doubled the highest ever PPV tally and broke his own record in doing so. So the reality is, Floyd's "ATG"ness really is sealed in by the fact that with one of the least entertaining styles in boxing, he's managed to become the figurehead solely through how hard he is to beat. He didn't need the all out bloody wars to do that, he just needed greatness and ability to do what almost no one else has ever done, get in and get out without ever being figured out.
good post. floyd has potentially two fights left in his body people will pay big money to see if anyone can beat him.:deal
I don't think anyone between 140 and 154 has the ability to do so. I'd like to see Khan, because you've got a guy offensively who might be able to put problems on Floyd, but defensively Floyd would be able to find time and time again, so it might end up being quite an entertaining fight. Put any textbook fighter in there with Floyd and you'll have a repeat of the Marquez fight. I also don't expect a 38 yr old fighter who peaked at 154 for two fights and walks around at 147 to go up and face a big young 160lber like GGG who will likely finish fighting at 175 The fights that are feasible at this point 1. Amir Khan at 147 2. Cotto rematch - maybe at 155 catchweight for MW title 3. Pacquaio rematch Thurman, Brook and co are all too green, GGG is just too big for Floyd at 38 to want to contend with and at this point it's not even "Would Floyd win?" because I think he'd beat GGG, it's more so "What sort of damage does Floyd have to take in order to beat the much bigger guy" - you saw with Maidana what a big tough welterweight can do to Floyd, let alone a MW.
I think he'll go higher personally, it'll be similar to the Lennox Lewis situation, within five years he went from "He'd be destroyed by most HWs" to most people having him in their Top 10.
Are people really going to pay and watch to see Mayweather? if the great manny pacquiao couldn't even make a fight out of it? .... actually maybe some will buy his ppv, all the new fans will give him a second chance n get lured in and then like everyone else, they'll get bored n stop watching.
Absolutely they will, look at him stink out the Baldomir fight for instance, they still bought his next fights after that. The other thing he's done arguably since Baldomir is always be in there with a fighter who is coming off some recent hype/good performances. He'll do 800k to a million buys every fight, basically.
i dont follow the paperview numbers, but from what i was hearing, his ppv numbers were dwindling... and i also know besides his tmt fans and the fans of an occasional big name opponent people dont watch. a lot of people I know personally stop watching him eventually, because his style and dominance isn't so entertaining. But your right people have been watching him since baldomir.
"Dwindling" vs Gatti - 340k vs Judah - 375k vs Baldomir - 325k vs De La Hoya - 2.4m vs Hatton - 920k vs Marquez - 1.06m vs Mosley - 1.4m vs Ortiz - 1.25m vs Cotto - 1.5m vs Guerrero - 875k vs Alvarez - 2.2m vs Maidana 1 - 900k vs Maidana 2 - 925k vs Pacquaio - Estimated 4m. They're not dwindling, it just proves that Floyd is better off picking guys like Alvarez who already have a fan following, which is why he's way more likely to pick Khan over say Thurman or Brooks. He'll get 800 - 1M against any opponent (as seen with Maidana 1) but if he matches up against someone with a fan following (Alvarez, Cotto, Ortiz, Mosley) he'll break the million easily and go near 2M when they're considered "a chance" That list above also makes me laugh because ultimately, you can see which fights people expected he may struggle in.
Yes, that list shows theirs always someone out there willing to buy ppv. Theirs always another guy they build up to fight, but theirs only one mayweather good or bad. He's getting money, Even without my help.. and thats good! i look at that list n say that ticked me off, that ticked me off, that one I Just QUIT, good job, but im good. usually if im feeling a certain way, im not the only one. but lets see if he can keep doin it.
All very good point's. I Still feel there is room in boxing for both styles. Admittedly I much prefer watching blood and guts fights. and I wanted Pacquiao to win. That said even pre fight at the weigh in on sky, Mayweather mentioned his hands are pretty beat up and had much better days ( pre Fight) . If you have the movement that Mayweather does and well worn hands why would you risk power punching, when a well directed tap/light punch is a scoring punch and puts points on the scorecard. Why would you risk your health Especially your hands, if you don't have to. You do have to admire the the skill and boxing brain of Mayweather, also the fact he is right up there with the all time greats even if you don't like the Man. I do wonder just how much of the brash Wrestling heel style personality was actually Mayweather or put on for show. It helped sell a butt load of tickets and PPV's and it looks stupid if you can't back it up.
People forget Floyd is 38. By that stage, even in modern times. Calzaghe and De La Hoya had retired Jones Jr was well past his best Mosley was well past his best Martinez hasn't been able to fight consistently since his mid thirties Margarito is out of boxing Gatti, Corales (RIP) were both retired before 38. Then you look at Floyd and realistically, Pacquaio is the only fighter he has faced since arguably De La Hoya that hadn't done some impressive stuff just before fighting him, everyone else was either highly ranked P4P or was coming off one of their more impressive victories of their career. Everyone with the exception of probably Margarito who was touted as "being able to beat Floyd" from say 2005 onwards, he's fought and defeated.
