From Mayweather to Mayweather: the last great Welterweight era (2006-2015)?

Props to @UndergroundBoxing for the inspiration for this thread based on his look back at the Cotto-Mosley fight.

Was thinking about the frustrating era we’re currently in where the two best welterweights in the world won’t fight each other and thought back to another era in the very recent past where the two best welterweights also wouldn’t fight each other (although they eventually did).

In my mind the era really begins in 2006 with a few events: Floyd Mayweather moving up to welterweight and matching up with Zab Judah, the upset of Baldomir over Judah before the May-Zab fight happened and Floyd beating both Judah and Baldomir to establish himself as the no. 1 fighter at the weight.

Things really start hotting up over the next couple of years with Miguel Cotto establishing himself as one of the top fighters in the division with wins over Judah and a still-live Mosley in terrific fights before Antonio Margarito and Cotto engage in one of the best (and certainly most controversial) fights of the era.

Meanwhile, in the wake of Mayweather’s retirement in 2007 (after disposing of Ricky Hatton and then Oscar De Hoya up at light-middle), Manny Pacquiao is fast establishing himself as the best fighter in the world and incredibly he is doing this at 147, shocking everyone with his dissection of Oscar and then taking out Miguel Cotto in another terrific fight.

And just when we needed it, Floyd returns to the ring in late 2009, dominating an outmatched Juan Manuel Marquez. The era is peaking and we have the fight the world wants to see just around the corner in 2010…

…Or so it seemed. The next few years see a shift in momentum as the Floyd-Pac fight first builds to a crescendo of anticipation in 2010 and then frustration in 2011 while both fight anyone other than each other: Floyd engages with the likes of a seemingly resurgent Shane Mosley (fresh off his remarkable upset win over Antonio Margarito in another 2009 highlight) before meeting Victor Ortiz, while Pac matches up against Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Mosley too.

And then in 2012 things change again. With the Floyd-Pac fight still on the table but now leaning heavily on the side of frustration rather than anticipation, Pac first loses to new welterweight contender Tim Bradley in a controversial decision and then is shocked by Juan Manuel Marquez in arguably the best fight of the whole era. The impetus for the Floyd-Pac fight goes almost completely out of the window with those two defeats. For his part in 2012, Floyd makes a temporary step up in weight to meet former top welter contender Miguel Cotto in an excellent matchup.

And that’s pretty much it. For the next two years, Floyd and Pac will continue to fight and face opponents less worthy than each other before they eventually meet in 2015 in a fight past its sell-by date but seeing Floyd retain his position on top of the welterweight division.

So, what are your thoughts and memories of this era?

What were the fights and moments you enjoyed?

Do you look back on it with fondness or frustration?

And was it even an “era” in your opinion?

Let me know what you think.