How common is it for a fighter to age over night?

[IMDAZED]

There's some truth to this. Look at Mosley v Margarito.

Great fighters often have one last great performance in them. The problem is that most fighters don't know when the last one was and think there's always another one and it never comes.

Maybe we're looking at that with Floyd, who knows? The man is getting close to 40. I've no doubt he could go on a few more years with the right fight selection but there comes a time when fighters who couldn't lace your gloves at your best are making you look old and start beating you.

You would have to assume Mayweather is smart enough in the boxing sense to know when he's done, what with him being safety first and his 0 being his marketing angle. So maybe he feels he has enough in the tank to fight on for now.

I believe this next fight will give us an idea of where he is at right now.

Usually the "growing old overnight" is more a case of someone gradually aging bit by bit until it becomes all too noticeable in one fight. Mayweather didn't begin aging with the Maidana fight, he's been showing signs for years. But now it's pretty bad. This fight should tell us, and him, a lot.

[LeonardEllerb3]

Usually the "growing old overnight" is more a case of someone gradually aging bit by bit until it becomes all too noticeable in one fight. Mayweather didn't begin aging with the Maidana fight, he's been showing signs for years. But now it's pretty bad. This fight should tell us, and him, a lot.

For sure. I'd say the signs have been there since around the Ortiz and Mosley fights. Still a brilliant fighter with enough to deal with the other top fighters around, which says a lot really. Some fighters will expose the decline more than others. Maidana's style has the ability to expose Mayweathers decline in his athleticism, reflexes and legs.

I believe Maidana's awkward style makes him possibly one of the biggest thorns in Floyd's side when it comes to fighting. Canelo is more conventional and Floyd's boxing brain is like a computer and is programmed to deal with more conventional styles easily, even when his physical skills have diminished, he still has the IQ to read the fight, figure out the opponent, adjust and get a comfortable win.

With Maidana, he's unconventional and awkward so Floyds boxing brain needs to take in new information on how he fights, but there's no time for that too much in the middle of a fight with a guy swarming all over you, so he would have to resort to his physical skills more than his brain more than he would like to and that's why it was close. Put a Marquez or a Canelo in with him on the night he fought Maidana and he'd have had an easy night.

With that said, I think Floyd now might see something in Maidana he can expose in the re-match, otherwise i don't think he would take the rematch. I'm a fan of Floyd, but i call a spade a spade and he is safety first as we know (that's not calling him a ducker). Knowing how tough the first fight was, you'd have to assume that with 12 rounds already fought against Maidana, he has figured out an easier way to win, but with the conventional boxers he faces, it might only take him 2-3 rounds to figure it out. I don't think there would be a rematch if he didn't have a way figured out. Floyd would not opt for a repeat of the first match, no way.

[IMDAZED]

For sure. I'd say the signs have been there since around the Ortiz and Mosley fights. Still a brilliant fighter with enough to deal with the other top fighters around, which says a lot really. Some fighters will expose the decline more than others. Maidana's style has the ability to expose Mayweathers decline in his athleticism, reflexes and legs.

I believe Maidana's awkward style makes him possibly one of the biggest thorns in Floyd's side when it comes to fighting. Canelo is more conventional and Floyd's boxing brain is like a computer and is programmed to deal with more conventional styles easily, even when his physical skills have diminished, he still has the IQ to read the fight, figure out the opponent, adjust and get a comfortable win.

With Maidana, he's unconventional and awkward so Floyds boxing brain needs to take in new information on how he fights, but there's no time for that too much in the middle of a fight with a guy swarming all over you, so he would have to resort to his physical skills more than his brain more than he would like to and that's why it was close. Put a Marquez or a Canelo in with him on the night he fought Maidana and he'd have had an easy night.

With that said, I think Floyd now might see something in Maidana he can expose in the re-match, otherwise i don't think he would take the rematch. I'm a fan of Floyd, but i call a spade a spade and he is safety first as we know (that's not calling him a ducker). Knowing how tough the first fight was, you'd have to assume that with 12 rounds already fought against Maidana, he has figured out an easier way to win, but with the conventional boxers he faces, it might only take him 2-3 rounds to figure it out.

Exactly. Floyd needs more time to react to Maidana's awkwardness and with his slowed reflexes and legs...forget it. It's going to take an Azumah-Fenech II type performance to halt Maidana. Meaning, Floyd can no longer use his legs so he'll have to be able to fight well off the ropes, set him up and put him away. Don't know if he is able to do that.

[StefanTosic]

For sure. I'd say the signs have been there since around the Ortiz and Mosley fights. Still a brilliant fighter with enough to deal with the other top fighters around, which says a lot really. Some fighters will expose the decline more than others. Maidana's style has the ability to expose Mayweathers decline in his athleticism, reflexes and legs.

I believe Maidana's awkward style makes him possibly one of the biggest thorns in Floyd's side when it comes to fighting. Canelo is more conventional and Floyd's boxing brain is like a computer and is programmed to deal with more conventional styles easily, even when his physical skills have diminished, he still has the IQ to read the fight, figure out the opponent, adjust and get a comfortable win.

With Maidana, he's unconventional and awkward so Floyds boxing brain needs to take in new information on how he fights, but there's no time for that too much in the middle of a fight with a guy swarming all over you, so he would have to resort to his physical skills more than his brain more than he would like to and that's why it was close. Put a Marquez or a Canelo in with him on the night he fought Maidana and he'd have had an easy night.

With that said, I think Floyd now might see something in Maidana he can expose in the re-match, otherwise i don't think he would take the rematch. I'm a fan of Floyd, but i call a spade a spade and he is safety first as we know (that's not calling him a ducker). Knowing how tough the first fight was, you'd have to assume that with 12 rounds already fought against Maidana, he has figured out an easier way to win, but with the conventional boxers he faces, it might only take him 2-3 rounds to figure it out. I don't think there would be a rematch if he didn't have a way figured out. Floyd would not opt for a repeat of the first match, no way.

a hall of fame post, very nice explained, thank you

[-MAKAVELLI-]

Cotto fans don't want to hear that.

that's two great fights in a row...you're ****ed