Pernell Whitaker vs Floyd Mayweather at 147

What offensive advantage does he have? Pea has a better jab and a much higher workrate, while Floyd had become more of a purely defensive counter puncher/pot-shotter at WW. You could argue Floyd has a slight power edge I suppose, but overall his offense was not as varied or efficient as Whitaker's.

 

Floyd is stronger. Look at Floyds knockouts compared to Whitakers during his career. Floyd is also taller and has a longer reach.

Floyd is still in his prime to. Whitaker began to drop off when he hit his 30's.

 

Pernell fought just about all worthy top fighters at the right time, can't say that about Mayweather.

 

At LW and above, their knockout records and power punching exhibitions are quite similar. The majority of Floyd's KO's came at 130.

Also, how does punching power equate to physical strength? I can't see Floyd backing up the likes of Chavez and McGirt and beating them up on the inside.

 

Against Pernell, Floyd would step it up. Floyd was more of a counter puncher at 147 cause he wasn't as powerfl as his opponents. But against Pernell, it would be a chess match. This fight wont boil down to power, speed, stamina, offense or defense, it would all come down to the mind. & its not like Floyd couldn't up his workrate, & if he had to against Pernell he could without stamina being an issue.

 

I enjoy watching both fighters. However, their styles would makethis a super boring fight.

 

An interesting fight doesn't have to include "swinging at the fences" and impressive knockouts.

 

Every time this poll comes up (and I'm pretty sure it was done just a week or so ago) people say how PBF has an offensive advantage over Sweet Pea....even a look at a rudimentary highlight reel of Pea would show how devestating some of his K.O's were. He could throw snappy, presice hooks from angles that could take people out, or he could administer a brutal beatdown.

I'd say Pea gives Floyd a lesson at every weight, he doesn't block or parry shots, he isn't there and then he's pounded you.

At his best anyways....which wasn't WW. But, different styles aside, the sharpness he showed in the Chavez fight and the all-round game he employed (as always, and beating Chavez on the inside??!!?!?) convinces me he would beat Mayweather and frustrate him as well.

I don't think Floyd would take kindly to being beaten in every department (except an apparent shade more in power for Floyd, which may be true.)

 

He didnt fight Meldrick Taylor, Quartey, and Tito had held the IBF strap 6 years before Pea fought him. After he beat Vasquez, Pea didnt fight what you would consider a worthy opponent until Oscar around 2 years later.

 

PBF razor tight defensive fight

 

That is all true, but the fact remains that Pea still holds definitive edges in areas like jab and workrate (even if Floyd were to fight in the center of the ring in a more offensive manner, which he may very well) and his southpaw stance with that consistent jab would always trouble Floyd.

The main reason I favor Pea however, is because of Floyd's need to adapt. There are obvious reasons he'd need to adapt to Whitaker which we've discussed, which would cause him to lose early rounds, falling behind on the cards in the process. He's had to adapt to most decent or mediocre WW's he's fought, from Hatton to Zab, so it's a given that the same would apply for Whitaker, a fighter who always got out of the gate in fight mode. However, unlike with Hatton and Zab, even if Floyd did manage to even things up in the late rounds, he'd still be behind on points from the early round deficit. I can't see Floyd winning more than 3 or 4 rounds tops because of that, as the best I could see him doing in the second half would be to even things up. I can't see him consistently getting the better of Pernell at any point with no reliable advantages, therefore I can't see him taking over or doing enough to even the score up on the cards unless Pea decides to coast like he did against McGirt in the first fight. In that case, Floyd wins 4 or 5 rounds.

 

exactly...u know ur ****...the more floyd is pressed the more he fights and his hand speed and combos go up...he would win

 

Oh, and Pea also had a great chin, so I don't think Floyd's power would trouble him....may impress the judges though.

I'm more interested to hear what people think about Duran-Pea at LW?

 

I think it's a bad match-up for Floyd. He's in with a southpaw, which he has admitted gives him problems, a fighter with a significantly better jab, a higher workrate, and who holds an edge on the inside where Floyd liked to do a lot of his work, and a fighter who goes to work from the opening bell where as Mayweather tended to take early rounds off to figure an opponent out.

At any weight, Pernell wins. 8-4, maybe 9-3 decision (competitive fight overall, but Pernell will clearly be getting the better of the majority of the rounds, even if a good amount of rounds are close).

 

It would be interesting because these 2 are 2 of the most TALENTED fights of the past 20 years.

However, I would expect a Trinidad-DLH style fight...In the sense that these 2 would show such great respect for each other that there's no action.



And yea...Fights without action and entertainment are boring. It would be interesting because these fighters are so talented but they're approach to the fight would be boring IMO