Floyd Mayweather Jr: Is He the Ray Robinson to Pacquiao's Henry Armstrong?

Stoker MacIntosh When I hear boxing scribes make the statement: There are some men who are born to be fighters, there is only one name that immediately comes to mind, Floyd Mayweather Jr. Boxing's "Pretty Boy" was born into a lineage of truly talented fighters. He is grown from a fertile genetic seed which produces the finite skills needed to become the elite among the elite. Consequently, from this DNA makeup, we came to believe that Mayweather is a highly superior, defensively skilled fighter who performs with the elusiveness and speed of an athletic housefly, but has the power and strength of a thoroughbred. Trained by his father—Floyd Sr—and his uncle Roger, the Mayweather team effort has awarded the family a five-division world champion. Less than two short years ago, at the time of his retirement, Mayweather Jr, by most accounts was—pound for pound, the best fighter in boxing. The passing up of $8 million to fight the now-tainted Antonio Margarito, in favor of a more lucrative deal involving Oscar De La Hoya—a fighter who he seemed to have been chasing his entire career—in hindsight now seems to be a stroke of genius. Although, after winning a close decision over De La Hoya, talk of a rematch started circulating though the boxing world, however, the elite fighter nick-named Pretty Boy decided against it, and stated that it was time for a well deserved rest. Author Poll Mayweather announced his retirement shortly thereafter. Since then times have changes, there's a new kid in town, and he has risen to a level of success and popularity that Mayweather can only dream of. During his respite, Mayweather has witnessed his informal standing as the world's best pound-for-pound fighter handed over to Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines. Pacquiao is small for a welterweight, but the size deficit compared to some of his recent opponents seems to make little difference; which is one possible reason he is being compared to the great Henry Armstrong. Even by today's standards the 5'5" 133 lb Armstrong—who was known as "Homicide Hank"—was also very small for a welterweight; and not unlike Pacquiao, he also took on all comers regardless of size, shape, color, or creed, winning titles from lightweight to middle weight in violent knockout fashion. The only man to thoroughly out-box and befuddle Armstrong was the great Sugar Ray Robinson. In 1943, the 22 year old Robinson, who is now considered by many to be the greatest fighter to ever lace up boxing gloves—handed Armstrong—who at that time was past his prime at 30, a thorough beating. Unless you have been living in a cave, you have no doubt heard that Mayweather announced his return to the ring this past Saturday at a highly publicized news conference at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas. Suspiciously timed, to air before Pacquiao's recent spectacular prizefight—in which he scored a thrilling second-round knockout over 140-pound champion Ricky Hatton, Mayweather announced he will fight Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18, in a welterweight bout expected to be set at a catch-weight limit of 144 pounds. "How am I not the king when nobody's taken my throne?" said Mayweather, who wore black clothing, including a stocking cap and large boots to the news conference. Pretty boy says he's prepared to fight all of boxing's top challengers near his weight level, including Pacquiao, Pomona's Shane Mosley and even a possible De La Hoya rematch. Now far be it from me, to tarnish the name of the great Sugar Ray Robinson, but if Mayweather succeeds in cleaning up the loose ends he left behind in 2007—by defeating Marquez, Pacquiao, Mosley—and if he can also, somehow convince De La Hoya to return to the ring and face him in a rematch, will anyone, anywhere once again—ever doubt his greatness? I think not. "One day, someone will shut my mouth,"Right now, I'm the top dog."-- Floyd Mayweather Jr