Is Mayweather Entering a Second "Prime"?

Prime and Peak are different. He was in his prime until 140 IMO, but his overall peak was around the Hatton fight.

I don't think he's entering a second prime, he's just not as faded as people thought. He walked Mosley down because it was smart, not because he couldn't move. Cotto backed him up with smart pressure fighting tactics and a good jab, not because Floyd's legs were shot. I always thought people were exaggerating it. He doesn't move as much as he used to, but most of his career, he hasn't really that much. Even the Guerrero fight, his movement was skipping away, not punching on the move.

 

I think this current Floyd could probably beat his younger self (130-135). The older Floyd is a very smart counterpuncher. The younger one was more offensive and that would give the older Floyd counterpunching opportunities.

 

The whole prime thing is pretty subjective. If you look close enough, it's based on a boxer's performance against another boxer. The other boxer could be just as skilled as the other fighter but the other fighter is slightly out of prime, he will lose and people will say his shot.

Like in Winky Wright's last 3 fights, he was fighting top-notch competition but was slightly out of prime. Since he loses people say he's shot.

 

He is entering his optimus prime.

 

I doubt it but you never know... we'll see..

 

could be, it could be like michael jordan when he developed his fade away and 3 point shot. hopkins was similar in that he proved he could be dominant in his later years relying on ring iq and veteran tricks/tactics.

 

Honestly, I seriously believe Floyd can remain at the top until age 42 ish...Lomachenko would obviously be the one to knock him off then and Floyd's loss of handspeed will **** him. What he showed with the Guerrero fight is that even if he loses his reflexes at close range, he DOESN'T NEED it, he has a more Rigondeaux approach now of escaping pressure.

 

I wouldn't call it a "prime", but a phase or something. A second version. But to me it's not much different to his usual 147 tactics. Fewer leaping left hooks, more looped right hands.

 

I'll never see a better Mayweather than at 135. I don't think I believe in second primes, moreso adaptability. Like Holyfield for instance.

 

I think all this boils down to the fact he got hit against Cotto. It wasn't Floyd, it was the opponent. He looked very quick against JMM, sharp walking down Mosley, boxed well against Ortiz, it was only the Cotto fight that had people really talking about his age. I think Floyd's pretty much as good as he's ever been at 147, Cotto just brought it that night and had certain stylistic advantages.