List 10 fighters that would of beat mayweather from 80s to 2010

Good list.

Not sure about Forrest. Winky? Hell no.


I'd replace them with Aaron Pryor and Manny Pacquaio.

 

Margarito?

Breland and Davis wouldn't cut it either. They were fairly average championship level fighter, you've got to remember that Mayweather is a top pound for pound fighter, something neither of those guys came close too. It looks their like you're just naming guys for the sake of it.

 

a pre rassario Hector Camacho wiould have a hell of a chance against floyd so would
chavez

 

Camacho is a good one.

 

really breland was a 6'2 knock out specialist he wasnt average in the slightest sense davis could also bang too, breland would have a strong shot at beating floyd he had underrated skills and had height and reach advantage, he'd potentially knock floyd out as for margarito, why did floyd duck him in 20062007, margerito is a volume puncher stylistically hes a nightmare for foyd,

 

I've never seen Floyd stuggle with a volume puncher. The only fighter he's had major issues with is Jose Luis Castillo, an educated boxer/pressure fighter. He's not a wind-miller like Margarito, Castillo applied effective pressure through cutting off the ring and an great ring smarts. Margarito isn't especially good at cutting off the ring (he follows) and he's not smart either. He doesn't make adjustments, he just chases and wind-mills shots till he suceeds, which agaisnt Mayweather, would fail. And if Margarito beats Mayweather, then I guess Paul Williams does too, eh? He threw in higher volume that Margarito.

Breland is an average championship level fighter, not an average fighter, did you not catch that? If he was anything above average he wouldn't have gassed horifically against Starling, or get knocked out by Aaron Davis, who was average. Breland had physical advantages and talent, but that doesn't make him a top fighter. He lacked in many other assets, and that's why he achieved relatively little in the pro boxing game. Davis was arguably even more average, he got beat comfortably by a past it Meldrick Taylor who was pretty innefective at Welterweight.

 

Floyd wouldn't even fight Williams because he was too tall. What makes you think Breland who is miles better that Williams wouldn't be a challenge?

 

The first group of names are guys who are absolute sure things. As in I'd bet everything I had in the world on them with every confidence. Note that I'm not including any fighters still active and in/near their prime.

1. Sugar Ray. Very difficult to imagine a worse matchup for Floyd. A guy who is bigger, faster, hits harder, can fight at any range, can take a punch, can box or brawl, has great stamina, etc. (And while I personally am not a big fan of SRL, anyone who doubts that he can hit or brawl needs to review some old fights).

2. Tommy Hearns. Similar scenario to Sugar Ray. Hearns is much bigger, has a much longer reach, has devastating power, lightning speed. The only reason he's lower than Sugar Ray on my list is because his inside game was subpar, stamina and discipline weren't as good. I can't imagine his chin being an issue in this fight, as Tommy was KO'd once at welter, by Leonard, in the 14th round. All his other losses came at Middleweight or high. You'd have to be crazy to think that Floyd comes forward against him, gets through the onslaught, and then KOs Tommy.

3. Vernon Forrest. Forrest poses major stylistic question because of the height and range again, and has excellent boxing technique, jab and straight to boot. Don't think Floyd would ever find his bearings.

4. Wilfred Benitez. Can match Floyd in defensive wizardry, but can also come forward and crack when he needs to.

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5. Pernell Whitaker. Again a guy who can match Mayweather's defensive abilities, but time an opponent who possesses a sharper jab, better body work, excellent speed and a higher punch output.

Guys that are less certain but can probably be favored for various reasons:

6. Aaron Pryor. Could very easily overwhelm Floyd with aggression and volume of punches, and is quick enough that I don't think Floyd could easily dodge and dance around him.

7. Roberto Duran. (from the first Leonard fight or at 135). If Floyd doesn't like being crowded, pressured, and fouled, then he's in for a tough night here. Duran is somewhat vulnerable to speed and defensive wizardry, but completely relentless and would bring the fight every single round. Whether it's over the course of 12 or 15 rounds, Floyd would get broken down. (After his first couple of fights at 147 Duran was too old and inconsistent to be favored).

8. Prime Oscar. De La Hoya from about 1996-2000 would do everything much better, faster, and sharper than the version from 2007. The jab would never stop, the combos would be quicker and harder, and Oscar's movement was light years better than it was at the end of his career.

9. Prime Mosley. This one is a little iffy, because Shane was always a guy with a low boxing IQ. Take the speedy, non-stop, power punching, always looking for the KO version from the late 90s-2001, though, and you'd get more than two punches rocking Floyd.

10. Chavez Sr. Like Duran, Chavez had some vulnerability to speed and elusiveness. He also had great punch selection, accuracy, combinations, and if Mayweather fights him in the pocket he's in for a rough fight all night long.

Honorable mentions: Wright, Breland, Norris, Starling, McCallum, Camacho.

Power punchers or precision guys with an outside chance of landing the big punch: Arguello, Tszyu, Jackson, etc.

 

Hearns outboxes prime Benitez with left hand only. If you forgot he broke his right hand.

 

I think Marlon Starling showed how a cagey counter-puncher could handle someone like Breland.

Personally, I think Starling himself would have a much better chance of beating Floyd Jr than Breland would. In fact, a fight between Starling and Mayweather would be pretty intriguing, because Floyd would be facing someone who possessed avery sound defense in his own right.

But from 1980 on, I'd be inclined to pick the following fighters...(jr. lightweight up till jr. middleweight)

* Ray Leonard
* Tommy Hearns
* Roberto Duran (The Montreal version, and maybe the version that torched Davey Moore in 1983)
* Julio Cesar Chavez (lightweight version for sure)
* Mike McCallum
* Pernell Whitaker
* Donald Curry (who already proved himself capable of handling crafty counter punchers with two clear victories over Starling)
* De La Hoya (lightweight and jr. welterweight versions)
* Aaron Pryor
* Wilfred Benitez

50/50 fights, based on styles or abilty

* Marlon Starling (for reasons already stated)
* Buddy McGirt (see Starling)
* Vernon Forrest
* Hector Camacho Sr. (pre-Rosario)
* Meldrick Taylor
* Winky Wright
* Shane Mosley (lightweight version)

 

Leonard
Duran
Hearns
Benitez
Curry
Starling
De La Hoya
Trinidad
Forrest
Chavez
Whitaker
Pryor

 

Larry Merchant

 

for i=1:10
Merchant(i) > Floyd
end

 

Thomas Hearns at 147 and 154
Ray Leonard at 147 and 154
Terry Norris at 149+
Roberto Duran at 135+
Wilfred Benitez at 154
Winky Wright at 154
Donald Curry at 147 and 154
Mike McCallum at 154
Pernell Whitaker at 135+
Aaron Pryor at 140

 

you think Paul Williams?