even weighing is as feathers against him at 130 126 Salvador Sanchez Willie Pep 130 Henry Armstrong (was no 130 when he was around , but held 126 , 135 & 147 at one time!!) Julio Cesar Chavez, Alexis Arguello, Barney Ross 135 Pernell Whitaker Roberto Duran Shane Mosley Benny Leonard 140 Tszyu Aaron Pryor De La Hoya Wilfred Benitez 147 Sugar Ray Leonard Sugar Ray Robinson Felix Trinidad Thomas Hearns
Dont know about Sanchez and Pep...I think Floyd is a bad style for Willie and just holds to many physical advantages. Salvador is a better shot IMO but its hard to speculate because he was never able to test himself higher against the bigger guys. Armstrong is a good call but you could argue that either way IMO. I gotta say in Floyd's era, over 12...Id pick him to edge out Arguello. Alexis started slow generally and took even longer to contend with boxer types of Floyd's ilk. Just think he runs out of time over the 12 and its a bit unfair to chuck floyd in a 15 rounder. I think Whitaker, Duran and Chavez beat him without a doubt. Ross id instill a slight favorite, he is very well rounded but Floyd could pose him a lot of problems. De la Hoya beats him at 140-147 more often then not. Hard call with Pryor, he sort of never really proved himself against a range of high class fighters, just a couple and no one with the style of Floyd. But I do side with him ever so slightly. His unconventional style, workrate, natural strength and offensive ability all spell poison for a guy like Money. To tell you the truth I give Floyd an edge over the pup version of Wilfred. He is a better lateral mover and a little more polished then the very young version of WB at 140. At 147 its a different story, at 154 Id back Wilfred with little hesitation. All those guys at 147 either beat him easily or stop him..But I at least give Mayweather a chance to eek it out over Tito...And you could add a ton more at that weight where I feel Floyd just wasnt that impressive. Floyd was magic at 130...very few under modern rules over 12 rounds I pick over him there but he just lost a little bit when the weight was stacked on against the decent opposition he took on above his best weight.
i reckon he beats JCC at SFW and i reckon he would slip past Tszyu and ODLH at 140... stylistically he is just not right for either of them. Tszyu would patiently wait 12 rounds waiting to land that big shot and i dont think he would land it. Close fights but i see Floyd edging them. At 147 i reckon he beats Trinidad in a great fight. Hearns would give Floyd fits with that laser like right hand over the top
I think Sanchez would have figured that puzzle out.... Why is it unfair to specualte about how floyd would do in a 15 rounder? By his own account the man is "the greatest ever" . Armstrong outworks him.. I think Mosley @ 135 knocks him out.. What does Floyd have that holds off Pryor? Good call on benitez... Didnt think of that. I agree that 130 was his best weight, and was special there , but apart from Corrales and Hernandez it's a pretty flat resume , it was more about how he beat them than who they were - call it the "Roy Jones standard" of judging...
You're basing this off the Whitaker fight I guess? (Chavez was not as good at 140) Pernell stood in the pocket, Floyd would not and could not ... I think Castillo is a cheap version of chavez, (who at 130 was a f**ken animal) and that was by far the worst performance of floyds career (injury aside - he struggled with the style)
I think Tszyu (before Phillips) would get him quick, the Tszyu after Phillips would have been thoroughly outclassed, but I still give him a better than 60% chance of landing the boom!
Because he has never fought over that distance. Floyd doesnt have the punch to trouble Az but lesser boxers have been able to trouble Pryor with varying success. He will be in whirlwind mode, which will see him fairly easy for Floyd to find. Just think if Floyd fights disciplined and at range he will get his fair share of rounds and run Pryor pretty close. I used to be in the Mosley beats Floyd at lightweight boat but Ive changed sides. Wont argue with anyone who sees it the other way, just I think Shane's body of work there is getting a little overrated now.
Fair play , but in the same vein, you could say those who did fight over 15 rounds may have altered their own style had they only 12 rounds to play with no? Fair point on Pryor... Mosley too , but hey , he did knock everyone out, then proved it no mirage by jumping 2 weights and toasting a prime oscar (half in southpaw mode too...)
They surely would...if anything I think the fact he have gone 15 puts little doubt on whether they can handle a decent pace over 12. But I dont think you could say it works the other way definitively.
I think Mayweathers style is all good for 15... he hits a rythmn and rarely deviates from it... and hardly ever looks tired after 12...
Well he is superbly conditioned...and paces himself very well. But no one has ever really pushed him the way guys like Armstong or Arguello most certainly will. Even over 12 he tends to pack up shop for spells. IMO its just another 3 rounds for the punchers to get at him. I tend to think a lot of names you mentioned would be the ones finishing with a gallop and not Floyd.
Harsh Appo. Tszyu's career post Vince Phillips went a little haywire with injuries and a cockhead manager, although his fighting ability suffered little. Even though Kostya is one of the most suffered fighters on record (In saying his career was disturbed at every corner) I back him against any jW/W, especially a southpaw.