Floyd Mayweather vs these top fighters from 130-140

Who did Floyd beat to prove he could hold a candle to Duran in your eyes?

 

My problem with Oscar at 140 is this, Oscar was a dope.

If anything, the older Oscar in 07 might have been wiser than the 96 Oscar - and he was still a dope in 07.

I have a feeling Floyd would always be too intelligent for DLH

 

Maybe so, but I tend to think that a younger De La Hoya has the stamina and speed to won those extra few rounds, and I imagine in fights with Rivera in his corner, he'd be getting told to jab-jab-jab.

Although I can definitely see what you're getting at; considering the equating talent De La Hoya had, he really did have one of the poorest ring IQs I've ever seen.

 

He beat everyone, adapting to every style and having the best punch connect percentages in offense and defense.

Did he beat anyone as good as Duran, no, probably not. But he's beaten pressure fighters who weren't far off, he's beaten offensive fighters who were faster, he's beaten much bigger men than Duran who were pressure fighters

Also while his feet were quick, I don't think Duran really was a master of cutting off the ring because he could be turned and I don't think his workrate and stamina would pressure Floyd enough. He's also shorter with shorter arms. He's also slower. Also the nearest thing to Mayweather he faced was Benitez and he got dominated.

 

Pray tell, what pressure fighters did Floyd beat who weren't far off from Duran? I'll wait...

Castillo, Hatton, Maidana, and Cotto couldn't polish Duran's boots.

 

All of them are so far away from Duran that it's not even funny. Cotto is clearly the most skilled of that group, yet he isn't close to Duran in terms of power, chin and boxing abilities

 

He beats all of them besides Whitaker, Chavez and Duran. Prime Oscar gives him hell as well.

 

Which really adds insult to injury is that those guys gave Floyd his toughest fights, which let's you know pressure was the key to beating Floyd. Castillo, Hatton, Maidana, and Cotto allll gave him problems with their pressure.

They couldn't get it fully done, cause they couldn't match Floyd for skill and talent.

In Duran, Floyd would be facing a guy who matches him in talent/skill AND with the pressure style to beat him.

 

Good stuff (As usual) X. I agree with almost everyone of your
picks. My two exceptions are Chavez and Camacho at 130.

 

@ 130 he loses too
Arguello
Chavez
Comacho
Pac
Loma

@ 135
Duran
Chavez
Whitaker
Arguello

@ 140
Pryor
DeLahoya
Tszyu
Whitaker
Chavez
Benitez

 

Floyd is not losing to Kostya Tszyu.

Tszyu was too robotic and predictable and to deal with Floyd. I think to beat Floyd, you need a certain level of fluidity and creativity in your style, and that wasn't Tszyu. He just applied straight line pressure, Floyd would eventually time that

Floyd would figure Tszyu out. He was too good and too smart not to. And once he does, Tszyu wouldn't be able to change anything.

 

He beats them all!

 

Duran doesn't apply pressure as systematically as some of those and he was smaller than 2 of them.

Ultimately if Duran's pressure couldn't cut off the ring and be effective against Benitez, Laing and Leonard (when he moved) he can't do it against Mayweather

The Duran-Laing fight alone should make Duran beating Mayweather absolutely laughable. But there's always an excuse for Duran

 

We share some likewise opinions I wasn’t attacking yours I’m very supportive of Floyd who has been unappreciated for a longtime I hear how overrated he’s meant to be, but all I see is people chanting “duck” but who did he duck? he beat excellent competition. At one point before he was a draw he himself was being ducked.

 

Floyd is not Roger and i see him beating Chavez too and Oscar1