A guy with his skills and resume should be already prized as a GOAT ... is that more because of his childish character, disrespect to people, tendency to chickening out in front of a real treats or somethings else?
How much respect does he need? For Christ's sake, he got over 30 million for his last fight. Why would anyone feel the need to protect his persona?
Well ask yourself this? Did alot of people appreciate Muhammad Ali when he was fighting or did he got ALOT more regocnition efter his carrer was done? The same wil happen to Floyd trust me.
Because his skill far outweighs his resume. Boxing is a sport where you have to prove your worth rather than have it determined for you. Mayweather had opportunities to prove he is as good as you and I think he is, and he didn't take them. He will never be as respected as you want him to be, ever, for this reason.
I think he has proved his worth with his skills. Just because he did not fight everyone he could have does not mean much. He has fought and won 19 title fights. How many of his opponents are hall of fame or will be? his career is also not over, so we don't know how it will end. He has just taken a fight many people said he wouldn't. Will he continue that? Will he remain undefeated? Too many questions not yet answered. Floyd's place among the ATG's will not be settled until years after his last fight.
He's not fought a lot of people and a lot of his potential HoF opponents were not near their best when Floyd fought them. He's fighting Canelo(who is a threat due to size and power but hardly a juggernaut) at a catchweight when Floyd himself said just over a year ago that he fights guys at their best weight. It doesn't mean he isn't a ATG fighter. But when you compare his level of competition to the best of the best, he falls well short of their standard, and he has revealed himself time and time again as a gigantic hypocrite.
I think some people don't like him for these reasons. I'm not crazy about him personally, but I don't hate him in any way--or even dislike him. It baffles me why some people hate him so much. Did Mike Tyson (a convicted ******) get so much hate when he was boxing, especially in his prime? (I'm 29, so I missed out on "prime" Tyson.) I know he's mostly loved now, but the public as a whole has seem to forgiven him. And some of those same fans I'm sure are Floyd haters. Kind of hypocritical . . .
Iron Mike fought the way the fans like. Floyd is too good, for his own good. He makes fighters that people love look like amateurs. ie Oscar,JMM,Cotto,Hatton,Gatti,and very soon Alvarez. They can't forgive him for exposing their heroes.
Mostly because of idiots who after all these years can't comprehend that a fight with floyd against a top rank fighter simply cannot be made.