Has anyone seen a decline in Mayweather?

Slickstar · May 1, 2013

leftleftright said: ↑

Mayweather has had significant physical decline since his peak around 2005. But I have not seen a great deal of physical decline since he came back in 2009. I actually expect him to improve physically if he fights 6 times in 30 months. By his 3rd or 4th fight he will be very sharp.

Even with the physical decline, he is arguably a better boxer. He is smarter and more experienced and he uses his resources more judiciously now. He knows exactly what he has in the tank, knows when to use it and always keeps a reserve.

I don't agree that there has been any significant decline since 2009. People say he doesn't move around the ring anymore, but he really never has. Floyd just doesn't fight in a style where he consistently moves out of punching range for 12 rounds. The only fight I can remember that Floyd fought a style like that was Corralles.

Look at his fights since 2005:

Gatti -- I think he peaked around Gatti. To my eye, he was sharper against Gatti than any other opponent with the possible exception of Corrales. That said he is going to look sharper when he has a speed advantage and he did in both counts. He stood right in front of Gatti nearly the entire fight. His foot movements were sharp pivots and he came forward a portion of the fight.

Sharmba Mitchell -- He could have peaked here, He didn't look as sharp as he did against Gatti, but he moved up in weight and was fighting a considerably faster opponent. Sharmba was fighting the entire fight moving backwards. Floyd was moving forward nearly the entire fight.

Zab -- I wouldn't argue if someone said he peaked here. Same deal faster opponent. Zab was moving backwards and Floyd was coming forward nearly the entire fight.

Baldomir -- Floyd looked sharp against a slower opponent. Watch it again. He stands in front of Baldomir nearly all night. He only dances in the 12th round. He also decides to go to the ropes a few times.

De La Hoya -- Floyd fights more stationary. He Is in punching distance of De La Hoya the entire night. Even at a decline in his career, Oscar is clearly the best opponent he has faced and Oscar is able to cut off the ring, better than any other opponent. Physical decline? I don't think so. I think Oscar was tough. I also think some of the sting comes off Floyds punches against opponents at 154 (who are 160+ on fight night)

Hatton -- Floyd moved more in this fight than any other since Castillo largely because Hatton was trying to maul him. There were one or two rounds, where Floyd took a break and danced around the ring, but other than that he was in punching range nearly the entire fight. If he had physical decline in the De La Hoya fight, why did he move so much more 7 months later against Hatton.

Marquez -- Floyd looked sharp. Moved well, but didn't dance around the ring. He was in punching range the entire fight. According to compubox, this was Floyds best offensive and defensive fight since Gatti. 4 years later and after a nearly 2 year retirement.

Mosely -- Floyd looked really sharp here. He moved his feet very little, considerably less, but not because of physical decline. Floyds gameplan was to stay in the middle of the ring and off the ropes against Mosely Floyd Sr. thought that Mosely was dangerous if Floyd was against the ropes.

Ortiz -- Floyd moves more against Ortiz than he did against Mosely 16 months earlier, but people say his feet are slowing down. Floyd sat down on his punches against Ortiz which made him move his feet less. But he realized he didn't have to move his feet as much against Ortiz. If you gross up Ortiz's statistics over 12 rounds, he landed fewer punches than Marquez. It baffles me why they think Ortiz did anything offensively in that fight other than land a good headbutt.

Cotto -- Floyd moves more in the Cotto fight than he did against Ortiz, but people still say his feet are slowing. Similar to ODLH Cotto is coming at him at 154 (more than 160 on fight night) and can absorb the punishment better than those at 147. Simlar to ODLH Cotto knows how to cut off the ring. Similar to ODLH, Cotto is one of the top 5 opponents Floyd has faced. Statistically Cotto landed 3% more punches than the average punches landed on Floyd since Ndou but landed 50 fewer punches than the average. That's not a decline when you consider that Mosely landed punches at the same rate and Cotto is near the top of the opposition that Mayweather faced.

To sum it up, I don't see significant physical decline in Mayweather since 2009 Floyd doesn't dance for 12 rounds. Never really has. He is in punching range for 2 minutes 30 seconds of each round and has been fighting in that style since the Castillo fights. Statistically his opponents still land less than 20% of their punches.
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one of the rare quality posts I've seen in a long time

victor879 · May 1, 2013

He's been in decline since his layoff after the Ricky Hatton fight. Just IMO. Hasn't had that same spring in his step since. To turn a phrase.... "He's lost a step."

We'll see Saturday if he has lost more, or if the move back to 147 benefits. The two times he's been at 154 he's looked a bit sluggish as well.

MAG1965 · May 1, 2013

tough fights are what makes fighters age more. He has not had really tough fights. Cotto was tough, but not many more.

Pimp C · May 1, 2013

leftleftright said: ↑

Mayweather has had significant physical decline since his peak around 2005. But I have not seen a great deal of physical decline since he came back in 2009. I actually expect him to improve physically if he fights 6 times in 30 months. By his 3rd or 4th fight he will be very sharp.

Even with the physical decline, he is arguably a better boxer. He is smarter and more experienced and he uses his resources more judiciously now. He knows exactly what he has in the tank, knows when to use it and always keeps a reserve.

I don't agree that there has been any significant decline since 2009. People say he doesn't move around the ring anymore, but he really never has. Floyd just doesn't fight in a style where he consistently moves out of punching range for 12 rounds. The only fight I can remember that Floyd fought a style like that was Corralles.

Look at his fights since 2005:

Gatti -- I think he peaked around Gatti. To my eye, he was sharper against Gatti than any other opponent with the possible exception of Corrales. That said he is going to look sharper when he has a speed advantage and he did in both counts. He stood right in front of Gatti nearly the entire fight. His foot movements were sharp pivots and he came forward a portion of the fight.

Sharmba Mitchell -- He could have peaked here, He didn't look as sharp as he did against Gatti, but he moved up in weight and was fighting a considerably faster opponent. Sharmba was fighting the entire fight moving backwards. Floyd was moving forward nearly the entire fight.

Zab -- I wouldn't argue if someone said he peaked here. Same deal faster opponent. Zab was moving backwards and Floyd was coming forward nearly the entire fight.

Baldomir -- Floyd looked sharp against a slower opponent. Watch it again. He stands in front of Baldomir nearly all night. He only dances in the 12th round. He also decides to go to the ropes a few times.

De La Hoya -- Floyd fights more stationary. He Is in punching distance of De La Hoya the entire night. Even at a decline in his career, Oscar is clearly the best opponent he has faced and Oscar is able to cut off the ring, better than any other opponent. Physical decline? I don't think so. I think Oscar was tough. I also think some of the sting comes off Floyds punches against opponents at 154 (who are 160+ on fight night)

Hatton -- Floyd moved more in this fight than any other since Castillo largely because Hatton was trying to maul him. There were one or two rounds, where Floyd took a break and danced around the ring, but other than that he was in punching range nearly the entire fight. If he had physical decline in the De La Hoya fight, why did he move so much more 7 months later against Hatton.

Marquez -- Floyd looked sharp. Moved well, but didn't dance around the ring. He was in punching range the entire fight. According to compubox, this was Floyds best offensive and defensive fight since Gatti. 4 years later and after a nearly 2 year retirement.

Mosely -- Floyd looked really sharp here. He moved his feet very little, considerably less, but not because of physical decline. Floyds gameplan was to stay in the middle of the ring and off the ropes against Mosely Floyd Sr. thought that Mosely was dangerous if Floyd was against the ropes.

Ortiz -- Floyd moves more against Ortiz than he did against Mosely 16 months earlier, but people say his feet are slowing down. Floyd sat down on his punches against Ortiz which made him move his feet less. But he realized he didn't have to move his feet as much against Ortiz. If you gross up Ortiz's statistics over 12 rounds, he landed fewer punches than Marquez. It baffles me why they think Ortiz did anything offensively in that fight other than land a good headbutt.

Cotto -- Floyd moves more in the Cotto fight than he did against Ortiz, but people still say his feet are slowing. Similar to ODLH Cotto is coming at him at 154 (more than 160 on fight night) and can absorb the punishment better than those at 147. Simlar to ODLH Cotto knows how to cut off the ring. Similar to ODLH, Cotto is one of the top 5 opponents Floyd has faced. Statistically Cotto landed 3% more punches than the average punches landed on Floyd since Ndou but landed 50 fewer punches than the average. That's not a decline when you consider that Mosely landed punches at the same rate and Cotto is near the top of the opposition that Mayweather faced.

To sum it up, I don't see significant physical decline in Mayweather since 2009 Floyd doesn't dance for 12 rounds. Never really has. He is in punching range for 2 minutes 30 seconds of each round and has been fighting in that style since the Castillo fights. Statistically his opponents still land less than 20% of their punches.
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Excellent post although I don't agree with all of it.

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Has anyone seen a decline in Mayweather?

Slickstar Crisp This Full Member

victor879 Boxing Junkie Full Member

MAG1965 Loyal Member banned

Pimp C Too Much Motion