The Decline Of Mayweather ?

Are you talking about Smarter???
Because he wasn't better physically. And I think he was always a smart fighter all through his 30's.

He became "X" before Tito. Watching his fights prior to Tito he was breaking and knocking MFers out. He just became more well known after Tito.

And don't take my word for it. Robert Allen, who faced off against Hopkins several times, the last time out, also pointed to Hopkins being on the decline (despite getting knocked out by him).

What separates guys like Floyd and Hopkins from most of the rest is their boxing I.Q. and they are technically sound.

Ex: This is Hopkins when he was at his peak.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B3kLNrF2tg[/ame]

When you can be this offensive and not get hit that much and shut down your opponent the way he is doing__and everything looks like he is attacking with purpose with each shot__that's something.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B3kLNrF2tg"][/ame]

 

Hopkins was at his physical prime in his mid 20's. Hopkins had to start professionally later because he went to jail. When he was in his late 30's he was out of his physical prime. he was far more physically imposing in his 20's and he LITERALLY executed his opposition, some being pretty good opp and he was faster. The difference is that he had a lot of experience, his tricks he knew how to do with he was younger, were at his peak. But he had been that sneaky and great fighter before he became known. People like him seem to peak later, but they have always been good, just people didnt discover them until they beat someone popular or known, like Martinez or Winky, both had been great for years... but no one knew them.

But some people have later primes, NOT physically, it's mostly based on experience.

Mayweather is far removed from his "physical prime". He peaked at the Gatti fight and was still good during the Hatton fight. But he has had long periods of inactivity since then.

 

what part are we talking about?

Because once you hit a certain age you are coasting until you die even if you can keep it at a higher level than the guy next to you.

 

Agree.

My point as well was that guys like Floyd and Hopkins always carried that I.Q.
And you need to be at a very high level to be that slick defensively while being that offensive because you are throwing yourself in the danger-zone.

They just had to adapt as they declined (slowly) physically.

But just because you start to go gray and sound smarter because you are talking slower and more carefully__like a philosopher__picking your shots so everyone can notice because you are fighting at a slower speed___doesn't mean you are better. It just means you had to adapt to not being able to think and talk fast and put imaginary duck-tape on your opponent to shut his ass down.

But now since everyone can see what you are doing because you are slower and picking your shots carefully___everyone sees the brilliance.
But I can care less. I don't need to hit "slow-motion" to know what these guys were doing at their absolute best. Just because I couldn't see it exactly, that these guys were throwing Science at me at the speed of light__doesn't mean they weren't better back then__because they were.