Pacquiao struggles against counter-punchers, and Floyd's one of the best counter-punchers ever. Pacquiao is also shorter, smaller, at a reach disadvantage, and can't cut off the ring or fight on the inside to save his life.
No version of Pac beats Mayweather. Just a terrible matchup for him. Margarito too slow, ODLH too old, Martinez not the right weightclass at the right time (he didn't become a name until he got to 160). I think PW would have troubled Mayweather, actually, but that fight never was going to get made because Williams didn't have the profile needed before he also went up to 160. Also you are overlooking young Floyd. A lot of people thought Corrales was too much, too soon. Odds were about 50/50. He was only a slight favorite against Hernandez as well.
We will never know now though. I liked Floyd before his money persona. Thought he lost to castillo though, wish he did cause I rather have him fight alk those guys and be like 47-3 now. He would be much greater for me. But its what it is at this point
Would have been a more fun fight than what we saw though. Im sure 2010 Pac does way better and it would be a way more meaningful fight as well.
I think the ODH fight is what changed Floyd. Not because he saw how much money he could get, but how the fans are straight up assholes. If you remember, Floyd was on the podium crying and speaking about how the fan's treated him. I think at that point he lost all interest in getting the fans respect and just focused on the money.
He was not. Nobody was just good enough to beat him . Good article in the Times about he last man to beat Floyd in 1996. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/04/...eat-floyd-mayweather-jr-still-regrets-it.html
2009 - 2010 was when the Pac fight should have happened. You know...the time when Floyd decided, out of the blue, to clean up boxing.
Floyd was not afraid of challenges. He managed his career like his boxing, he has managed to minimize risk. Every A side boxer controls the contract terms and so did Floyd. No boxer in his era was better than Floyd.
Let's just put it this way. Scientists have yet to explain how Fraud Mayweather can stand erect without a spine. His lack of spine may be the answer to how he was able to duck and avoid the top challengers.