Was Floyd Mayweather one of the best athletes in his era?

What I was saying was that if you named the ten most popular sports on earth (boxing would be one of them) then by default Floyd would be up there.

 

I agree with this.
That's how most lists of "best athlete" or "sportsman" would be done.
Since very few people compete seriously in more than one sport or a multi-discipline event.

 

You're right and this is a big factor ... That's why I would personally put Michael Jordan( the best BB player ever, OK in baseball, at least he made it, and a scratch golfer) ... and Bo Jackson( Dominate in the NFL and MLB) .. both higher than Floyd ... Bo Jackson's athleticism was from another planet.

 

I don't necessarily agree with this myself.. Not saying your wrong .. But a cornerbacks athleticism is limited to defense only in a 10 second play, then it's break time.. Where a boxer's athleticism is needed for offense and defense for a much longer amount of sustainable time .. Not to mention his opponent is trying to knock his block off.. There is a lot more going on in boxing than only being subjected to offense or defense in the NFL ..imo . I would put Floyd over a starting CB in the NFL, with the exception of Deon Sanders. He played in the NFL and MLB

 

How are you defining "athleticism" then? I think you and I likely have two very different understandings of the word.

 

Probably..I'm basically calling it how I see what you need from the body's input to be successful in sports.. So many parts to it.. Don't think it's worth posting a definition and haggling over it.. So much opinion in it.. That's why I stated I'm not saying you are wrong at all .. I know some make fun of gymnasts, but I would say they might be up there for the best all around athletes if that helps with my definition of it

 

For me, as I stated earlier, "athleticism" comes down to COMPETING in any physical sport and doing well, preferably winning.
Results are what matter, on the official competitive stage.
An athlete is someone who competes.
It has to be measured by performance in proper competition.

Otherwise we're just talking about vague "physical prowess", or "training feats" or "gym tests" or whatever.
Or "Ooooh, he looks so fast and strong .... and moves so well......oooh, he's so explosive !!!".

Nah, it's about turning up on the day and winning the damn thing.

 

My guess would be no. Decathletes or gymnasts who compete in multiple different disciplines are far more athletic than any boxer - or football player or basketball player. Boxing produces quite well rounded athletes IMO - more than most other sports probably - but when you compare them to people who literally do different sports professionally then there is not really a competition.

btw. it's funny that American footballers are seen as great athletes in the US while over here they are seen as roided up guys who's sport mostly consists of waiting during commercial breaks.

 

Yeah, a man who exclusively plays football is no more superior an athlete to someone who boxes.
In fact, if anything he's more likely inferior since he probably relies on his team mates as well.

Decathletes are obviously better athletes than all other track and field athletes, and better than just about everyone else too.
They are measured in ten separate events and reach a pretty good standard all round, 10 events in a 2 day competition.
T

 

Your view makes sense, but I'm pretty sure most people tend to use the term "athleticism" to refer to "physical prowess," not competitive success in a particular sport or sports.

 

But the thing is, though it's not the same as competing in multiple sports professionally, a lot of high level football players were also very, very good in other sports. Guys like Antonio Gates, Quinten Rollins, Demetri Goodson, and Julius Peppers played D1 college basketball. Jameis Winston played college baseball. Marqise Lee was a college track star. Other guys like Julio Jones, Justin Hunter, RGIII (All American in track), Ted Ginn Jr. (ditto), AD, Marquise Goodwin (former Olympian), Danny Woodhead, Brandon Marshall, and Kendall Wright (basketball and track) among others, were all-state athletes in other sports in high school.

 

yeah, but then it just comes down to something that can never be proved.
People can argue until the sun goes down about physical feats and whatnot, and what matters in that sense.

But official results, winning, on the competitive stage is of far more substance. It's hard to argue against results.

 

Whether you find it surprising is irrelevant. It's still a very impressive testament to their overall athleticism (especially considering that many, many, many more high school kids compete in those sports than boxing). Plenty of boxers pursued other sports in high school but weren't good enough to get scholarships or make a living from them. Others probably lacked the athleticism necessary to even make their high school teams in those other sports. Aside from that, I just don't see any reason to believe that many boxers possess that kind of athleticism and physical prowess to thrive on that level in other sports.