Let's Be Real, Floyd Mayweather Would've Beaten Sugar Ray Robinson If They Fought

[Clyde Barrow]

I really hate seeing this NSB rubbish spill into this section.

[r.burgundy]

Originally Posted by Mr. President

You can make the arguement that Ray is the greater fighter based on their resumes (at this point in Mayweathers career), but skill for skill Mayweather is the better fighter. Ray never would've been able to solve Mayweathers defense and Floyd would've countered the **** out of him all fight. People have a tendency to rank fighters of the past higher for sentimental reasons but the reality is boxing has evolved since the 40's.

I'm still confident Floyd will be ranked higher on most peoples ATG lists after he retires but if todays version of Floyd fought Ray Robinson at WW who do you think would win?

theres no video of srr at ww,which was his best weight.from the vids we have seen,he has a good 2 fisted attack,a great chin,and can throw alot.i hate ranking guys i havent seen,but he still looked great at mw and he was on the downside of his career there.i think srr is the greatest ww but he is far from unbeatable as these quacks on here like to make him out to be.i would give hearns,srl,floyd,oscar good chances of beating him

[NChristo]

Originally Posted by r.burgundy

theres no video of srr at ww,which was his best weight.from the vids we have seen,he has a good 2 fisted attack,a great chin,and can throw alot.i hate ranking guys i havent seen,but he still looked great at mw and he was on the downside of his career there.i think srr is the greatest ww but he is far from unbeatable as these quacks on here like to make him out to be.i would give hearns,srl,floyd,oscar good chances of beating him

There's 4 or so videos of him at ww on youtube and plenty more out there.

I think Hearns and SRL would give him a good fight, Oscar is questionable, his chin would carry him to a decision but I don't think he's going to win, don't think Floyd would beat him at all.

[Obama]

Floyd is too small for Robinson.

[r.burgundy]

Originally Posted by NChristo

There's 4 or so videos of him at ww on youtube and plenty more out there.

I think Hearns and SRL would give him a good fight, Oscar is questionable, his chin would carry him to a decision but I don't think he's going to win, don't think Floyd would beat him at all.

i just went back and checked.a couple were added fairly recently.i only found 2 ww fights tho.luc van dam,and charley fusari.after watching those,i stands by my statement.i would give a good chance of those guys beating him

[NChristo]

Originally Posted by r.burgundy

i just went back and checked.a couple were added fairly recently.i only found 2 ww fights tho.luc van dam,and charley fusari.after watching those,i stands by my statement.i would give a good chance of those guys beating him

Charley Fusari I believe was his last fight at welter and he was overweight for the fight, haven't seen the Van Dam fight, got the link ?.

Edit: Nevermind just seen it, very poor video though :L.

[BG_Knocc_Out]

Skill sets from back then were drastically different. Floyds style would be too unorthodox for Ray.

[Obama]

Originally Posted by BG_Knocc_Out

Skill sets from back then were drastically different. Floyds style would be too unorthodox for Ray.

Watch Charley Burley fight. Then again, Robinson ducked Burley so...

And unorthodox is the wrong word for Floyd. The guy's style is highly conventional. Philadelphia fighters been fighting like him since the 50s.

[Mr. President]

Originally Posted by Roy Keane

would be intresting to see how ray would break floyds defense, id pick ray to win simply because i dont think floyd has the power to back ray up and potshotting just isnt enough against someone like robinson

If you think pot shotting is the only offensive tool in Floyds arsenal you're sadly mistaken. He has the ability to make adjustments to adapt to different situations in a way we've seen from very few fighters.

[F l i c k e r]

I think it's funny how people just undermine Floyd's overall ability. It's hard to see Floyd being hit too often by those punches I have seen SRR throw in the tape that I have seen of him.

A lot of the guys SRR fought were very stationary and often just tried to duck or block his punches. No one that I have watched displayed countering and evasiveness even close to the level of Floyd. How would he deal with a person who fights off the back foot and when he does come forward, it's normally a one shot and an escape from an angle?

It's also hard to believe Floyd wouldn't adjust to SRR's style. SRR fought with his hands down, not at his waist but obviously not with at his chin, which makes it a lot easier to see his punches coming. Not only that but a lot easier to counter. Add that Floyd at WW doesn't throw many combos over 2 punches. It's hard for me to see SRR catching Floyd while on a flurry like how he did Loyd Valentine(yes, I know it was golden gloves but the fight demonstrates SRR's max hand speed.) or Jake Lamotta

Then the clinch fighting. SRR liked to do a lot of work in the clinch but I don't know how he would work against that shoulder roll. Specially because he has his hands down a lot, I'd expect Floyd to tee off with those counter upper cuts from the pocket while SRR goes to the body like he normally does with his right hooks in the pocket.

Also, SRR fought a 5'6" Carmen Basilio, a welterweight, at MW 2x both ended in a split decision, 1-1. So I don't know about the whole size thing being that big of a factor.


I'm just honestly assessing the match up. I can see it going either way but I would favor Floyd slightly because Floyd doesn't risk too much, he's content with pot shotting if need be. I'm just talking more about Floyd right now because people are on that, past > present no matter what, thing.