Is Floyd one of the all time greats?

That's a good fight. And while I would favor Duran to win, it wouldn't be a walk in the park for him. Mayweather would present his own challenges to Duran in that hypothetical matchup.

It likely goes the distance, with Duran getting a UD. I think his head movement and excellent footwork gets him inside on Mayweather and in position to throw punches. I think Floyd has success keeping Duran off with his superior reach, speed, and great defense. Don't forget, Mayweather had better pop at the lower weight classes. But Duran could slip punches very well himself, and was no slouch on defense. Mayweather wasn't as strong as an inside fighter at 135 IMO.

Again: It wouldn't just be a blowout. It'd be a competitive fight, and Mayweather certainly would have a gameplan he could follow to victory if he can keep Duran off of him. Keep in mind: Duran would be giving up 6" of reach and 2" of height in the fight.

It's honestly more of a pick'em fight than anything else. When you REALLY break it down and examine film, it'd be an excellent fight. A great one.


Out of the fighters you named: Hearns is the worst stylistic matchup for Mayweather. Of the 3, that is the only one I think "for sure" wins. And that's against an ATG who started 4 weight classes above him. Think about it.

 

This shouldn't really be a discussion im not even sure he beats Curry, Starling, Breland, McCroy, or Honeygahn Or:

Tito, prime ODH, prime Moseley, and Forrest.....

the other recent era are guys his size like Sweet Pea, Chavez, McGuirt, Tayor these guys were all smaller Welters with the exception of Simon Brown....

 

Didn't Duran get upset at 135 by Dejesus, is he better than Mayweather? And SRL was outboxed at 147.

 

Agreed Floyd is pretty stellar between 130 to 140.....lots of pick em fights there.....Duran, Arguello, Mancini, Bramble, HD jr.,Pryor ,Chavez, Tayor, Sweet Pea, Rosario, Prime Ramriez at 130 135 Mosely and of course Prime Camacho although he would have to get his punch output up....but from i remember he was decently busy at the lighter weights....forgot about Barerra and Morales...

 

What dont you get Hearns will outbox anyone from any era between 147-154.....and Floyd lost to Castillo and Dejesus was much better than him...

 

We talking Duran and Sugar.

 

I know thats your reference for leonard being outboxed at 147 only Hearns outboxed him....yet it wasnt enough and Ray walked him regardless of the situation with Hearns being weight drained.....do you think Mayweather would have had the perserverence to absord a beating like that and still win the fight? When Leonard couldn't outbox Hearns he went to the body and broke his ribs...

 

You have to have been somewhere to know where your going.....even at 38 these intangibles are still mostly a unknown quantity outside of the 1st Castillo fight which Floyd really lost....

 

Leonard and Hearns at their best was at 147, Mayweather at his best 130, Duran probably 135. Any of these guy's fighting and losing to each other isn't a conformation that the loser isn't great. Outside of Hearns imo Mayweather could beat or lose to either.

 

I think your really not giving Leonard his proper due......he was a monster at 147, the best i've seen in my life time, now i agree between 140 to 130 Floyd would be right in the thick of things...and it was deep under 147 outside of the fab 5 superfights the junior light to super lightweight was the heart of boxing and the most competitive.....

 

Hearns was at his best at 154....47 even at 20 years old was killing him to make that weight....really he shouldn't have fought Ray at 147...but they were both undefeated champions about to unify the WW title and have the highest paid fight of all time....

 

Who are these guys he's fought of a similar level of ability then, bruv? A 34 year old promoter? An inactive, near 40 year Mosley? A bloated, 36 year old career featherweight?

Mayweather fans.

 

Nope, that was the second offer he rejected - and the purse he made for Baldomir was never officially disclosed.

He also rejected around seven million to fight Margarito and accepted three million less to fight a washed up Sharmba Mitchell.

 

Not at all Leonard is an ATG an a top 10WW all time saying Mayweather could possibly win isn't a discredit to him, SRL beating PBF is what should happen just based off where each fighter was in there prime at.

Below 140 it's very few fighter's I'd bet on to beat Floyd, like you said lot's of great matchups there. At 147 where most people compare him it's a different story what I was really getting at is that just because Mayweather might lose to a top 10 all time WW doesn't devaule his greatness.

Mayweather isn't a top 10 WW all time just like even though he's fought there Leonard isn't a top 10 MW all time.doesn't mean they wouldn't be competitive or possibly beat some of the greats up there.

Again if say Hopkins beat Leonard at MW I don't think it would be a surprise, but just because Leonard might lose doesn't say he's not great, just that he lost to an ATG who was prime 3 division above.

 

True im not disputing him being great....he undeniably is and anyone saying otherwise is fooling themselves.
So do you think more people should rank him based more on his ability at the lower weights because his resume looks shiner at 147 just like Durans does....