Should Mayweather have fought Sergio Martinez?

Before any of you “Floyd is TBE” weirdo’s get all defensive actually read this post as I’m not saying Mayweather ducked or avoided Martinez. I’m just surprised that the great strategist both in and outside the ring never saw Martinez as an ample opportunity to claim a 6th divisional title and 5th divisional lineal title, which would have been a crazy impressive accolade. Let’s say in 2014. Martinez’s body was breaking down and he was essentially looking to cash out, which he did against Cotto this same year. Martinez turned pro at 147 and wasn’t exactly a natural Middleweight, so he would and could fight at a catchweight of 154-155 especially for a Mayweather pay day. The anti Mayweather brigade would have b**ched and whined about the catchweight and Martinez being past prime but this fight still would’ve done big numbers if it was sold on the narrative of Mayweather chasing history and winning the lineal Middleweight title. Is anyone else surprised Mayweather never exploited such a favourable opportunity to achieve such a historic accolade?

Comments (20)

Jedi_Vader

Probably Pac being best of era and 8 division titilist had something to do with it. He wanted to give his peers chance to catch up. That's the thing though, Pac weren't the best of his era. Floyd has proved that.

6y ago

RJJ9402GOAT

:lol1: Neither did I til 5 minutes ago, man. The miracle of search engines hey? However I do remember the intensity of the cold war over that period. I'm never one for blaming the fighters for stuff not getting made, but it was particualrly bad back then as I recall. It's bad now, too, but a little more nuanced. Yeah it was. That HBO/SHO Cold War cost us Kovalev-Stevenson around that time period as well.

6y ago

Citizen_Koba

Good point man, I didn’t know Martinez was tied down to HBO for 6 fights. :lol1: Neither did I til 5 minutes ago, man. The miracle of search engines hey? However I do remember the intensity of the cold war over that period. I'm never one for blaming the fighters for stuff not getting made, but it was particualrly bad back then as I recall. It's bad now, too, but a little more nuanced.

6y ago

RJJ9402GOAT

Absolutely no sleight on Floyd for not fighting him but I suspect a 2014 era Maravilla would have been fairly easy work for Floyd. Not 100% sure why it was never on the radar, but the most likely and obvious reason would have been the cold war between HBO and SHO which was at it's height during this period. Sergio was re-contracted to HBO from 2011 onwards for his final 6 fights and it's unlikely HBO would have been willing to let him cross the street nor would SHO be particularly likely to want to take a chance on it when there were many other options available. https://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=6661474 Quite aside from which it's not like Floyd was short of fights that captured the public imagination in the '13 - '15 period, the young but highly regarded hotshot Canelo, Broner Slayer Chino x2 and Pacquiao... Good point man, I didn’t know Martinez was tied down to HBO for 6 fights.

6y ago

Citizen_Koba

Absolutely no sleight on Floyd for not fighting him but I suspect a 2013-14 (post Murray) era Maravilla would have been fairly easy work for Floyd. Not 100% sure why it was never on the radar, but the most likely and obvious reason would have been the cold war between HBO and SHO which was at it's height during this period. Sergio was re-contracted to HBO from 2011 onwards for his final 6 fights and it's unlikely HBO would have been willing to let him cross the street nor would SHO be particularly likely to want to take a chance on it when there were many other options available. https://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=6661474 Quite aside from which it's not like Floyd was short of fights that captured the public imagination in the '13 - '15 period, the young but highly regarded hotshot Canelo, Broner Slayer Chino x2 and Pacquiao...

6y ago

RJJ9402GOAT

In 2014 Martinez was old with horrible knees and then you wanted to drain him to 154??? Floyd would have been slammed...pointless Again read the OP, you’re missing the point. Do you think Floyd would care? The records books would read the same. Lineal middleweight champion. It would of unquestionably still be recognised as a great accomplishment. You should apply for a TMT security job man...😂

6y ago

FinitoxDinamita

Not only does he fights with hands down, but he often moved back in straight lines with chin exposed. He is such a sucker for Floyd’s straight right hand. We need a MW like Winky Wright to fight Floyd mayweather.

6y ago

FinitoxDinamita

I believe Floyd would have beaten him fairly easily. Martinez is bigger but that’s where it ends and he isnt the type to utilize his size so his weight advantage isnt much of a factor. Martinez is tailor made for Floyd, tailor made. He fights with his hands down and he isnt the most fundamentally sound. He makes too many mistakes for Floyd not to capitalize on.

6y ago

LarryX

Read the OP before you get all defensive... Do you think Mayweather would’ve cared what a couple of haters thought? By your logic he should have never fought at all... In 2014 Martinez was old with horrible knees and then you wanted to drain him to 154??? Floyd would have been slammed...pointless

6y ago

RJJ9402GOAT

Like Ray Vs Lalonde, sure drain the sht out of the much bigger guy just as Donny was, but instead off praising the win as in Rays case they would bash Floyds win because of a CW and the result is nobody wins and they only hope Floyd loses. Mayweather can beat any one in history his size thats really all that matters. You’ve completely missed the point. Read the OP before getting so defensive. Ray gets a tonne of slack for draining Lallonde... Anyway man, the point of this thread was Floyd probably played the game of matchmaking better than any fighter in history. I AM NOT BASHING OR HATING ON HIM FOR IT. No need to be defensive. I’m just surprised he missed out on an ample opportunity to win the lineal middleweight title which undoubtedly is a historic achievement for a guy coming from 130. Whether “he gets credit” or not who cares. The record books read all the same...

6y ago

Roadblock

Read the OP... It would only hypothetically be at 154. Like SRL-Lallonde. I ain’t suggesting he fought Carlos Monzon. Like Ray Vs Lalonde, sure drain the sht out of the much bigger guy just as Donny was, but instead off praising the win as in Rays case they would bash Floyds win because of a CW and the result is nobody wins and they only hope Floyd loses. Mayweather can beat any one in history his size thats really all that matters.

6y ago

RJJ9402GOAT

for what?? all ya'll would have done is bashed the win Read the OP before you get all defensive... Do you think Mayweather would’ve cared what a couple of haters thought? By your logic he should have never fought at all...

6y ago

LarryX

for what?? all ya'll would have done is bashed the win

6y ago

RJJ9402GOAT

No.... Different weight classes. Why should he? No Floyd has no call being in the ring at MW, he is not even a full WW, just like Manny these guys are not WWs they are ATG little guys that were good enough to get away with it . MW is ridiculous . Read the OP... It would only hypothetically be at 154. Like SRL-Lallonde. I ain’t suggesting he fought Carlos Monzon.

6y ago

Roadblock

No Floyd has no call being in the ring at MW, he is not even a full WW, just like Manny these guys are not WWs they are ATG little guys that were good enough to get away with it . MW is ridiculous .

6y ago

boxinggod101

No.... Different weight classes. Why should he?

6y ago

RJJ9402GOAT

Floyd already has the best resume ever so no he "shouldnt" have fought him. However it would have been a marvelous fight Best resume ever? That would make me question how well you know your history. But he does undoubtedly have an ATG resume no disputing that.

6y ago

hugh_grant

He fought and beat Canelo and Cotto easily. Why didn't Pac fight Canelo, Sergio and Cotto at 160? Probably Pac being best of era and 8 division titilist had something to do with it. He wanted to give his peers chance to catch up.

6y ago

CHOWWOKKA

Floyd already has the best resume ever so no he "shouldnt" have fought him. However it would have been a marvelous fight

6y ago

Real_King_Kong

Nah Sergio dont move the meter like that. Legacy-wise or money-wise. He didn't earn it either. What? Becoming lineal mw champion doesn’t “move the meter” legacy-wise?

6y ago