Mayweather is simply the more skilled boxer, better defense, timing, shot picking. Taylor's speed is also severely overrated
Fighters execute fight plans according to the opponent that is in front of them so the whole "Taylor abandons his fight plan" thing becomes a moot point since Floyd wouldn't be the least bit interested in engaging in any type of firefight. He'd to give Taylor a reason to make him abandon his fight plan and one punch at a time wouldn't serve as much of a reason. Overall, Floyd is the more well-rounded fighter but Meldrick's speed would make him a handful. I'm not underrating Floyd or overrating Taylor. I'm just trying to picture what type of fight they would produce in the ring when matched and I'm guessing there would be quite a few rounds with more posturing than actual punches being thrown.
Taylor SD12, cause i like Taylor more than Floyd.. seriously, it could go either way, judging from the styles those two has.
Taylor holds only two advantages on PBF in this fight speed and possibly workrate PBF is superior in everything else.:deal Taylor's Philly fighter mentality would be his undoing against PBF. He'd open up more and get countered to death. PBF by UD or late round TKO.
I agree with Pea. It's a coin flip in my mind. Floyd definitely didnt face anyone close to Taylor's skill and that is NOT up for debate.
What skill? The ability to not fight your opponets fight? The ability to not get out of the way of punches. PBF is the more skillful fighter of the two and that's not up for debate.:deal
Mayweather's tendency to start slow and Taylor's work rate meens that the early rounds will probbly go to Taylor. If Mayweather dose not start soon enough it will cost him. Taylor might not have the best fight plan but he is not going to fade. I would expect rounds 1-4 to go to Taylor. Rounds 5-7 are for the taking and 8-12 to Mayweather. Whole I think Taylor's work rate and Mayweather's slow start could lead to a Taylor victory, I also think that Taylor's style is suitted for Maywaather to counter off of espicialy in the late rounds. Mayweather will finish strongest after 12 rounds but he might not have the points to win. I see this as a close boxing match with Mayweather winning 7-5
A fighter with extremely fast hands and a high workrate is not nearly as easy to counter as everyone seems to think, which is why I don't favor someone like prime Toney over Calzaghe as handily as most. Flurries in general aren't easy to counter without being hit in return. It's not as if by opening up he'd be missing with his combinations while Floyd slips and counters every one. If Floyd did allow himself to get within range to counter effectively, he'd be eating likely even more shots in return, though he'd probably be landing the cleaner, more effective ones in between. His best chance would be to stay on the outside, though even then Taylor's handspeed makes it extremely difficult for an in and out fighter to pot-shot without eating some leather on the way in, as McGirt found out. It would take a solid, consistent jab to work a fighter like Taylor from the outside, and Floyd doesn't have the firepower to stop him, so a TKO is out of the question.
Sweet Pea. Taylor does only two things better than PBF. Better handspeed and workrate is debatable since at 140 PBF let his hands go more. Taylor doesn't have the ring IQ to beat a guy like PBF, he fights dumb. He might have success early on but after PBF makes adjustments he will find Taylor easier to hit and Taylor would find PBF is a hard nut to crack because he's not as adaptable as PBF is. He usually tried to beat people by being the best athlete in the ring much like a prime Mosley with his speed. PBF has an underrated jab and his boxing skills from the outside are also underrated he could control Taylor with his jab and outbox him. Taylor was good but not great he was poor on defence and also would be at a stamina disadvantage. PBF beats Taylor he's simply the superior fighter too good defensively and much smarter. Another thing I get tired of PBF always coming up on the short end of the stick in these mythical matchuips but if we had Taylor-Cotto or Zoo-taylor it would be a landslide win for Cotto or Zoo. PBF is an ATG one of the best fighters of the last 25 years but yet people pick him to lose to Taylor a guy he clearly holds most of the stylistic advanatges over because they don't like him.:-(
I can think of a few before the Chavez fight.. he beating wely meekins with easy but on occasion decided to rush in and got caught flush with shots by the bigger stronger Meekins. Also his fight against buddy he ,Elected to abandon his game plan with Mcgirt and was dazed by counter left hook, again he elected to brawl in a fight he was winning easily by boxing form the outside. Meldric Taylor didn't just get old form the chavez fight , it was well documented that taylor would elect to brawl even in sparring, and it was noted that taylor would abandon his plan to box as soon as the action got heated or he got hit real good.
Floyd did let his hands go at 140, mostlyu against second rate opposition, but he let them go more nonetheless. Still, it's not even up for debate who had the higher workrate. Floyd is adaptable yes, but he also typically takes a few rounds to do his adapting, and against a fighter of Taylor's caliber and abilities, that'd likely mean he loses the early rounds before catching his stride, and even then, Taylor's on a different level than anyone Floyd's faced in terms of ability. Both fighters would be tough nuts to crack in different ways. Floyd with his ring intelligence, Taylor with his superior physical gifts and workrate. He wouldn't be controlling him with his jab, it simply isn't efficient enough, even if it is a good one. Taylor's speed and workrate would more than nullify it unless Floyd were to fight a purely defensive type of fight, in which case I could see Taylor winning on aggression just as easily as Floyd on points. I think Taylor presents a more difficult matchup than Mosley as well. Stamina? Taylor had fantastic stamina. His ability to keep up a non-stop, high octane workrate throughout 12 straight rounds was remarkable. A lot more impressive than fighting a mainly defensive fight for 12 rounds for sure. Both have exceptional stamina. I don't rule out either fighter's chances, but Taylor would be no push-over for Floyd, even if Floyd is the better technician. There are more factors that it comes down to than that. I'd take Taylor to TKO Cotto at 140, without question, or else a wide UD. Tszyu on the other hand is pretty bad stylistically for Taylor, mainly because of his power.