He was a great boxer no question about it. But in his career outside of Jr.lightweight he really didn't go after the very best without always having some kind of catch to give him an advantage. I mean I look at some of the names on his resume and the names look great until you take in account the age and weight they fought Floydd in. I think of Leonard,Hearns and a Hagler who went AFTER the best in order to prove they were the best and Mayweather didn't do that. Their was always some kind of catch on why he wouldn't fight people.
He just wasn't an overall active fighter. He passed on a lot of opportunity. 45 fights in 18 years doesn't impress me. Salvador Sanchez had 45 fights in 7 years, even Canelo 45 fights in 9 years...Put PBF in the 40's and some other era's, 80 plus fights with those brittle hands against the tough guys, he's probably a nobody. Although a brilliant promoter/marketing genius, no doubt about that...
I think he would have been successful in any era its just I question how successful. I can't see him beating a prime Leonard or Hearns but at the same time he wouldn't get blown out either. He would be a handful. I think he also greatly damaged boxing. The best boxer is suppose to bring excitement to the sport and almost all of his bouts were set up with him having an advantage somehow or him waiting until the right moment to fight the person. I can't think of a bout where I was excited to see it were a Hearns an Leonard bout captured EVERYONES anticipation.
Hearns would blow Floyd out. Like a candle, too. Tommy is the worst stylistic fight for Floyd in the history of the sport. Ray is bigger, badder & better. He'd overwhelm Floyd in the end. Floyd has ruined Boxing, IMHO. Ok, he's had monumental success at the box-office, but look at the damage it's done.
